PRESSURE on the Scottish Government to replace Greenock's crumbling 112-year-old prison is increasing following a dramatic intervention from the town's SNP MP.

Ronnie Cowan has implored justice secretary Keith Brown to stop 'throwing good money' at patching up the dilapidated jail — which has scores of cells unfit for human habitation.

Mr Cowan has called for a new prison to be built on the site of the former Greenock High School, which was bought by the Scottish Prison Service with £8m of public money in 2011.

The MP wants the current jail — described by chief inspector of prisons Wendy Sinclair-Gieben as being in a 'shocking' condition — demolished to make way for social housing.

His move comes after Labour MSP Katy Clark last December warned that the jail could be condemned for closure amid what she described as 'absolutely terrifying warnings' about the state it's in.

Mr Cowan claims that the yearly cost of just maintaining the former high school site off Inverkip Road is more than £30,000 — suggesting that the total bill to taxpayers since 2011 stands at £360,000.

In a letter to Mr Brown, the MP states: "The Scottish Government shouldn't be throwing good money at maintaining that building.

"I believe it would be of benefit to sell the land and put the money towards building a modern facility on land the SPS already owns.

"The annual maintenance cost on the proposed site of the old Greenock High School site is allegedly over £30k.

"I put a proposal to the SPS to generate money off the land they own, via a battery storage facility, but it was rejected and the land still lays dormant.

"I believe it's important the Scottish Government looks at the subject and reconsiders it's plans to maintain HMP Greenock until 2030."

MSP Ms Clark said after visiting Greenock Prison in January: "The prison management is looking at what can be done now, and is going through a [three-year] renovation process.

"But clearly a statement from the inspector of prisons that she may say that the prison is really not in a habitable state to continue is highly concerning."

The Telegraph revealed in April 2021 that the jail was operating at a fraction of its capacity after 40 cells were declared unfit for human habitation due to water ingress.

This came just four months after we told how plans to replace the decaying Edwardian structure had been shelved in favour of building replacements for Barlinnie and Inverness prisons.

Mr Cowan said: "The site earmarked for the new prison costs the SPS more than £30,000 a year just to maintain, while the existing prison is deteriorating and costing a lot of money just to try to maintain it.

"I would have hoped that the new site could be developed with a state-of-the-art prison and the old prison demolished with social housing replacing it.

"I approached the SPS with a plan for battery storage units on the new site which could offset the maintenance costs but they declined.

"We are now at the point where we need decisive action from the Scottish Government.

"Delivering the new prison more quickly will offer better value for taxpayers, and a better outcome for Inverclyde."

Bosses at the SPS say there are 'currently no plans to close HMP Greenock'.

Their spokesperson added: "SPS has an agreed investment plan, over the next three years, to improve the conditions of the buildings and bring improvements that we believe will have a positive effect on those who both live and work there, further supporting the 'excellent' relationships between staff and people in our care, which was identified by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

"SPS fully recognises the need to ensure that prison infrastructure is fit for purpose and, as such, a replacement for HMP Greenock continues to be part of the Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Project Pipeline."