New council housing projects in North Lanarkshire towns are progressing well

The Housing Convener visited a site in Gowkthrapple which will create 96 affordable homes

A new housing development in Wishaw was given the thumbs up by North Lanarkshire Council’s Housing Convener during a recent site visit.

Councillor Michael McPake paid a visit to the council house building project to see the progress being made in delivering the local authority’s new home supply programme.

The site in Castlehill Road in the Gowkthrapple area of the town will create 96 affordable homes and a community facility. It is just one of the exciting new developments being built across North Lanarkshire, as part of plans to deliver 5,000 new homes by 2035.

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Other key projects being progressed include Dykehead Road and Northburn Avenue in Airdrie, which forms part of the council’s re-provisioning plans to regenerate communities by demolishing towers and low-rise flats.

This year’s new supply update, which was presented to a recent housing committee, shows North Lanarkshire Council is on track to deliver a record number of completions this year, providing more homes for rent.

Figures to date show 1,230 homes completed, with 381 on site and 334 scheduled for completion in 2023/24. To date 49 new developments have been completed with a further 12 on site.

Councillor McPake said: “We’re making significant progress delivering our new supply programme which is transforming and regenerating our communities and town centres, a priority within the transforming places programme of work.

“It’s pleasing to see the range of housing we’re delivering to best meet the needs of our tenants. Our new homes are built to an extremely high standard. All design and build projects meet Housing for Varying Needs which means homes are more accessible to adapt to tenants’ mobility needs and are secure by design.

"They are also designed to be sustainable, well insulated and highly energy efficient, benefiting our tenants’ comfort and tackling fuel poverty. Our housing investment is also supporting new job opportunities and delivering a range of community benefits.”

The new build homes are just one aspect of the council’s supply programme which aims to increase the number of homes available to rent. Its award-winning Open Market Purchase Scheme has also saw 728 homes purchased since its inception, and has proven an effective, and cost-efficient way of providing much needed accommodation, particularly in areas of high demand.

Council projections show that at least 100 properties will be purchased in the current financial year, exceeding the initial target of 75.

A further 147 homes have been identified for delivery through ‘Off the Shelf’ purchases. And negotiations continue with a range of developers to identify and develop opportunities that meet the council’s housing need in town centre areas and beyond.

Councillor McPake added: “We’ll continue to push forward with our housing plans and are committed to improving the lives of people living in our communities and meeting their housing aspirations.”

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