North Lanarkshire Council’s new leader visited the authority’s latest housing development as it nears completion for its first tenants.
Jordan Linden was shown around the 16 family homes at Park Place in Plains, on the site of the village’s former primary school at the junction of Annieshill view and Meadowhead Road.
The development includes five two-bedroomed houses, a trio of three-bedroomed homes, a four-bed wheelchair bungalow and a four-bed wheelchair house, plus four cottage flats and two amenity bungalows, each with two bedrooms.
Councillor Linden toured the site and visited one of the wheelchair-standard homes to look at its layout and features, and said: “It’s great to see the range of fantastic features on offer to prospective tenants.
“The specification and design of our new-build properties is extremely high, and they meet standards including housing for varying needs which means they are adaptable to suit tenants in the future and incorporate dementia-friendly measures.
“By investing in new homes across North Lanarkshire we’re regenerating communities, boosting local economies and improving the lives of our tenants and residents.”
The Plains development regenerates a site which has lain empty for well over a decade since the former primary school moved into its nearby renewed joint campus alongside St David’s Primary.
Planning permission for the development was first granted nearly three years ago, as a “positive re-use of [the] site” and council officials say the accommodation “will soon be ready for allocating to tenants”.
North Lanarkshire is working to provide 5000 new homes for rent by 2035, with 954 houses completed to date and construction work currently taking place on another 267 properties.
The programme – described as “one of the largest new supply programmes in the country” – includes introducing energy efficiency measures and renewable technologies such as use of solar panels and provision of electric vehicle charging points.
At least 10 per cent of the council’s new-build houses are to be wheelchair accessible, to “ensure suitable homes with a range of bespoke housing needs for tenants”.
Sites included in the council’s plans for further development include town-centre areas and locations identified as part of its planned tower reprovisioning programme; including Coatbridge landmarks Jackson and Dunbeth Courts and High Coats, which are due to be demolished next year.
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