Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Conversion work on buildings under way
Work is now getting under way on detailed plans for the conversion of Coatbridge’s former Municipal Buildings into 49 council houses.
A £1 million design contract is being issued to the appointed design team, headed by conservation consultants Collective Architecture, following approval by North Lanarkshire’s housing and regeneration committee.
However, the historic former burgh chamber at the B-listed building, along with a committee room and associated offices, are now to be retained and converted for “touchdown and office space” for council staff.
The Advertiser told last
summer how the Kildonan Street offices were to be converted for housing after a 2019 decision to close 18 council offices across North Lanarkshire, saving £1.2 million.
Now council officials say the newly-appointed team will “develop the most practical and cost-effective design solutions and layouts for the conversion to residential use, and provision of an office hub, as well as managing the construction phase through to completion and handover”.
Updates on the Coatbridge project come just after the local authority also confirmed that the long-vacant Orrs department store in Airdrie town centre will be demolished within three months to be converted into 20 council houses plus commercial premises.
Planning and regeneration head Pamela Humphries said: “This is really positive news for the towns of Airdrie and Coatbridge and marks progress in two of our town-centre housing projects.
“In addition to providing more new, affordable, modern homes, we aim to realise our vision of regenerating our town centres and repositioning these as mixed-use spaces, promoting town-centre living with access to services in the heart of our communities. Our developments also represent a boost to the local economy by providing jobs and benefits including work placements and funding of community projects.
“I’m sure this exciting news will be welcomed by local residents as these developments move
forward to reshape our towns into vibrant places.”
Plans shared to date for the Kildonan Street conversion suggest converting the main Dunbeth Street wing into residences; but with the former council chambers and conference room having “historic importance” and being described as its “two most significant spaces”, they will now be retained.
The newer open-plan extension could be fully refurbished into flats, as could the the Muiryhall Street former police wing and “architectural landmark” octagonal chimney; while 10 new four-bedroomed townhouses are suggested for the eastern part of the site closest to Coatbridge High.
A report for the recent council meeting confirmed that “the site is common good”; and that the design development award will also result in required community benefits from the contractor including the provision of eight work experience placements, career and school events, and £1000 in financial Support for each of two community projects.
It added: “Conversion of the building for residential use is more sustainable than demolition and new build.
“Successful re-purposing of the existing B-listed building, which is an important part of the heritage of Coatbridge [will] provide affordable housing and help meet housing need.”
The project will be funded from the council’s ongoing new supply programme budget, with further grant support also being provided by the Scottish Government.
Airdrie MP Neil Gray has challenged the Prime Minister to help public sector workers by removing the pay cap which has seen their real-time salaries drop in the past two years against inflation.
During a meeting with the public sector union PCS, and two constituents from Calderbank and Shotts, Mr Gray heard how the cap, for those working for UK Government departments, has meant that the workers are now struggling to make ends meet, with one taking early retirement and using his lump sum to pay bills.
Despite putting forward the real human cost of the policy, Mr Gray was unable to get a commitment from Boris Johnson on the issue, with Mr Gray claiming the PM was “playing to the gallery by mocking the SNP’S name”.
Mr Gray said: “The Scottish Government has done what it can in its draft Scottish Budget to raise public sector pay but could do so much more if the UK Government lifted its pay freeze.
“At a meeting with the PCS recently, I heard from constituents in Calderbank and Shotts who work for UK Government departments and have suffered over a decade of real terms pay cuts.
“I was extremely disappointed that the Prime Minister refused to offer any solace to my constituents and instead praised himself and then went off on a tangent in an odd rant about the SNP’S name.
“The Prime Minister should be pledging to ensure everyone who has worked on the frontline during this pandemic should be properly rewarded.
“It is high time this UK Tory Government looked at the effect its policies are having on the general public and actually did something to help.”
Meanwhile, Mr Gray has welcomed proposals from the Scottish Government to given North Lanarkshire Council an additional £18.1 million in the coming financial year.
He said: “Finance Secretary Kate Forbes MSP is yet again showing that she has a good grasp of what is happening around the country.
“This additional money, an increase of 2.7 per cent, will help North Lanarkshire Council to meet its obligations without the need for extra, devastating cuts.
“With an extra amount available if it does not raise Council Tax, I hope that the council will look to make things a little easier for the area’s struggling residents and halt the proposed increase for next year.”