The New Cross Shopping Centre in Hamilton is about to close and scheduled for full demolition.
In February South Lanarkshire Council unveiled a masterplan that included a much-reduced amount of retail floorspace, taking account of changing shopping habits and a large drop in footfall in shops in recent years.
The masterplan instead placed a new emphasis on town centre living, with around 450 new homes and civic spaces in the heart of Hamilton.
It was agreed that New Cross Shopping Centre, which was returned to council ownership in September 2021 was in a very poor state of repair and should be closed as soon as possible and demolished to prepare the way for redevelopment. The closure has now partially happened with the last of the tenants firming up their exit plans.
The Executive Committee also agreed that the council should waive its right to buy back the town’s Bairds building. The building was marketed by JD Wetherspoon, after it decided not to proceed with plans for a new pub and restaurant there.
SOUTH LANARKSHIRE Council leader Joe Fagan said: “These really are significant steps in making our vision for a thriving Hamilton Town Centre a reality.
Fagan continued, “Unfortunately, New Cross does not have a retail future. It would require massive investment which makes no sense in the current market. Instead, the area can have a new future where families can live and grow in a new town centre community.
“Waiving our rights to the former Bairds building will hopefully allow it to become another key part of that new future, and it would be good to see that landmark site once again part of a bustling town centre.”
A sad day and an announcement which will undoubtedly see further decline in footfall in the town centre.
As per the statement provided by the Council, the New Cross decision by the Executive Committee will allow the council to complete negotiations with remaining tenants to CLOSE the shopping centre, with plans to be drawn up for demolition at a future date.
Council Leader Joe Fagan confirmed in public statement in May 2024, that “New Cross Centre has no retail future”. Many businesses have now closed, though some remain intent on seeing their leases out.
Source: At a meeting of the SLC Finance and Corporate Resources committee on 21 May, their members approved the request for £100k cash to be used to progress the regeneration plans, which included a decision to close the New Cross Centre at earliest opportunity and schedule demolition to make way for a new residential only block.
As well as this news making the National mainstream media, SLC leader Cllr Fagan issued a statement a couple of days later, appearing in many locations online citing that there is no retail future in the New Cross Centre. At the time a partial closure was well underway, which has since progressed further.