New bid to fix neglected buildings on Gourock street

During his election campaign Martin McCluskey promised action to finally tackle the eyesore on Shore Street and he has now challenged council officers to come up with a practical plan to address it.

There are also concerns over empty shops on the street.

Mr McCluskey tabled a request to the environment and regeneration committee for the council to tap into new funding from Historic Scotland to address the problems.

In the last three years there have been persistent complaints about the crumbling tenement building at the corner of Shore Street and John Street which has become a blight on the neighbourhood.

Councillor McCluskey said: "This came up time and time again when I was out speaking to people in Gourock during the campaign.

"The Shore Street area needs investment and I believe that we should be looking at different ways to access it.

"I would like officers to look at ways to find external funding to regenerate Shore Street."

The tenement building which has been the subject of complaints has fallen into serious disrepair in recent years and it appears to have sustained major structural damage, with the pavement in front of it cordoned off for safety reasons.

A three-year legal dispute among landlords, business owners and private householders who share the block means the situation remains unresolved.

Mr McCluskey is the latest to try to break the deadlock and allow improvement work to take place.

He says Gourock contains a quarter of all the listed buildings in Inverclyde and that Shore Street alone has three of them.

He added: “Shore Street is a key entrance to Gourock town centre.

"It contains many residential and retail properties, and its future is crucial to the future success of the town.

"With the launch of Historic Scotland’s People and Place fund in March, I think there is a strong case to be made in seeking external funding for the regeneration of Shore Street."