en.Wedoany.com Reported - Demolition of the east wing of Greenock's Oak Mall Shopping Centre has begun as part of a £24 million town centre regeneration project led by Inverclyde Council. The demolition of the adjacent Hector McNeil Building was largely completed at the end of May. This phase also includes plans to remove the A78 flyover at the High Street and Bull Ring roundabout, replacing it with a low-level road and signalised junction, along with a new shopping centre entrance, green spaces, and public areas.

Contractor Balfour Beatty is leading the redevelopment on behalf of Inverclyde Council, with on-site work underway to sort and remove rubble and other materials. During construction, a mural by Charles Anderson on the building's exterior was carefully removed and is being stored safely alongside other internal artworks.

Councillor Jim Clocherty, Vice Convener of Inverclyde Council's Environment and Regeneration committee and Chair of the Greenock Town Centre Regeneration Forum, said significant behind-the-scenes work has brought the Central Greenock project to its current stage. "We are now seeing the physical transformation taking shape with the demolition of the Hector McNeil Building," he added. He noted that the demolition of the shopping centre's east wing is another key milestone in the town centre regeneration. He pointed out that this part of the shopping centre and the flyover above it were in poor condition, and the area had been vacant for some time. The regeneration will deliver a more compact shopping centre, a new entrance, improved public spaces, and better pedestrian and vehicle access, offering a significantly enhanced retail experience to help Greenock town centre adapt to the needs of the 21st century.

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