Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Council Comment We are open for business
I was pleased to drive by the site of the former Alexandra Primary School in Airdrie and see the contractor’s containers being delivered.
As one of the local elected members, I have campaigned for a considerable period of time for a housing development at this location.
I am absolutely delighted that over the next few months, not only will 14 new council houses be built, but also an additional car park to serve the needs of commuters and residents.
After the elections in May, I openly stated that the most pressing priority facing North Lanarkshire was to ensure growth throughout all communities.
As a councillor, I often feel frustrated when constituents contact me regarding housing issues.
Too often I meet people who for years have lived in communal flatted houses and have never known the experience of having a front and back door or a garden area, or others who are living in private rented accommodation, or who are living with extended family members and feel frustrated at the lack of a tenancy of their own.
As council leader, I am proud of the ongoing investment in our housing stock with kitchen and bathroom upgrades, but I want to see additional housebuilding to meet the aspirations of our residents.
Currently, throughout North Lanarkshire, 12 former school sites are being developed which will create an additional 286 brand new houses. These will play a significant part in achieving our target of 770 new houses by 2021 and a further 1000 by 2026.
However, it is not only council housing which North Lanarkshire will focus on. I want to see this as a place with plenty to offer – to live, work, raise a family, enjoy recreational pursuits, secure employment and help to drive up educational attainment.
Too often in the past, I have been dismayed at the number of young people who have been raised and educated in North Lanarkshire, relocating to neighbouring areas to buy houses because of the lack of housing supply.
This is a scenario which I am determined to stop. I want North Lanarkshire to be identified as a council which is open for business and meets the diverse needs and expectations of all residents.
Unless there are compelling strategic reasons, I want to see more land being developed for new house building. Over the past few months, planning consent has been given to build 1700 new houses for sale in areas throughout North Lanarkshire. I fully recognise that this will create future challenges for the council in relation to delivering local services, such as education, health and refuse collection. However, this is a challenge which any ambitious council would relish.
Aligned with this approach will be the concerted determination to attract more businesses. To achieve this, a simplified planning process has been introduced to accelerate consideration of planning applications.
As a council, we will embark on a process of proactively promoting our own area and creating a ready supply of land for housing and employment opportunities.
In future columns, I will highlight various associated strategies to develop our thinking, but I assure you that North Lanarkshire has the most ambitious plans to create growth and opportunities for all residents.
On a separate issue, I am aware that by the time you read this column, North Lanarkshire will have hosted the British Transplant Games.
Last year, I attended the handover ceremony in Liverpool and next year the Games will be in Birmingham.
To have secured the right to hold such a high-profile event against strong competition from major cities in the UK highlights the reputation which we have developed over the past 10 years in attracting a range of national and international events, and this will continue with Strathclyde Park hosting the much sought-after triathlon and rowing championships at the European Games in 2018.
I would like to congratulate all staff in attracting these prestigious events, which have clearly enhanced the reputation of North Lanarkshire.
Another clear example of North Lanarkshire being open for business.