A decision not to afford buildings in Cumbernauld town centre listed status has been criticised by an organisation which campaigns for the preservation of architecture.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) published its decision on Wednesday after the organisation was asked last year to consider designating the site as listed buildings by a member of the public.
Despite deeming the structure of “special interest,” the body decided against listing the centre - built in 1967 - paving the way for future redevelopment work by North Lanarkshire Council (NLC).
The move was roundly welcomed by the local authority and members of the community in Cumbernauld.
However, the C20 Society - or Twentieth Century Society - a registered UK charity, believes the decision is wrong and opposes the demolition of the building, which is considered an example of 1960s "brutalism" in architecture terms.
They have called on the local authority to keep and “reimagine” the existing structures.
C20 Society director Catherine Croft, said: “Cumbernauld locals are absolutely right to express their dissatisfaction with the current town centre and to point out that it doesn’t meet their requirements.
“Having suffered from decades of mismanagement and ill-thought-through reconfiguration, the town centre now bears little relation to the original vision for Cumbernauld and it fails on many levels.
“However, we’d urge NLC to develop an alternative proposal for the site that retains and imaginatively reimagines the existing structures, rather than resort to the environmentally disastrous option of complete demolition.”
When the town centre was built it was seen as futuristic, was the first multi-level and incorporated offices on the top storey - as well as other state-of-the-art facilities - and won an international award for being the best designed community in the world.
Cumbernauld was infamously awarded the architectural Carbuncle Award, or the Plook on the Plinth as it was also labelled, twice in 2001 and 2005.
Both Coatbridge and Airdrie in North Lanarkshire have also been unfortunate recipients of the award for what’s regarded as the dismal appearance of their town centres.
Any demolition and redevelopment of the town centre isn’t expected to happen for the next 10 or 15 years, but the council does have a draft vision on its website.
Councillor Paul Kelly, NLC depute leader, said: “Local people, communities and businesses are at the heart of the ambitious vision and regeneration plans that will radically change the landscape of Cumbernauld town centre and how it operates.
“We intend for the town centre to be a vibrant, mixed-use, welcoming, safe and resilient place where people are supported at all stages of their lives, where they can live and socialise and where businesses can thrive.”
The C20 Society was founded in 1979, as a direct response to growing interest in C20th architecture and to complement the preservation work of the Victorian Society, which was founded 20 years earlier.
The organisation campaigns to save “outstanding buildings and design” that have shaped the British landscape since 1914.
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