A huge housing development has been given the go ahead for the Gowkthrapple area of Wishaw.
Approximately 300 new houses will be constructed as part of the build and will include a mix of detached, semi-detached, terraced houses and amenity bungalows.
The proposal, granted at last week's planning committee, is guided by a masterplan and is ultimately to assist in the regeneration of Gowkthrapple.
The development would displace approximately 400 aging flats currently within the site requiring demolition and rehoming existing residents in a variety of improved houses.
Wishaw councillors have given the plans a thumbs up.
The SNP's Fiona Fotheringham said: “I welcome the proposals for the new Gowkthrapple development.
"This new social housing will regenerate an area which has been left in decline for far too long.
"I am also delighted to see Gowkthrapple Community Centre remain and Active Travel included within the proposals with safe cycling and walking routes, which will assist in joining many communities.”
Fiona's fellows SNP colleague, Jim Hume, said: “The building of new houses is welcome and the good thing is the homes are built are to an incredibly high standard.
“The insulation in the homes are excellent and will help people save on their energy bills.
“My only concern is making sure that the elderly residents in Allershaw Tower are looked after and that their community remains the same.”
Conservative Bob Burgess added: “It’s tremendous news. It’s going to be 300 high quality homes.
“The team are already starting work and these homes will be on a totally different level to what we have there at the moment.
“The investment and the quality of homes will be there for everyone to see and this will be a big improvement.”
It is proposed that there would be four phases of residential development.
Phase one would comprise of 97 units, phase two would be 52 Units, phase three would have 37 units while the final phase four would comprise of 89 units.
In the indicative masterplan, these have been arranged into different character areas, with linkages and overlaps including the types of houses, anticipated tenure of houses, incorporation of landscaping and relationship with adjacent roads and the wider area.
A degree of ancillary retail development is proposed.
The masterplan identifies the most likely location as being in the Stanhope and Smith Avenue area, in a well overlooked and accessible location.
Concluding their report, council planners state: “The masterplan has been developed through a well-considered process and while only planning permission in principle at this stage, it has been demonstrated that the overall development could proceed and comply with the relevant design policies, subject to appropriate conditions and consideration of subsequent applications.
“It is therefore recommended that planning permission be approved, subject to conditions.”
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