Fresh call for action on the rundown Clune Park estate

Council leader Stephen McCabe has warned that public safety is being compromised by the rundown blocks of flats.

The local authority has had a long running dispute with those who own multiple properties in the neighbourhood.

Two years ago the council lost a court battle to force demolitions and since then there has been no sign of the impasse being resolved.

But a recent fire has highlighted the issues again and fuelled a call for a deal to be struck.

Councillor McCabe said: "There is no doubt about it, is is a blight on the town and very few of the houses are now occupied.

"They are increasingly becoming a safety concern the longer they lie empty.

"We need to find a way forward.

"But it is down to those who own the properties to be realistic about the value of the houses and what they are looking for.

"There are no new plans other than what we have.

"There does need to progress."

Inverclyde Council has spent around £1m on its regeneration strategy for the estate and lost in court in its bid to push through compulsory demolition orders in 2016.

They have argued that the area is beyond economic repair and should be torn down as part of a masterplan.

Late last year building control officials warned people to stay clear of buildings in Clune Park because of concerns about their safety.

A street was taped off because officials said it posed 'a real danger' to the public.

The building concerned was inspected by independent structural engineers who expressed concerns about the condition of the buildings.