Council to double building target

North Lanarkshire Council plans to double its housebuilding target to 5000 new homes by 2035.

Members of the enterprise and housing committee will tomorrow be asked to approve a regeneration report including the new figure.

It includes the alreadypromised 2150 homes under the authority’s Building for the Future scheme, a proposal to buy 550 private-sector homes and a further new-build programme of 2300 homes to give new provision in relation to the proposed tower-block demolition.

A report for councillors states:“The potential scale of new council house construction over the coming years offers a number of opportunities to support the development of sustainable communities, create significant employment and training opportunities and an opportunity to include innovative design features and construction methods to help futureproof the new homes”.

Housing convener Allan Graham said:“Improving the lives of our tenants and regenerating our local communities and town centres are the drivers behind our long-term ambition.

“These are hugely exciting and ambitious plans.

“North Lanarkshire is Scotland’s largest council landlord and we’re in the midst of the biggest council house-building programme in a generation in Scotland.

“We’ll be creating local jobs and training, strengthening our economy over a sustained period and changing the way people live and work by regenerating our town centres.

“Our plans clearly demonstrate our ambitions and aspirations for the area and its residents.”

Consultation is already underway concerning the potential first phase of the proposal to demolish all of North Lanarkshire’s high-rise tower blocks.

A council official told the Advertiser:“Initial feedback confirms that there is strong support for the proposal and work will continue to identify new sites, including town centre areas, to increase the opportunity for housing development.”