Riverside Inverclyde

Welcome to Riverside Inverclyde's website !

Riverside Inverclyde (ri) is an urban regeneration company advancing a series of exciting regeneration projects on the banks of the Clyde Estuary in Inverclyde. It is a joint initiative between Inverclyde Council, Scottish Enterprise and the private sector with support from the Scottish Government. “In total £53M has been committed on the ground,” said Bill Nicol, Chief Executive, Riverside Inverclyde, “and we have enjoyed notable successes over the last five years.”

A flagship project, the redevelopment of Inverclyde's historic James Watt Dock is a public/private partnership with the Peel Group and is progressing. The initial stages have seen the iconic Sugar Warehouse made wind and watertight in a £3.2M renovation. In addition a £2.2M access road has been completed, as has £1.3M of public realm works that created the backdrop for the Tall Ships event. James Watt Dock Marina, operated by Blue Sea Marinas, is thriving in the historic dock. Later phases will see the creation of increased marina and leisure facilities set alongside attractive residential and retail space. ri is keen to work with other partners and investors interested in this development and would welcome detailed discussions with any interested parties.

Serving as a monument to this impressive development is the Grade A-listed Sugar Warehouse, one of Scotland's largest surviving cast iron and brick industrial buildings. “The Sugar Warehouse is an icon in the hearts and minds of Inverclyde’s community” said George Hunter, Director of James Watt Dock LLP. Inverclyde Council and Historic Scotland, have both been involved in the project given the local and national significance of this imposing 1885 structure.

Plans for the £180M James Watt Dock Redevelopment

(Plans for the £180M James Watt Dock Redevelopment).

ri’s regeneration projects have a strong community focus, ensuring that the regeneration of Inverclyde’s waterfront continues to benefit the local population. The James Watt Dock area aims to create a critical mass of mixed use activity where people can work, live and play within a comprehensive lifestyle development. For the first time in generations the people of Inverclyde will have access to this waterfront area.

Inverclyde’s industrial and business communities also benefit directly from Riverside Inverclyde’s projects: “contracts are often won by local companies,” said Implementation Manager, Neil Lochiel. “We have developed the Inverclyde Construction Forum which enables Inverclyde’s contractors to bid for building work – whilst enjoying support in raising the competitive standards of local businesses,” he continued. “We also seek to retain the original character of our sites, and an example of this is the Ladyburn Business Centre, at Riverside Business Park. The 15,000 sq ft former school building has undergone a significant transformation and offers office accommodation on flexible rental contracts.”

2012 will also see Riverside Inverclyde advancing projects which have clear economic development outcomes and are aimed directly and job creation and business support.

Riverside Business Park, an extensive business location already home to over 20 SME’s plus the international Cigna Healthcare Benefits, where ri’s impressive Clyde View office suites are now fully let, will benefit from an additional phase of office development, securing further jobs for Inverclyde. This will again be constructed to a Grade A standard, with at least a very good BREEAM rating, and will comprise flexible sized office suites. Works will begin onsite in the summer;
Kelburn, a 6.45ha site just 15 minutes from Glasgow Airport, which ri has invested in major site infrastructure and has a speculative development of flexible light industrial accommodation of up to 41,000 square feet in the pipeline, with 8,000 square feet available for first phase occupation in 2013;
Cartsdyke, a site accommodating up to 70,000 square feet of bespoke office accommodation, included dedicated car parking. The land has already been remediated and is ready for development;
This year will also see the start on two exciting new projects for ri, including the refurbishment for commercial use of Greenock’s Georgian Customs House and in close partnership with Inverclyde Council, the redevelopment of Gourock town centre; and
Works will continue in the regeneration of Port Glasgow town centre.

One attraction for the local community and visitors alike is set to be Greenock Arts Guild’s new theatre, the “Beacon" due to open in the middle of 2012. Set on the site of the former Lamont dry dock adjacent to the historic East India Harbour in Greenock, the new arts centre will house a five hundred seat auditorium, a one hundred seat studio theatre, rehearsal rooms and a café and bar. This newest addition to Inverclyde’s waterfront will result in one of the best arts centres in the UK, offering a diverse range of performance as well as being a social hub at the heart of a community that is positively looking towards future growth and opportunity.

Alf Young, Chairman of Riverside Inverclyde summed up the mood of Inverclyde going forward, “we have a long and proud history as an important shipbuilding and marine engineering area and I am confident we can look forward to a similarly prosperous and vibrant future”.