Plan to develop site of one of Cumbernauld’s biggest employers

North Lanarkshire Council has received a planning application from social landlord Sanctuary Housing, which proposes 199 homes to be built on the former location of the HMRC offices on St Mungo’s Road, near the town centre.

These are now demolished, meaning the site is currently derelict.

The plan to redevelop the site also includes parking spaces for 237 vehicles. Sanctuary intends to build a mixture of houses and flats, along with associated infrastructure, open space and landscaping while making use of and upgrading the two existing access roads.

Taller flats would be closer to the town centre, while houses and two-storey cottage flats would be located across the rest of the site.

A report on the consultation work carried out prior to applying for planning permission indicates that feedback received so far has largely been positive, with the majority of people expressing support for the proposals.

Comments received welcomed the contribution the development would make towards local housing demand, particularly in terms of affordable rented properties,  with others highlighting that this housing would feature front and back gardens, the development of the brownfield site, and the plans for open space and play areas.

READ NEXT: North Lanarkshire town could get new homes

Those less keen on the project claimed it would be overdevelopment of the site, claimed the real demand was for houses over flats, environmental concerns and potential pressure on local healthcare and education services – any planning permission will be subject to legal agreements concerning financial contributions to offset this impact.

Some also mentioned the possible effect of this development on nearby St Mungo’s Church, although this feedback was submitted prior to a fire in August, which destroyed the building, meaning this situation remains subject to change.

Another comment was concerned with the preservation of public art in the form of a sculpture by Charles Anderson and standing stones near where the main entrance to the former used to be. The developers have indicated that they intend to incorporate these features into the housing site.

The application is currently live on North Lanarkshire Council’s website, so anyone who wishes to give their opinion on these proposals can do so there. The application’s reference number is 25/00910/FUL.