BILLIONAIRE brothers Sandy and James Easdale have acquired the massive former Berry BPI site on Port Glasgow Road.
The property developers swooped on the huge 5.42 acre property in Greenock which previously housed the global packaging manufacturer.
In August last year our sister paper the Greenock Telegraph told how shocked staff had been left devastated after Berry BPI bosses called an emergency meeting to tell them that manufacturing operations were to cease at the site – with the loss of up to 65 jobs.
But now the site has been snapped up by the McGill’s Buses owners, who say they have been encouraged by recent investment in the area made by neighbouring firm Peel Ports, who have just unveiled two new £25m ship-to-shore cranes at the Greenock Container Terminal.
Speaking after the official unveiling of the two cranes, Clydeport’s port director Jim McSporran said he wanted Greenock to become Scotland’s best port.
The Berry BPI site comprises a large industrial complex originally developed in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
The complex extends to 117,816 sq ft and comprises a two-storey office building and a series of inter-connecting industrial buildings of varying age and construction together with a yard and car parking areas.
James Easdale said: “Our family have always been very close business-wise to the waterfront and we have been watching intently as it is clear that major players such as Inverclyde Council and Peel are determined to take the port back to its glory days.”
Brother Sandy added: “Technically speaking the Berry site wasn’t actually on the market but we made an approach and it’s all come together.
“We are in no doubt that as the waterfront activity multiplies there is going to be a huge demand for support jobs and services and we will be ideally placed to provide accommodation and working space for companies big and small who want to be part of the action.
“It’s a pity we didn’t get freeport status from the previous government however if government won’t help us it’s up to us to help ourselves.”
The billionaire brothers now have a property empire in excess of £800 million.
Only last week they announced the 64-house development at Balrossie in Kilmacolm. The project is valued at £20m on completion. This adds to their growing portfolio of residential and commercial developments in Scotland.
These include 850 homes being built on a 130-acre site at the former Tullis Russell papermill in Glenrothes and the rejuvenation of the 70-acre former IBM site in Greenock, with planning consent in place for 450 homes.
Work is also well underway at the former St Michael’s Primary School site in Dumbarton, with 81 new family homes under construction.
