Glebe Sugar Refinery, Ker Street, Greenock

Free-standing 5 storey block in red brick with contrasting yellow brick dressings, the west corner of which is curved to follow the street. The ground floor is plain, with large vehicle openings, whilst the bays of the floors above are divided by pilaster strips. Round-headed fenestration throughout. The roof is concealed by decorative bracketted eaves. Refinery founded at this site 1831. (Historic Scotland)

July 1995: External inspection reveals the building to be underutilised and consequently deteriorating. August 2000: External inspection reveals no change. May 2003: Local planners report that no planning applications have been received to date.

December 2008: External inspection finds the building vacant and in poor condition. Most windows are broken and unboarded. The brick walls have suffered from damage on the west and north elevations. The gutters appear to be blocked causing staining to the walls.

August 2011: External inspection finds no significant change from the previous site visit.

13 August 2014: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

20 January 2023: Inverclyde council website reports that they have submitted a successful bid for £11.3 million through the Levelling Up Fund for the regeneration of Greenock Town Centre. The Glebe building is proposed as the site of a new cultural centre. The proposal cites making it wind and watertight and undertaking stabilising works. The ground floor may be used for office development as part of Phase 1, with the exploration of a museum gallery space as part of a cultural quarter development.

11 December 2023: Inverclyde Council have secured £19.4 million from the Levelling Up Fund for the transformative regeneration of Greenock which is hoped to lever longer-term plans for the transformation of the Glebe building into a new cultural centre.

3 July 2024: Greenock telegraph reports (04/01/2024) that a £3m proposal to turn the building into a creative hub has been brought forward by not-for-profit organisation, Creative Generation.