Second phase of demolition underway at 'Scotland's Chernobyl'

Clune Park demolition phase two location <i>(Image: Inverclyde Council)</i>
Clune Park demolition phase two location (Image: Inverclyde Council)
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Demolition is back underway at Clune Park as contractors begin phase two of clearing dangerous buildings within the rundown Port Glasgow estate - dubbed ‘Scotland’s Chernobyl’.

Work to clear the next batch of properties began on Friday, February 20, and is expected to be completed in summer 2026.

Blocks of flats on Robert Street, Clune Park Street, and Maxwell Street are being demolished following extensive investigations by the council’s buildings standards service and external consultant engineers which resulted in dangerous buildings notices being served.

It follows the completion of phase one of the demolition project in October 2025 and clearance of the site.

Greenock-based firm Chris Wright & Sons was awarded the contract to carry out phase two following on from Caskie Limited, also based in Greenock, which completed the first stage of demolition.

Clune Park demolition phase one completed location (Image: Inverclyde Council)

Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “You can see from the completion of phase one of the demolition what a difference it makes to the area having these eyesore, dangerous buildings that have blotted the landscape for too long finally removed.

“Phase two will be another significant piece of the Clune Park puzzle and another major step towards seeing new homes that Port Glasgow and Inverclyde needs.”

The entire Clune Park estate is made up of around 430 residential properties across 45 tenement blocks in total.

Phase one of demolition began in April 2025 and saw the fire-damaged former school and church buildings within the estate and an initial 138 properties across 15 tenement blocks pulled down.


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That saw residential properties on the western side of Bruce Street and connecting section of Robert Street and both sides of Wallace Street razed to the ground.

The vast majority of the estate is derelict and the residential blocks, former school and the old church buildings had all been badly affected by deliberate fires and anti-social behaviour in recent times, which contributed to the deterioration of the condition of the properties.

The council has been proactively acquiring properties in Clune Park for a number of years and now owns over half the estate.

The aim of the council’s latest Clune Park masterplan is to demolish the estate and work with the private and public sectors to deliver 165 new homes.

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