Robert Steenson

The new £500 million strategic capital investment programme agreed at North Lanarkshire Council’s policy and strategy committee underlines the commitment to create and maintain jobs and assist the recovery of the local economy and beyond. This programme, combined with planned housing investment and the City Deal will see a total investment of £1.2 billion.

These record levels of capital investment represent the first phase of delivery of the council’s 20 to 30-year programme of place shaping transformation of North Lanarkshire’s towns and communities.

The five-year plan will help deliver ambitious regeneration proposals that will transform town centres into vibrant multi-use spaces, develop business and retail opportunities, improve housing, develop local and community hubs, enhance local services and leisure and green spaces.

The regeneration of local town centres is a key part of the council’s overall plan The Place, The Vision, which sets out its vision for the area’s businesses and its people, boosting the local economy and creating jobs. It aims to invest £3.5bn over the next 10 years, which, along with private sector inward investment, will create around 12,000 jobs and generate an additional £1bn for the local economy.

Robert Steenson, executive director of enterprise and communities, said: “Our capital investment programme will allow us to build and develop exciting new opportunities for our communities and businesses. This last year has been so difficult for everyone with the global health pandemic and we need to focus on recovery and building back better to support our communities.

“We’re well placed to see our economy recover as we look to the future beyond the current Covid-19 pandemic and are progressing with our ambitious investment programme in housing, town centres, commercial developments as well as major road, active travel and digital infrastructure improvements to make North Lanarkshire the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit.

“There are so many exciting projects underway and this investment programme will help us transform and reinvigorate our towns and communities, bringing substantial benefits for local people.”