Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Nicola Findlay

Crater-filled shopping centre roads 'are a hazard' say angry Lanarkshire residents

The road and car parks at an East Kilbride shopping precinct have been been branded a "hazard" by angry locals.

Westwood Square was bought for £1m by property investors Knightsbridge in 2019, with a vow to transform the area after years of neglect.

They promised to make the area look more “welcoming, clean, tidy and secure”.

But in December, local councillor Gerry Convery slammed Knightsbridge for "failing to fulfil" promises made, calling the "crater-ridden" road leading to the centre and its car parks an ongoing problem.

At the time, Knightsbridge said they wanted others who used the square to contribute to roads maintenance.

Now local businesses and residents have joined calls for urgent action to bring the surfaces up to scratch - but Knightsbridge say they are no longer responsible for the car parks and access road, having sold on the land to Gatehead Ltd.

The current address listed on Companies' House for Gatehead - which was incorporated in 2016 - is Westwood Square with its director listed as a Harjinder Singh.

The current director of Kilwinning-based Knightsbridge Property (Scotland) Ltd is a Sangha Jarnail Singh.

'Craters' at Westwood Square are a hazard for shoppers, residents and businesses (East Kilbride News)

Gatehead have told Lanarkshire Live that they now want other users of the site "to pay their fair share" for the upkeep of the roads.

But councillors say Knightsbridge are "shirking" their responsibility with it being made clear at point of sale that the owner of the square was responsible for the maintenance of the access road and car parks - not South Lanarkshire Council (SLC).

And there are fears that Gatehead may bring in parking charges to the square, which locals warn would "be the nail in its coffin".

Councillor Convery told us : "The potholes are now craters, they are a hazard to people and vehicles using the square.

"I have campaigned for the square to be improved for years and Knightsbridge took it over with all sorts of promises - which as far as I am concerned, they have never lived up to.

Councillor Gerry Convery has long-called for the owners of Westwood Square to make drastic improvements (EAST KILBRIDE NEWS)

"It was made abundantly clear what they were taking on when they bought the precinct and the land they were responsible for.

"For them to now say they have sold on the entrance road and car parks and it's now nothing to do with them is just not acceptable.

"The square needs to be brought up to scratch urgently for the local community who deserve much better."

And Councillor John Anderson said he was "shocked and disappointed" that the improvement needed to Westwood Square had not been carried out by Knightsbridge, and that they had now sold on the car parks and the entrance road.

He went on: "I fear that parking charges have been mooted, which would be the death knell for the square.

"Who is going to risk a fortune in damage to their cars to park at the square - and be charged for it?

"It's bad for the residents and shopkeepers as it will impact on their businesses.

"The car parks are integral to the shopping centre and it's absolutely shocking that they have been sold-off for financial gain which will be at the expense of the shopping area."

A local bar worker, Charmaine Miller, added: "There has been several falls and accidents at what is more like a sink hole at the entrance to the square.

"I nearly fell myself last week it's that bad. Customers are not happy and we are getting drivers in complaining on a daily basis.

"We just keep getting told by the council it's nothing to do with them despite the double yellow lines on the road. We just want someone to take responsibility and fix the road properly."

Kinghtsbridge Ltd made no comment other than confirming the land had been sold on.

A spokesman for Gatehead Ltd said: "We have plans for repairs, we need other users of the site to pay their fair share, so far they are not contributing."

They made no comment as to whether there were plans to charge for parking.

A spokesman for SLC said that vehicle access into the square and the car parks are private and therefore not maintained by the council.

They added that they are owned and maintained by the owners of Westwood Square and as such it is they who should attend to potholes.

**Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did yo u know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head over to our page to give us a like and share.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.