Latest news with #StephenMcCabe
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Timeline for £24 million Greenock transformation revealed in new plans
The work will see a number of places demolished, including the Hector McNeil House, the Bullring Roundabout and the eastern side of the Oak Mall Shopping Centre. The A8 flyover in place of traffic light junctions will be removed, while the creation of new public spaces and a fresh entrance for the Oak Mall will also take place. Extensive planning has taken place on the project with some initial works and site investigations carried out. The main bulk of the work is to begin later in the year with contractors starting with the Oak Mall and Hector McNeill House works. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027 with more details on that to be announced in the future. Read More Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: 'This is a complex project involving various public and private sector partners and a lot of hard work has gone in behind the scenes to get to this stage where the main works are due to start soon. 'This is the biggest project of its kind in a generation with the aim of transforming central Greenock and the town centre for the better and is really exciting. 'It will build on the good work that's been done to date, including the new Ocean Terminal building and the West Blackhall Street redevelopment, by making Greenock a more accessible and attractive place to live, work, visit and do business. 'There will, of course, be disruption and we're not shying away from that. 'We're also well aware of disruption experienced by residents in recent times due to a variety of emergency and planned works, particularly on the roads network and we share those frustrations. 'Council officers are working closely with the main contractor and alongside our various partners to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum. 'It's worth remembering though that the long-term goal here is to modernise and improve Greenock and to try and revitalise the town centre. 'I hope people will share in this positive outlook for the town and get behind Greenock.' The total investment in the central Greenock project is expected to be around £23.58m, including associated land and road improvement costs. Inverclyde Council successfully bid for £19.39m from the UK Government towards the project with the remaining £4.19m is being sourced from various external funding pots and the council's capital reserves. UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: "I welcome confirmation that the transformation of Greenock Town Centre will begin later this year. 'This exciting project, funded by £19.39 million UK Government investment, will boost the economy, create skilled Scottish jobs and enhance the lives of communities. "The UK Government is investing more than £1.4 billion in dozens of important local growth projects and programmes across Scotland over the next 10 years - including up to £20 million more for Greenock as part of our Plan for Neighbourhoods. 'Working with partners we will deliver a decade of national renewal through our Plan for Change." The transformative programme from Inverclyde Council will create civic spaces, a restructured retail offer and improve links between various parts of the town centre and the waterfront. The ageing A78 flyover and the Bullring Roundabout will be removed with the road brought down to ground level to improve access. It will be replaced by a low-level trunk road which brings the town together and provide easier access for visitors and residents.
STV News
03-05-2025
- Health
- STV News
Two men hit by falling masonry during demolition of derelict housing estate
Two men have been injured while working on the demolition of a derelict housing estate dubbed 'Scotland's Chernobyl'. Police were called to Clune Park in Inverclyde around 3pm on Friday after the men, aged 31 and 20, were struck by a piece of falling masonry. The pair were taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for treatment. The incident comes as the long-awaited demolition got underway at the site with a fire-damaged church the first building to be torn down. It is part of the first phase of demolition works, which will also see an old primary school building and an initial 138 properties across 15 tenement blocks razed to the ground. There are around 430 residential properties across 45 tenement blocks in total at Clune Park, most of which are or were privately-owned. Dangerous buildings notices were served following extensive investigations by council building standards officers and external surveyors. Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: 'While the former church, school and initial batch of residential properties are being demolished on safety grounds, this is a significant milestone nonetheless. 'Clune Park was once a thriving and desirable community but sadly most of the properties are now beyond repair for a variety of reasons. 'However, Clune Park is in a great location with excellent transport links and can rise from the ashes and become a good place to live once again. 'The demolition works are the first key step towards achieving that goal of regenerating Clune Park and attracting the investment required to build quality, affordable housing for the people of Port Glasgow and Inverclyde.' The first tranche of flats to be demolished is opposite the former church building. The properties will be knocked down after the former church and school buildings have been dismantled. Work is being carried out by Greenock-based company Caskie Limited. Inverclyde Council has been acquiring properties in Clune Park for several years and now owns a significant proportion of the estate. The vast majority of the estate is derelict and the residential blocks, former school and the old church buildings have all been badly affected by deliberate fires and anti-social behaviour. A new Clune Park masterplan was approved by the council in November 2023 with the ultimate aim of demolishing the estate and building up to 165 new, affordable homes for social rent. The masterplan is subject to a variety of factors, including securing ownership of the remainder of the estate, obtaining planning permission, and attracting the necessary external funding to build new homes. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: 'Around 3pm on Friday, May 2, 2025, police were made aware two men, aged 31 and 20, had been injured at a premises at Montgomerie Street, Port Glasgow. 'Emergency services attended and both were taken to Royal Alexandra Hospital for treatment. 'The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Workers hurt by falling masonry at demolition site
Two workers have been injured by a piece of falling masonry during the demolition of a derelict housing estate in Inverclyde. The men, age 31 and 20, were struck by the stonework at Clune Park in Port Glasgow at about 15:00 on Friday and were taken to hospital. Neither have been seriously hurt. Demolition contractors Caskie Limited will carry out a full investigation into the circumstances. Director Euan Caskie told the BBC the company had "robust" health and safety policy and tries to avoid such incidents at all costs. More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland More stories from Scotland He confirmed the men had been released from hospital on Friday evening, one with bruising, but could not comment further until employees had been interviewed. Police were called following the incident and the health and safety executive has been informed. Inverclyde Council said on Friday that the former church in the estate had been completely demolished after work began earlier this week. Built in 1905, Clune Park Church was in an advanced state of decay when bulldozers moved in - its roof was completely gone with trusses piled up on Robert Street outside. The works will also see an old primary school building and 138 properties across 15 tenement blocks razed to the ground. The tenements at Clune Park were built a century ago as housing for shipyard workers but have lain mostly abandoned for years. A stand-off between private landlords and the local council has prevented redevelopment, with a handful of tenants remaining. Inverclyde Council owns a significant proportion of the estate having brought properties over a number of years. In recent years the run-down estate has become a magnet for urban explorers and photographers, forcing the authorities to step up security patrols. Dangerous building notices were served following investigations by the council's building standards officers and external surveyors. It was described as "Scotland's Chernobyl" more than a decade ago and the name stuck, despite having a very different story to the Ukrainian disaster zone. Local politicians say it was an easy badge to apply to the area because of its desolate nature. On Friday council leader Stephen McCabe said the first phase of the demolition work was a key step towards regenerating the estate. Bulldozers to move in on 'Scotland's Chernobyl'
BBC News
03-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Two workers injured in demolition of Port Glasgow's Clune Park estate
Two workers have been injured by a piece of falling masonry during the demolition of a derelict housing estate in men, age 31 and 20, were struck by the stonework at Clune Park in Port Glasgow at about 15:00 on Friday and were taken to have been seriously hurt. Demolition contractors Caskie Limited will carry out a full investigation into the circumstances. Director Euan Caskie told the BBC the company had "robust" health and safety policy and tries to avoid such incidents at all costs. He confirmed the men had been released from hospital on Friday evening, one with bruising, but could not comment further until employees had been were called following the incident and the health and safety executive has been Council said on Friday that the former church in the estate had been completely demolished after work began earlier this in 1905, Clune Park Church was in an advanced state of decay when bulldozers moved in - its roof was completely gone with trusses piled up on Robert Street works will also see an old primary school building and 138 properties across 15 tenement blocks razed to the ground. The tenements at Clune Park were built a century ago as housing for shipyard workers but have lain mostly abandoned for years.A stand-off between private landlords and the local council has prevented redevelopment, with a handful of tenants Council owns a significant proportion of the estate having brought properties over a number of recent years the run-down estate has become a magnet for urban explorers and photographers, forcing the authorities to step up security building notices were served following investigations by the council's building standards officers and external was described as "Scotland's Chernobyl" more than a decade ago and the name stuck, despite having a very different story to the Ukrainian disaster zone. Local politicians say it was an easy badge to apply to the area because of its desolate Friday council leader Stephen McCabe said the first phase of the demolition work was a key step towards regenerating the estate.
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Wrecking machines move in to demolish ‘ghost town' Scots estate dubbed ‘Britain's Chernobyl'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WRECKING crews have started tearing down a ghost town estate dubbed "Scotland's Chernobyl." Clune Park in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, has been abandoned since the late 1990's and is finally set to disappear for good. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Demolition work has started on the abandoned Clune Park estate Credit: SWNS 7 The area has been left to rot for decades Credit: SWNS 7 Clune Park was once dubbed Scotland's Chernobyl Credit: SWNS 7 The estate once housed more than 400 people Credit: SWNS 7 Work has began tearing down the hellhole scheme Credit: SWNS 7 A digger tears apart the abandoned Clune Park church Credit: SWNS Decades or dereliction has turned the area into what looks like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The hellhole scheme has become a magnet for vandals and urban explorers, with buildings covered in graffiti and broken windows. Piles of debris have littered the streets while some areas have had to be fenced off to stop people from entering dangerous buildings. Clune Park is in such a state, Inverclyde Council once compared it to the Ukrainian town of Pripyat, which has been abandoned and completely uninhabitable since the Chernobyl reactor exploded in 1986. The council has been wanting to tear down the eerie estate for years, but has been battling landlords who refused to sell properties. It was confirmed last August that the council had bought up many of the properties and served dangerous building notices on the remaining structures, meaning demolition could finally begin. Work began today tearing down the gothic-style Clune Park church. A large digger ripped down walls and tore up floors as the building was reduced to rubble. Video showed the huge machine using a claw to smash up pieces of the derelict church. Clune Park was once a thriving community for Inverclyde's shipbuilding community. Fire rips through school in abandoned Clune Park estate Built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the estate had 30 flats in 45 four-storey tenement buildings. Clune Park School was built for the worker's children in 1887 and permanently closed its doors in 2008 after a more modern school was built nearby. It was burned down in 2023. The now-demolished church was built in 1905 but was abandoned in 1997. The area was left to rot after the loss of the area's shipbuilding industry as people moved elsewhere to find work, and has since become a decaying wasteland. Flats in the ghost town estate have been sold for as little as £6,000 because of the poor conditions and soaring crime rate. Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: 'It's important to remember that the former school and church buildings and the residential properties are being demolished in the interests of safety based on professional advice following extensive investigations. 'The council has a duty to ensure public safety across Inverclyde and take action where necessary to protect the public from dangerous buildings and that's the position we find ourselves in with Clune Park. 'With the demolition due to commence, this is an historic moment and progress towards the ultimate goal of regenerating this prominent area of Port Glasgow. 'There is still a long way to go to realise our ambition of redeveloping Clune Park, but this is a significant step in the right direction and one I'm sure the people of Port Glasgow and wider Inverclyde will welcome.'
