REGENERATION bosses have revealed they are ‘confident’ of luring more firms to a new £4m Port business estate in the coming months.

Riverside Inverclyde (RI) chief executive Aubrey Fawcett says interest in units at Kelburn Business Park is high.

He spoke as he met with directors from the park’s first tenants — fit-out firm Union Projects, who are relocating to Port Glasgow from Paisley.

The Tele revealed on Monday how the company is to make the Port estate its HQ, bringing 12 jobs.

Mr Fawcett was delighted to welcome the firm to Inverclyde and says many more companies are keen to join them.

He told the Telegraph: “There are a number of other interested parties.

“We are confident that we will be able to have further good news over the coming months.

“It’s great for the local area that we have managed to bring new jobs and excellent tenants who will hopefully be the first of many at the business park.

“The quality here is absolutely of the highest order — second to none.

“It’s a fine example of us managing to deliver success on the investment made, so it’s positive news all round.” Union Projects directors Michael Parker and Francis Blyth were shown around their new home along with Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe, RI chairman Gerry McCarthy and property manager David Martin.

Their firm specialises in fitting out the interiors of convenience stores, hotels and other retail outlets and has recently worked with big name firms like the Co-op, Motel One and Aberdeen Asset Management.

They hope to be up and running in their new Inverclyde base by mid-March.

Mr Parker said: “We are moving into a new, modern office which we are going to fit out so it will be purpose-built, and also allows us to expand.

“The RI guys have done everything they can to get the lease concluded and they are also getting us involved with Inverclyde Council, getting us new leads and actually promoting us to the local area.

“We’ve been made to feel welcome right from the off.” Francis, who lives in Inverclyde and is the company’s commercial director, says he’ll be delighted with a much shorter commute to work but is more pleased with promoting the fact that Inverclyde is open for business.

He said: “It could have been Glasgow, Paisley or wherever, but we watched these units going up and realised how good they were. They allow easy access to the M8, which is great as a lot of our work is all over Scotland and down south.

“You see the amount of work going on, particularly along the coast, in the last few years and it’s definitely helped the area’s reputation.

“We are a local business and already employ three people from Greenock — and hopefully there will be more in the future.” With the finishing touches being put on the final two Kelburn blocks, RI chairman Mr McCarthy is thrilled to have secured the first tenants before the project is even finished.

He said: “It’s great to welcome a new business to Inverclyde and I hope we can expand on it.” Property manager Mr Martin added: “This is something we are really excited about and it’s coming at a great time.” Council leader Stephen McCabe believes the sizeable investment in the estate was a calculated gamble which is already paying dividends.

Mr McCabe said: “It’s a fantastic business park built here by RI.

“It’s been built at risk — you build them at spec and it’s a risky venture.

“But I think given the quality and the location we have got here, I am hopeful this will be the first of many new tenants in the business park.”