More than 130 new houses for rent are to be built in East Kilbride.

East Kilbride Development Consortium, which is led by Clyde Valley Housing Association in partnership with East Kilbride and District Housing Association and West of Scotland Housing Association, will construct 133 affordable homes in the south west of the town.

Two separate developments are proposed on the sites on both the former St Andrew's High School in Scholar's Gate and the former Crosshouse primary school in Plover Drive.

The move comes after the council's Planning Committee approved two detailed planning applications.

Councillor Graham Scott, the chair of the committee, heralded both plans as an important step forward in the provision of affordable housing in Scotland's largest new town.

Councillor Scott said: "Both the South Lanarkshire Local Plan and the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan have identified a real need for new affordable housing in East Kilbride and these applications are proof of the council's commitment to bridging that gap.

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"It is also a bonus that our ongoing Schools Modernisation Programme - which is providing first-class new facilities for our children - has been able to free up sites which are now being used to meet the housing needs of a diverse and changing population.

"As Scotland's most successful new town, we should be in a position to offer the types of housing our communities need and I am delighted that these proposals are doing just that."

The larger of the two developments at Scholar's Gate will see the construction of 99 homes, including three three-storey blocks of flats; four two-storey terraced blocks; 24 two-storey semi-detached blocks and three two-storey blocks of cottage flats.

Two of the semi-detached homes will also be adapted for wheelchair users.

Access to the new development will be from Scholar's Gate with parking either in individual driveways or in parking courts. An area of open space will also be created in the north-east corner of the site with a footpath linking it to Ballerup Terrace.

The remaining 34 homes will be built on the site of the former Crosshouse primary school in the town's Plover Drive. The development will consist of one three-storey block of flats, four two-storey terraced blocks and five two-storey semi-detached blocks. An area of open space, with a fully-equipped play area will be created at the south eastern corner of the site. A pedestrian link to the new Crosshouse primary school will also be provided.

(GK/BMcC)