August 31 2023

North Lanarkshire Council has set out a second wave of tower block demolitions as part of a mammoth housing stock replacement programme running to 2035.

Consultations with tenants of the 974 affected homes, including many low-rise, established that 68% supported redevelopment - part of the authority's stated ambition to replace all tower blocks with modern accommodation.

Councillor Michael McPake, Convener of Housing explained: “Our new build housing program is gathering pace with 1,110 new build houses having already been completed with a further 467 homes under construction as we aim to provide 5,000 new council homes for rent by 2035. The clearance of many tower sites will pave the way for the construction of new homes, providing a substantial boost to employment and construction in North Lanarkshire."

Properties considered for demolition include seven towers in Motherwell; including the cluster of Anderson, Oakfield, Albion, Airbles and Whamond towers in the town centre. The twin towers of Glen and Woodside are also condemned as is a lone multi-storey block in Coatbridge, Witchwood Court.

The demolition programme is expected to take between two and six years to conclude.   

3 Comments

#1 Posted by Iain Duerr on 2 Sep 2023 at 08:15 AM

It’s interesting given the coverage of the demolitions at Wyndford that very little attention has been paid to this programme.

Arguably, the environmental problem is greater (tens of blocks involved and thousands of flats) and the rationale for demolition even more dubious.

To condemn an entire typology to demolition as is being pursued, regardless of the merits of each block, is a bizarre and incredibly wasteful approach that speaks more of politics and a desire for the new and shiny than any reasoned approach to the issue.

Prominent architects (you know who you are) and environmental groups, you’re our only hope!

#2 Posted by Lovely on 2 Sep 2023 at 18:47 PM

Good observation at number one.

These do look slightly less well built and well designed than the Wyndford towers though.

The area there has moved to being a more medium value area so that also maybe makes it more of a hot potato.

Agree that we need to think very carefully before smashing so much tonnage of dirty co2 laden material into landfill only to rebuild it again in a slightly different configuration.

Am sure these resource heavy new homes will have a little plastic tag saying ‘net zero’ though.

So we can all relax as the planet dies in a slightly different way as Peter is robbed to pay Paul.

#3 Posted by Trina Fox on 4 Sep 2023 at 01:03 AM

We know first hand Anderston Tower contains asbestos as my partner was offered a flat there which they said was safe yet contained smashed asbestos tiles! The council do not care about peoples health. They pulled other towers down in Motherwell and I saw no aabestos precaution so its prob been in our air now more to come down more asbestos circulating our community. Feel like giving our story to papers so truth is known.

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