£4m Inverkip A78 project complete
Work on a £4 million Glasgow City Region City Deal road improvement on the A78 at Inverkip is complete.
The project, which is the third major City Deal development to be delivered by Inverclyde Council, includes new signalised junctions at Main Street and Kip Marina and a T-junction at Brueacre to open up access to the former Inverkip Power Station site, which is earmarked for up to 650 new homes and could create over 500 jobs.
The Inverkip project is being delivered by Inverclyde Council with the help of £3.6m of funding – £1.8m each from the UK and Scottish governments. The local authority is contributing £570,000.
Councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council’s convener of environment and regeneration, said: “This is a transformational project delivering important road safety improvements on the busy A78 trunk road while creating the required infrastructure to pave the way for a major housing development at the former Inverkip Power Station site, which would also create hundreds of jobs.
“These improvements have been years in the planning and much talked about so to be here now marking the completion of the project is a significant moment.
“It’s thanks to financial support from both the UK and Scottish governments and partnership working with our partners and contractors that we’ve been able to deliver these upgrades.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while these important works were carried out and for understanding the long-term aim of improving road safety and laying the foundations for further investment in Inverclyde.”
The Inverkip A78 project follows on from the delivery of the £20m Ocean Terminal visitor centre in 2023 and £11m worth of upgrades to Inchgreen Marine Park, which were both majority funded by the Scottish and UK governments through the City Deal.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “The completion of this project paves the way for the transformation of the Inverkip Power Station site into a thriving coastal community, featuring hundreds of new homes.
“It is supported by our £520 million investment in the Glasgow City Region Deal.
“The Deal aims to create 29,000 jobs in the region by boosting housing, transport, business growth and innovation across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: “It is great news that this important road safety and regeneration project has been completed.
“Backed by £1.8 million UK Government funding – part of our £520 million commitment to the Glasgow City Region Deal – this improved road infrastructure will not only make journeys safer and smoother but also renew the economy by helping deliver hundreds of jobs and homes.
“In total, the UK Government is investing more than £2 billion in dozens of important local and regional projects in Scotland, creating opportunities the length and breadth of the country.”
Works on the new junctions have been completed on ahead of schedule.
In addition, trunk road operator Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, has also delivered phased resurfacing works, further improving the route for road users.
Work on the Inverkip project started at the end of March 2025 and was carried out by main contractor Balfour Beatty.
Stephen Hardie, portfolio director for Balfour Beatty, said: “This project has demonstrated the real impact that well-planned infrastructure can have for local communities, helping to unlock a major regeneration opportunity for Inverkip.
“Our teams have worked diligently to deliver the scheme efficiently and safely, and we are proud to have contributed to a project that will bring lasting economic and social benefits to the area.”
The road infrastructure improvements are aimed at paving the way for redevelopment of the former Inverkip Power Station site and potentially deliver:
- 650 residential properties
- 400 construction jobs and 120 jobs in follow-on development
- £28m construction gross value added (GVA) impact
- £4m annual ongoing operational gross value-added impact for Inverclyde and £6m for City Region
Inverkip is a Regional regeneration priority that recognises the need to address vacant and derelict land, open a significant redevelopment opportunity site, address housing needs supporting population growth and secure economic and environmental benefit.
More information about the project can be found at www.inverclyde.gov.uk/inverkipA78