PRESS RELEASE

July 9th, 2010

Back in the game

Inverclyde is bidding for a £10 million renewables boost that could bring hundreds of green jobs to Inverclyde.

Enterprise agencies are deciding which ports to invest in as sites to manufacture and maintain thousands of off-shore windfarms.

And Inverclyde is now back in the running after originally being left out of the list of preferred sites.

Inverclyde Renewables Alliance, which is made up of Inverclyde Council, Clydeport and Riverside Inverclyde, has now lodged a bid with the Scottish Futures Trust and could hear back within weeks if they have been successful.

Under the ambitious plans, the money would be used to upgrade the Inchgreen dock site, including buying some of the adjacent land, so that it could service the off-shore windfarm to be sited off the west coast of Scotland.

Despite meeting all the criteria, Inchgreen was initially left out of the list of preferred sites for investment.

Local MSP Duncan McNeil made strong representations to the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise for Inverclyde to be included and is delighted the area is back in the running.

He said: “We have the infrastructure, skills and workforce to play a part in this exciting and emerging industry so you can imagine the dismay of all concerned when we were left of the list.

"There is a lot at stake here - playing a part in the manufacturing and maintenance of 10,000 windfarms and the 10,000 jackets that will hold them in place could bring hundreds of long-term jobs to Inverclyde.

“I am sure that the Inverclyde Renewables Alliance has put forward a strong case so I hope that the strong merits of the Inchgreen site will be recognised and we get the green light to go ahead with this work.”

ENDS