UP to 700 new jobs could be created in Greenock after plans for a new business park were revealed.

Urban regeneration body Riverside Inverclyde (RI) want to complete the redevelopment of the former Kincaid’s engineering site off East Hamilton Street by building a four-storey block for use as a company HQ or to house several smaller firms.

Real estate giants Cushman & Wakefield are marketing the site on behalf of RI and are confident of luring tenants.

Interest is high in the prime plot, with talks said to be ongoing with a number of companies about moving there.

Andy Cunningham, a partner at Cushman & Wakefield, told the Tele: “We are working with RI on this site.

“We’ve had lots of interest from the likes of fast food people who would love to go there but RI have said they want to keep it for commercial uses and more jobs.

“Our view with RI is that this is an office development site.

“There’s potential for an office of 80-100,000 sq ft with on-site parking and 600-700 jobs could go in there potentially.

“It’s probably the only office development site in the Greenock and Inverclyde area.

“We are in discussions with some people just now and hopefully they prove positive.

“RI will want a pre-commitment from someone before they start on site.”

Cushman & Wakefield have had a fruitful partnership with RI in recent years on the Clyde View Business Park along the A8 at Pottery Street and the Custom House renovation.

Officials are optimistic that the Cartsburn development will be equally successful and praised the regeneration body.

Mr Cunningham said: “We’ve worked with RI for six or seven years primarily at Clyde View Business Park and the Custom House, and that’s worked out really well.

“That’s more than most towns in Scotland deal with. I think RI by and large in my opinion has worked well.”

Unlike the Kelburn Business Park development which was built speculatively, RI want a tenant for Cartsburn signed up before building work starts.

But RI officials are hopeful a deal can be reached.

Their spokesman said: “It’s ideal for a regional office or headquarters.

“However, at this time we are unable to build speculatively.

“But it is being actively marketed. The idea is to create jobs in the area.

“The market looks like it’s starting to pick up again and that’s why it’s the appropriate time to engage a company like Cushman & Wakefield, as one of the leading marketers in the UK, to get this site out there.”