A MAJOR project involving heavy engineering work could be under way at Inchgreen Marine Park early next year, the Tele has been told.

Activity at the Inchgreen site and its adjacent dry dock has been minimal since the area was taken over by Peel Ports in 2003 - something the boss of the company's local operations admits is 'frustrating' to local residents.

The Telegraph told earlier this year how £11 million of funding had been funnelled into the site in a bid to generate hundreds of high-quality jobs for Inverclyde through the Glasgow City Region deal, an initiative backed by the Scottish and UK Governments.

And while those roles are yet to materialise, Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, told the Telegraph that good news may be just around the corner.

Inchgreen Marine Park was taken on by Peel Ports in 2003. (Image: George Munro)

The port boss said: “I know it’s frustrating for people standing at the gate when they look in and don’t see a lot of activity.

“Believe me, there is a lot of activity going on. We are speaking to some major companies across a whole range of products, from renewables, oil and gas, battery manufacturers, to fish processing, cable manufacturing and ship recycling.

“There’s always going to be [interest], because we’ve got the assets to get into that market and people are interested in it.

“I’m hoping we should be in a position within the next two years to have some of these landed in and running.

“People will see the buildings coming out the ground and lots of activity. We’ve got activity coming into the site probably between March and May next year.

“It’s a big project. I can’t mention what it is, but it’ll be heavy industry, so you’ll see a lot of activity going in there.”

Mr McSporran insisted that the marine park had a big part to play in Peel’s wider ambition to make Greenock the home of Scotland’s best port.

He added: “We have lots of people interested for the same space. That could ironically be the problem – that Inchgreen’s just a wee bit too small to fit everybody in.

“We’re going to have to make the right choices here, and I’m conscious of what our ambitions are.

“We want to fill the port obviously, but Inverclyde are really interested in creating jobs and inward investment and of course if we create jobs and create inward investment then the port will be doing ok.

“We’ve all got the same ambitions here.”

The Telegraph asked Mr McSporran whether restoring Inchgreen dry dock - which campaigners have labelled a £1 billion maritime asset - and utilising it for its original purpose would also be part of Peel’s plans.

"Potentially," he added. "We’re looking at the dry dock just now.

“We’ve spent quite a lot of money on Inchgreen over the last three years getting it back to its former self.

“The dry dock is the last part of that, and we’re looking at that right now.

“People will have seen lots of surveyor-type people in the dry dock looking at the gate, the infrastructure, the winches, the pumps – all the stuff we know is 1950s vintage.

“I would just say 'watch this space' on dry dock activity.”