IT'S renowned across the world for its shipbuilding heritage and famous figures from football - but now Govan could become Glasgow's next tourist attraction.

IT'S renowned across the world for its shipbuilding heritage and famous figures from football - but now Govan could become Glasgow's next tourist attraction.

Glasgow City Council plans to create a conservation area in the heart of Govan which could bring in close to £1million in heritage lottery grants.

The windfall would be used to restore buildings and monuments of special architectural or historic interest and turn Govan into a mecca for visitors.

At a public meeting in the Pearce Institute tonight, councillors and officials will explain to residents what conservation status would mean for Govan.

"Govan has a bright future," says Councillor John Flanagan.

"We see Govan as one of Glasgow's most important heritage areas with recent archaeological excavation having taken place at Water Row (thatched cottages leading down to a ford to Partick)."

As chairman of the Local Community Planning Partnership Board, Mr Flanagan is leading the regeneration of Govan and says 2008 is a dawn of a New Govan with housing developments and refurbishments through council and local housing association partnerships.

It is long overdue. For many years, the once proud burgh of Govan, where football manager Sir Alex Ferguson was raised, has been down on her luck.

And yet, the signs that she has seen better days are all around those who care to look.

Govan was once so grand that it had a Lord Provost and two town halls, and stretched from Kelvinside to Cathcart before Glasgow took it over in 1912.

But even locals need a reminder of just what an irreplaceable heritage has been passed down to them.

Mr Flanagan, a Govan man himself, has already reassured angry Govanites that two of their most important historical landmarks are safe.

Last week in the Evening Times, retired businessman and former chairman of Govan Initiative John McLaughlin, locally known as The Chairman, suggested the Pearce Institute and Govan Old Parish Church, both Victorian buildings, should be demolished to open up the centre of Govan'.

Mr Flanagan dismissed the idea as outrageous'.

He says: "Residents are working very hard to preserve the Pearce Institute and Govan Old Parish Church.

"The Pearce Institute is an A-listed building and very valuable. It is a vital part of Govan and plays a central role in supporting the local community."

Mr Flanagan points out the building was gifted to the people of Govan by the widow of Govan's first MP, Sir William Pearce, as a community facility.

"John McLaughlin wants to destroy our heritage. We have a proud history. We treasure the great culture and historical heritage of Govan and want to build on Govan's greatness."

Mr Flanagan is equally protective of the church.

"Govan Old Parish Church is situated on one of Scotland's oldest and most important Christian sites and is on a par with Iona and St Andrew's."

While the church itself is Victorian, he reminds people the site is believed to go back to the sixth century when legend says St Constantine landed there.

Dick Carabine, chairman of Govan Community Council, lives across the road from the Old Parish Church and said: "It is a beautiful building with great acoustics."

The building also has an important collection of stained glass and one of the most remarkable collections of early Christian sculpted stones in Scotland.

Thirty sculpted stones, including five which may date from the Viking settlement are kept here along with the Govan Sarcophagus, a beautifully carved shrine coffin.

"People's image of Govan is far from the reality," says Mr Carabine.

"Yes, there is poverty and ill health but Govan has also inherited a lot of good things which are important to the history of Scotland, far less Glasgow and Govan."

He welcomes the signs of regeneration.

"There was a feeling the council was neglecting Govan. We would look around and see other areas having money spent on them and wonder what's wrong with us?"

Mr Carabine, 73, who was a time-served engineer, came to Govan from Partick when he married a Govan girl.

"The shipyards and engineering yards were booming with shipyards all along the Clyde, but, after it lost its industry, Govan never recovered.

"There are youngsters going about who have never worked and their fathers before them."

He mourns the loss of communities like Wine Alley (local nickname for the Moorehouse housing scheme demolished in the late 1990s).

"There's still a good spirit here, but what visitors see and what we see every day are all the empty shops. It's like a cowboy town."

There is so much to be done to bring Govan back to life.

Elder Park, once a gracious park with a boating pond and bandstand, has become the haunt of those up to no good.

It was gifted to Govan in 1883 by Mrs Isabella Elder, in memory of her husband, John, one of the fathers of modern shipbuilding.

The park contains the 300-year-old B-listed but derelict Fairfield Farmhouse and there are plans to restore it.

Elder Park Library, at the gates of Elder Park, was another gift from Mrs Elder.

Designed by JJ Burnet, it was opened by Scots American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

Everyone in Govan knows the Black Man statue outside Brechin's Pub.

It is another tribute to Sir William Pearce and is a local meeting point.

Ironically, the building which is now the pub was once used as a Temperance hall.

The Cardell Hall, on the first floor, was named for John Cardell, who preached against the evils of drink.

Govanites always gave praise where it was due.

On the Burleigh Street side of the building is a carving of a Top Cat fighting a King Rat.

The heroic feline lost its life killing the last giant rat brought to Govan on vessels carrying flax.

• Public meeting, tonight, 6.30pm, Pearce Institute, Govan Road, Govan.