AMBITIOUS £43 million plans to redevelop Port Glasgow town centre have been revealed — but only a fraction of them are likely to come to fruition.

Regeneration chiefs from Inverclyde Council and Riverside Inverclyde (RI) have released details about the Port masterplan following a major consultation exercise earlier this year with residents, businesses and various other agencies.

Key concerns raised included a lack of links between the retail park and the town centre, poor first impressions of the Port for passers-by on the A8 and limited uses for Coronation Park.

Based on the feedback, from an event in the Port Town Hall in March, regeneration bosses have drawn up an action plan of 21 key projects to help tackle some of the problems and improve the town centre.

But an initial estimate of the total cost of implementing the plan stands at £43m.

It means a ‘critical list’ of projects have been put forward to make best use of funding when it becomes available.

Proposals include a £500,000 access road from the A8 at the Tesco roundabout to Princes Street and funding packages to develop empty shop units and support new businesses.

Aubrey Fawcett, interim RI chief executive and the council’s director of regeneration, said in a report the proposals are ‘critical to addressing immediate challenges within the local economy’.

The proposals will be put to members of the environment and regeneration committee at a meeting on Thursday next week.

Port councillor Jim MacLeod says any improvements to the town are welcome, especially plans for a new town centre access road.

But he has concerns about where the money will come from especially when the council faces severe budget cuts of around £15m.

The SNP councillor said: “There are businesses in Port Glasgow that have been crying out for a slip road off the main road since that area was built because people drive along the road and are by-passing the town centre.

“Already we have cut many millions over the last few years and we are looking at a further £15m — goodness knows where we will get £43m from.

“Maybe these are aspirations for the future and anything that can be done even in the interim will be welcomed.”