48 blocks could face axe.
All high-rise flats in a council area could be knocked down over the next 20 years under ambitious plans.
As Scotland’s biggest social landlord, North Lanarkshire Council owns 48 tower blocks containing around 4000 flats. It will consult residents in tower households in February next year on its plans to gradually replace the blocks with low-rise accommodation. If approved, the proposals could transform the skylines of towns including Motherwell, Coatbridge, Airdrie and Wishaw.
They are part of a £500 million strategy to invest in town centre regeneration and modern social housing across the council area.
North Lanarkshire Council leader Jim Logue said: “These are hugely ambitious plans. North Lanarkshire is Scotland’s biggest council landlord and we are in the midst of the biggest council housebuilding programme in a generation in Scotland. But we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. Towers were once the future of housing and we have invested steadily over the years in them. But there is no doubt that we are constrained in improving them by the construction; some of our towers were built 55 years ago.”
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