James Watt Dock LLP has announced the conditional sale of a waterfront site at James Watt Dock in Greenock, Scotland, to Glasgow Arts Centre for an undisclosed price.
The sale, which is subject to planning approval, will unlock a mixed-use future for the site encompassing food and beverage, leisure and residential. There are also plans to turn a crane on the site into one of the longest urban zip slides in the UK.
The development will be delivered in three phases by James Watt Dock LLP – a partnership between Peel Waters and Riverside Inverclyde – and ownership of each phase will only be transferred following the successful completion of the previous phase.
Brian Lavalette, property director for Scotland at Peel Waters and member of the James Watt Dock LLP board, said: “This is an exciting moment for the Inverclyde waterfront. Glasgow Arts Centre brings imagination, experience and a genuine commitment to heritage-led development. We look forward to seeing the plans evolve and the site flourish.”
Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, added: “This is a significant moment not just for the historic Sugar Sheds and iconic Titan Crane but for the ongoing regeneration of Inverclyde. I’m delighted to welcome Glasgow Arts Centre as the new owner of these famous landmarks and their proposals to redevelop the site has the potential to create an exciting new attraction to encourage even more people, near and far, to discover Inverclyde and the many great things we have to offer.”
Bradley Mitchell, director of Glasgow Arts Centre, said: “We’re delighted to begin this journey at James Watt Dock. Our vision is one that blends ambition with sensitivity to the site’s rich history, creating something exceptional for locals and visitors alike. We have a lot of history along the Clyde and I would like to connect Greenock to Glasgow through culture and heritage. We feel the site has a lot of potential for small businesses and start-ups and could be something really exciting for Greenock.”
A planning application is expected to be submitted to Inverclyde Council in early autumn 2025.
