Plan to improve paths around Broadwood Loch

Cumbernauld North councillor Alan Masterton has been pushing the council to carry out this work for some time, and finally received some positive news earlier this month.

The work will be carried out as part of wider access improvements around Broadwood Loch.

The council says it had hoped to have it completed by the end of the year, but was delayed due to the pandemic and may not be possible within that timescale now.

He said: “I have been following up with North Lanarkshire Council for some time now the need to carry out footpath improvements in certain areas around Broadwood Loch, and in particular to the footpath through Orchardton Woods which connects with the main footpath around the loch.

“This area is frequently waterlogged and flooded, but I have now received a response from North Lanarkshire Council which confirms that they do have plans drawn up to improve this path and also to address the flooding issues.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “The main loop around Orchardton Woods is to be resurfaced and will be undertaken as part of access improvements at Broadwood Loch.

"This project is part of the Creating Natural Connections partnership project, and we are the lead delivery partner for access improvements at Broadwood Loch.

“Some site visits were recently undertaken to Broadwood to review the project plans and drawings, we are aware of the flooding problems along a section of the route in Orchardton Woods and this will be addressed as part of the works.

"The next step will be to appoint a contract manager to oversee the improvement, then appoint a works contractor.

"We had anticipated to have this completed before end of calendar year, but inevitably Covid-19 has impacted on project delivery so we may not be able to meet this timescale.

“As part of the project we will be undertaking publicity and will work with our project partners Cumbernauld Living Landscape to provide notices of any works to site users."