Throughout history, industrious Glasgow satellite town Greenock has been known for many things. First, it was Scotland’s ‘sugar capital’ during the Atlantic Slave Trade, then it was one of the nation’s biggest dockyards, building and selling ships across the world.
Now, Greenock’s biggest draw is its big houses with panoramic views of the water. That could change soon though, with the arrival of something the town has never seen before: a ginormous zipline.
Plans are currently being drawn up to build the UK’s largest urban zip line on the Greenock Titan Crane by the docks, as the crane and adjacent sugar sheds are set to be sold to local company Glasgow Arts Centre Limited (GACL).
The crane, which is one of only four left in Scotland, has been a little worse for wear in the past few years. Luckily these new plans will see it not only restored to its original glory, but put to good use.
The crane is not the only part of the old docks which is due for a makeover. According to plans from Peel Waters, who are the current part-owners of the marina, three parts of the area are due to be sold to and regenerated by GACL including the crane, four historic sugar sheds which were used to to store sugar cane harvested across the Atlantic, and the boatyard.

The project will work in stages, with the sale of each element being conditional on the completion of the part before it. Basically, if things don’t work out in phase one, phases two and three will likely be cancelled – so there’s a lot riding on this zipline. The current owners say that ‘this structured drawdown approach helps safeguard the future of the listed structures while enabling a bold new chapter’ for the waterfront.
As well as the all-important zipline, GACL wants to offer space for food, drinks, and retail spots, saying: ‘We feel the site has a lot of potential for small businesses and start-ups and could be something really exciting for Greenock.’
The crane’s renovation is set to come first, and planning permission is expected to be submitted to the Inverclyde authority in autumn.
The council appears excited about the development. Local councillor Stephen McCabe described it as ‘a significant moment not just for the historic Sugar Sheds and iconic Titan Crane but for the ongoing regeneration of Inverclyde’, and a representative for Peel Waters said it ‘looks forward to seeing the plans evolve and the site flourish’.
Also in Glasgow…
While you wait for the Greenock zipline to become a reality, why not spend your time at one of Glasgow’s best museums, or doing one of our favourite activities in the city? Alternatively, try out one of the city’s best restaurants or bars, or one of its many, many pubs.
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