Plans to declare the Inverclyde Centre in Greenock “surplus to requirements” and earmark it for demolition will go before elected members next week.
Members of the integration joint board (IJB), which oversees the health and social care partnership (HSCP), previously backed a proposal to close the Dalrymple Street facility in the new year.
The decision forms part of – and is considered “key” to – a move towards a community-based approach to homelessness in the local authority.
Now the council’s environment and regeneration committee will be asked to deem the centre surplus and approve a recommendation to demolish the building and retain the site for “potential” future use.
A report, which will be considered at a meeting next Thursday, said: “At a recent Inverclyde IJB meeting, members noted the proposal to close the building from January 2026 with out-of-hours support from Glasgow City HSCP and endorsed the transition work.
“Previously, the IJB had agreed to move towards a community-based approach to homelessness in Inverclyde and they advised that closing the Inverclyde Centre is key to achieving that.
“The Inverclyde Centre building on Dalrymple Street, Greenock, was opened in 1944 and has space for up to 24 people.
“The model of emergency accommodation in a communal setting is identified as being out of step with national policy, local strategic ambitions and best practice in homelessness services.
“It is considered outdated and not fit for purpose. By closing the centre, the number of temporary furnished flats in Inverclyde will increase and Inverclyde HSCP is working with registered social landlords on this.
“Accordingly, authority is sought to declare the Inverclyde Centre as surplus to requirements and to seek authority to demolish the building once full decommissioning has been achieved.”
If approved, the site will be levelled and seeded and could be used in connection with a heat network development, the paper added.
The annual running costs of the facility, which amount to just under £60,000, will be “recycled” as part of the redesign.
