The end of living high rise
North Lanarkshire set to demolish 48 buildings over next two decades
SCOTLAND’S biggest council housing landlord have announced plans to demolish all of their tower blocks.
North Lanarkshire Council are set to pull down more than 4000 high-rise homes over the next two decades in a move that will transform the skyline of towns across the Central Belt.
Concerns were raised about highrises after the Grenfell Tower fire in London in June. But the council’s 48 tower blocks are all understood to be structurally sound and safe.
Experts have long warned, though, that such blocks are expensive to run.
Council leader Jim Logue said the demolitions would be part of a £500million investment to breathe new life into the town centres of places such as Coatbridge, Motherwell and Airdrie and improve housing.
The Labour councillor said: “These are hugely ambitious plans. We are in the midst of the biggest council housebuilding programme in a generation in Scotland.
“Towers were once the future of housing and over the years we have invested steadily in them. But there is no doubt we are constrained in improving them by the construction.”
Kay Oliver, who has lived in Motherwell’s 16-storey Albion Tower for 42 years, yesterday said she will be sad to see North Lanarkshire’s high rises come down.
It was her first marital home and she raised two daughters there.
The 74-year-old widow said: “For me, this tower has lovely memories. We all used to know each other and would be regularly in and out of neighbours’ flats.
“These friendships have gone now but I’ll be sad when they all come down. They were great communities at one time.”
But Kay’s neighbour, William Warnock, 77, who was the first resident when the tower opened in 1972, supports the plans.
He said: “The world has moved on and the space should be used for different types of homes now.”
The council will start formal consultations with residents early next year.
Councillor Allan Graham, convener of enterprise and housing, said: “I understand that some residents will be reluctant about these plans and enjoy living in their current homes. That’s why it’s important that we really listen to them before making final decisions.”