Located in the heart of South Bridge Street, the £3.2 million housing redevelopment marks a significant milestone in North Lanarkshire Council’s town centre regeneration plans.

For nearly 150 years, Orrs was a beloved shopping destination for the local community. After its closure in 2007, the vacant building became a concern for residents. Following years of uncertainty and stalled plans by other developers, the council stepped in, and the redevelopment, complete with 20 new homes and two commercial units is now enjoying a new lease of life.

Jim Logue, leader of the council was a driving force behind the revival, and he joined housing vice convener Andrew Bustard and other local elected members in visiting the completed project and welcoming new residents to the building.

Councillor Logue said: “This redevelopment project has been a long time in coming and I’m delighted to see it finally complete. The building had become an eye sore and hopefully now, it will offer residents a reason to be proud of their town centre once again.

“The new flats look fantastic, combine heritage preservation with modern living solutions and we’re thrilled to breathe new life into this landmark site.

“It was great to welcome the first tenants and I’m sure they will enjoy living in their new homes in the heart of the town. The hard work continues though, as we look to further improve the town centre and provide more quality housing and amenities for our communities.”

The transformed building features 20 brand new, high-quality flats, addressing the area’s need for social housing. Additionally, there are two ground-level commercial properties offering retail or community spaces.

The council partnered with Wilson Developments on this project. Furthermore, they plan to apply for grant funding from the Scottish Government’s Cycle Scotland to install a cycle store at the rear court of Orrs, promoting sustainable transportation options for the new residents.