DEMOLITION of the east wing of Greenock’s Oak Mall is underway as the £24 million transformation of the town’s centre continues.
The phase follows on from the demolition of Hector McNeil House, with the wider redevelopment project – led by Balfour Beatty on behalf of Inverclyde Council – also set to see the removal of the A78 flyover at High Street and Bullring Roundabout.
A low-level road and signalised junction will be created in its place, as well as a new shopping centre entrance being built and greenspaces and public areas created as part of the project.
Demolition first started on the neighbouring Hector McNeil House in March 2026, with it largely completed by the end of May – although contractors are continuing to work on site to sort and remove rubble and other materials.
During the works, the famous Charles Anderson murals on the exterior of the building were carefully removed and have been safely stored along with other internal artworks.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s vice-convener of environment and regeneration and chair of the Greenock Town Centre Regeneration Forum, said, “A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get the Central Greenock project to the stage we’re at today where we’re seeing the physical transformation unfolding with the removal of Hector McNeil House.
“The start of demolition on the eastern section of the Oak Mall is another key milestone in the transformation of the town centre.
“This section of the mall and the flyover which goes over the top of it are in a poor condition and there have been no tenants in this area of the centre for quite some time.
“A more compact shopping centre with a new entrance, improved public spaces, and better access for pedestrians and vehicles to and from other parts of the town centre and waterfront will provide a much-improved retail offer for everyone and help make central Greenock fit for the 21st Century.”
