The former Bairds building in Hamilton could be either demolished or repurposed under ambitious proposals by South Lanarkshire Council.
The proposal is part of a £55m investment by South Lanarkshire Council. Almost £8 million has been set aside for Hamilton town centre under the authority’s new “Building Back fund”. One of the first projects given the go ahead will be the demolition of New Cross shopping centre.
Council leader Joe Fagan says local residents can “expect to see some real progress” in the next 12 months towards the long-term plans to replace much of the town centre’s underused retail space with new homes, while housing convener and local councillor Davie McLachlan added that the funding will “bring the Hamilton masterplan to life”.
Building Back also allocates an additional £3.85m to Larkhall Leisure Centre to upgrade the sports hall provision of the new facility, taking its overall budget to nearly £28m and making it “the most expensive facility the council has ever procured outside of [its] school estate”.
I’m sure there is upbeat in the revamp of Hamilton town centre.
Just how can a budget be made if it is not known whether a pretty large building will be demolished or repurposed? The costs are the same? I think not.
Seems to me the council take stabs at a budget rather than work on a budget.
Part of the Council tax increase will be “ringfenced”for future projects. In other words the increase is too high!
Since when does ringfenced money actually get used for what was intended?
Sounds a bit like FAGIN and his band of thieves from Oliver Twist!
My bet would be the demolishment. History shows at least in Blantyre, there has been way too many buildings demolished in my lifetime.