THREE Greenock multi-storey blocks will be simultaneously blown up by demolition crews in just over six weeks, the Tele can reveal.

The spectactular controlled explosion to flatten Melrose Court, Peebles Court and Selkirk Court in the east end will take place in the early hours of Sunday 10 March.

Housing bosses have also confirmed that more than 250 people will have to be evacuated from nearby homes for safety reasons.

River Clyde Homes say they are making door-to-door visits to around 260 adjacent households to ask people what assistance they will need on the night of the explosions, which will change the skyline of Greenock.

Some commercial properties are also affected.

The work will be done by contractor SafeDem of Dundee, who have been making preparations on the site since September.

This included removing windows, electrics, piping and asbestos from the 245 flats.

SafeDem has opened an on-site information centre for residents, which is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The landmark high flats were constructed in the 1960s for families moving from town centre slum clearances.

But the flat roofs and the exposed position on a hillside caused serious water penetration and dampness problems, and the flats later became plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Once cleared, the site will be landscaped.

A total of seven high-rise blocks were built at Belville Street, and three have already been removed already by machine.

Belville Community Association has received �610,000 from the Big Lottery Fund for a community garden on the site of the demploshed blocks.

Work begins on the park in May.

The blowdown of the three blocks follows the controlled-explosive demolition of Octavia Court in February 2011.