JAMES Watt Dock LLP, the partnership between Peel Waters and Riverside Inverclyde, has announced the conditional sale of a significant Inverclyde waterfront site at James Watt Dock to Glasgow Arts Centre Limited.
The sale, subject to planning approval, will unlock a mixed-use future for the site encompassing food and beverage, leisure, and residential elements. The landmark crane on site is earmarked to become what could be the longest urban zip slide in the UK.
Development will proceed in three carefully phased stages of phase 1: sheds C & D and the crane; phase 2: sheds A & B; and phase 3: The Boat Yard area.
Ownership of each phase will only be transferred following the successful completion of the previous phase, underlining a shared commitment between James Watt Dock LLP and Glasgow Arts Centre Limited to ensure delivery and preservation of the site’s heritage. This structured drawdown approach aims to help safeguard the future of the listed structures while enabling a new chapter for the docklands.
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 Limited brings imagination, experience and a genuine commitment to heritage-led development. We look forward to seeing the plans evolve and the site flourish.”
Councillor 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 Ltd 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, firector of Glasgow Arts Centre Limited, commented, “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.”
Planning for the Sugar Sheds develop is expected to be submitted to Inverclyde Council in early autumn 2025.
