Plan to transform Millcroft Road

Many run-down flats in South Carbrain's Millcroft Road will be replaced with new build council houses, if a new plan goes ahead.

North Lanarkshire Council will next month discuss the viability of demolishing the flats at 1-103 and 2-204B, employing compulsory purchase orders where required, in order to replace them with new builds with Sanctuary as the landlord.

Housing convener Barry McCulloch said: “Property ownership here is a mixed bag of private landlords and many have fallen into a poor state of repair. There is also a lot of fly tipping in the area. We want to clear the area up and provide new high quality council houses for people to live in, similar to what was already achieved with Ainslie/Maclehose.”

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The three blocks of flats comprise 169 properties and over two thirds are controlled privately. Years without a factoring arrangement in place has contributed to the decline of these buildings.

The huge diversity of ownership also makes it extremely difficult for any one owner to carry out repairs as responsibility for this work is not split on a “close by close” basis but split between 112 owners in the case of 2-204B Millcroft Road and 57 in the case of 1-103 Millcroft Road.

Councillor Stephanie Griffin said: “We are delighted to spearhead the plan to re-build in Millcroft Road.

“Indiscriminate dumping and rogue landlords have taken their toll on the area over the years and we hope everyone will agree that this joint enterprise will secure a safer, cleaner area for residents with a highly reputable social landlord at the helm.”

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Peter Martin, Sanctuary’s group director of development, said: “We will fully support North Lanarkshire Council’s efforts to improve the housing stock in Cumbernauld.”

At a meeting of the housing committee on Thursday, February 2, councillors will discuss whether to continue working on this project.