AMBITIOUS plans for a new hotel development in Gourock have been unveiled.

Council bosses today told the Telegraph that they are looking for a developer to move in and transform the site of the former Bay Hotel.

They are keen to see the area turned into ‘an exciting leisure development such as a hotel’.

An advertising sign which states ‘leisure development opportunity’ has now been erected on the land to gauge what appetite there is for the project from potential developers.

A spokesman for Inverclyde Council said: “The new sign has been placed as part of marketing the site of the former Bay Hotel. 

“It’s being marketed as a leisure opportunity. 

“The aim is to test the market and assess interest in, for example, a potential hotel development at the location.”

The Bay Hotel was demolished 17 years ago in March 1999.

A crowd of residents, traders and councillors watched ‘history in the making’ when the building was levelled to make way for a leisure, housing and retail development.

At the time the council envisaged the waterfront area would be transformed within five years.

The outline plan for the site at the time included a new railway station, a small housing scheme, a food store and a leisure development.

Back then, councillor Alex McGhee said: “A variety of developers have shown an interest — from nationwide companies to smaller developers.

“I think everyone will agree that we are going in the right direction.”

Ten years ago there were moves made to attract a major hotel group to the prime pierhead site.

Talks took place between the developer appointed to take forward a major town centre redevelopment and the Hilton Hotel Group.

Approaches were also made to other international hotel chains, but the plans never got off the ground.

The site has since been landscaped as part of the major Inverclyde Council-funded £5.2 million redevelopment of Gourock town centre, which also features a one-way system, new public walkways, extra parking spaces and a new-look Pierhead.