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WHILE work to deliver a new marine technology park in Old Kilpatrick has paused, developers are keen to hear people’s memories of the site.

The Scottish Marine Technology Park seeks to become a centre of excellence for marine engineering and complex marine manufacturing. An economic impact study suggests the new park will result in around 1,000 new jobs and £125 million Gross Value Added (GVA).

The current site is derelict, and currently undergoing remediation to create a clean, environmentally responsible centre.

When complete the site will deliver a space, filled with amenities, ranging from a gym, café, and nursery to a large nature corridor with footpaths that residents can enjoy, be it for exercise, dog walking or a family stroll.

With the scale of change involved, it is not surprising that memories have been stirred, with several residents recalling their stories of the site.

From wartime tales, to recollections of first sightings of a large scale vessel as a little one, the stories tied to this site are an interesting and integral part of the site development itself.

Bryan Murphy, project manager, who is also a local resident, said: “I personally witnessed the decline of industry as I was growing up in my local area and the resultant knock on effects of this in the local communities.

“The SMTP is a chance to bring that industry back and offer some long term employment security to these communities with chances for young people to gain a foothold on their career ladder within engineering.”

The group would love to hear any stories readers may have of the area, whether they worked at the site when it was a depot, or maybe had a relative that served there during the war.

In collecting these stories, the SMTP wish to document the narrative of the site which will be shared with the public as part of the new amenities. The company is also keen to gain local residents views on the site development.

For more information and to share stories, visit: scotmtp.com/marine-memories/.