Cumbernauld Centre will be demolished after council makes key announcement

The prospect was famously mooted on the Channel 4 Documentary ‘Demolition’ but an ‘imagining’ of that set-up was branded as fiction by North Lanarkshire Council at the time.

Now it has emerged that the bulldozers will indeed move in as a major re-development is flagged up. However it is admitted that this will not start for a number of years and will take around a decade to complete.

Council-owned facilities such as the Tryst, Library and other offices in the town centre will also be replaced, with facilities transferring to the new state-of-the-art hub as part of the programme. This will incorporate schools, leisure facilities, office space and a new health centre.

Alongside this would be new retail, town centre homes and amenity spaces, all of which will be connected through active and sustainable travel options.

Councillor Jim Logue, leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The acquisition of The Centre Cumbernauld is an extremely significant part of the town vision for Cumbernauld and would represent a huge step forward in the town’s regeneration.

“While the building represented the future in the 1960s, it is clear that it does not fit with residents’ vision of what they need from a modern town centre. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that Cumbernauld – and all the towns in North Lanarkshire – is a vibrant, living town and our overall investment in town centres, hundreds of millions of pounds, is about ensuring a sustainable future.

“While these plans will have a significant positive impact on Cumbernauld, they will take a number of years to realise.

"During that time, Cumbernauld remains open for business and the council will support retailers and other businesses throughout.”

The Antonine Centre will be unaffected. Cornerstone House and Avon House have not been bought by NLC but negotiations with the owners are said to be continuing.