North Lanarkshire Council leader Jim Logue visited the site of one of the authority’s new-build housing projects to highlight the latest 300 homes currently under construction across the area.
Work is now underway on 31 homes for rent at Northburn Place in Airdrie; while a further 150 will be built at nearby Holehills on the site of three demolished tower blocks, due to be completed in 2023 in what is the largest of the council’s current building projects.
A total of 339 new rental homes are currently under construction with another 93 due to begin this year – and 58 houses are set to be completed next month at the former St James Primary site in Coatbridge.
The project, to create 5000 new council properties by 2035, is part of North Lanarkshire’s wider transformation vision to “redesign and repopulate town centres into vibrant mixed-use spaces” including creating major education and service hubs and and boosting town-centre living.
Councillor Logue said: “The way we shop, live and work has changed significantly over the years, and even more so during the pandemic, so we must move with the times and take a different approach to the traditional town centre.
“Key elements of these transformation plans include more town-centre housing, increased investment and job opportunities, shopping and leisure activities and encouraging visitors.
“We believe our exciting plans to deliver a mix of housing, retail, hubs and greenspace will help our town centres thrive and bring communities together – improving the lives of our residents and regenerating communities are the drivers behind our plans.”
The long-vacant former former Orrs department store on South Bridge Street in Airdrie town centre is finally due to be demolished this autumn, for construction to begin on 20 rental flats and two ground-floor commercial properties, which the council say will “breathe new life into the site”.
Buildings on nearby Hallcraig and Graham Streets are each being turned into two flats – while Clyde Valley housing association is converting the former Broomknoll Church into flats for rent and is constructing 14 homes at Upper Mill Street.
Plans are also being developed to convert the B-listed former Municipal Buildings at Kildonan Street in Coatbridge into 49 houses; and nine homes for social rent and 10 supported accommodation units are being created at the town’s Bank Street where the building at numbers 7-13 is being partially demolished.
Councillor Logue added of the “bold and ambitious” plans: “I hope residents are excited about our vision and are already seeing the benefits – for example, we’ve used empty sites to build homes and are repurposing or redeveloping vacant or used priority buildings.
“Our investment is not only changing the face of our town centres and communities, but boosting the local economy community grants and apprenticeships.”
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