An extensive review of the ageing ground is set to be carried out by the Greenock Morton Community Trust (GMCT) with a view to building a new stand which would be used right throughout the week by local community groups.

Plans are also being drawn up to create a state-of-the-art indoor 3G pitch in the current car park next to Cappielow which would be available for general use.

The Ton community trust has secured £25,000 of Scottish Government cash from the Legacy 2014: Sustainable Sport for Communities Fund to carry out a detailed feasibility study into the future of the 12-acre Sinclair Street site.

The trust is proposing to build a new community stand, complete with office suites, which it believes would benefit the east end of Greenock and wider district, including creating badly needed bases for charitable organisations and voluntary groups.

GMCT chief executive Warren Hawke, who is also a club director, told the Tele: “There’s potential to redevelop Cappielow.

“It’s in the early stages but this feasibility study will allow us to explore options for development and potential organisations that could be involved.

“Football clubs have stands that are used for three hours every second week.

“We have a huge plot of land and we want that to be vibrant 24/7 if possible, and if that means we can dedicate one of our stands to a community hub that serves the needs of Inverclyde it’s an easy decision.” He added: “The local area is blessed with 3G pitches and there has been considerable investment from Inverclyde Council and we have seen some fantastic facilities but we thought ‘let’s try and develop something a bit different’.

“Inverclyde is one of the wettest areas in Scotland and we see it with the community coaching and the football clubs in the academy — there’s not much fun in training in horizontal hailstones.

“If we could create an indoor facility that could serve the community it’s obviously another area that we would like to explore with this study.” Trust supremo Hawke says the feasibility study will see it consult a range of key organisations and explore how they could work together to address local social issues and build something that will be ‘beneficial to all, not just the Greenock Morton brand’.

He explained: “Inverclyde has got a vibrant third sector, there’s a lot of good organisations within the area and I want to explore whether this stand could assist third sector organisations in delivering their projects.” Former Ton striker Hawke stressed that any stadium redevelopment will not happen ‘overnight’ but believes the study is a crucial first step.

He told the Telegraph: “A feasibility study can take six to nine months but without that it’s very difficult to take it to the next stage.

He added: “The support of the board has been key to the development of the trust and where we are at the moment.

“Sustainability is the key, we need to have a long-term plan.” The £25,000 grant for the study is from the £1m Legacy 2014 fund which was created with investment from the Scottish Government and The Robertson Trust and has been delivered by these organisations in partnership with Social Investment Scotland, sportscotland and Senscot.

Alastair Davis, chief executive of Social Investment Scotland, which administers the fund, said: “Greenock Morton Community Trust has presented a compelling business case to engage with local individuals to promote the priorities of health and wellbeing.

“We know that sport has the potential to bring a whole range of benefits to local communities and look forward to seeing the results of the trust’s plans.”