North Lanarkshire Council has committed to the development of three times many capital projects over the next fives, following the approval of funding of more than £600 million.

A key project includes the 50-year-old Watersports Centre at Strathclyde Country Park which is set to be transformed and given a new lease of life.

Plans include a new café on the ground floor, new facilities for pupils in P7 taking part in the outdoor education programme and the installation of extensive renewable energy resources.

These enhancements will make it more welcoming to visitors as well as improving its energy efficiency and reducing its carbon footprint.

Most of the funding for the £13.7million redevelopment will come from North Lanarkshire Council's Strategic Capital Investment Programme 2024/5 to 2028/29; with additional external funding still being finalised.

The Watersports Centre is just one of several projects announced as part of the five-year plan, which will also see the continued transformation of town centres across North Lanarkshire, the ongoing investment in the town and community hub programme and the development of the new East Airdrie Link Road.

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“Our programme is one of the most ambitious in the country and will be truly transformative,” said Councillor Jim Logue, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council. “It places a key focus on growing the economy to create jobs and opportunities for our residents, while at the same time improving our town centres, creating new school and community facilities and supporting the environment.

“These investment plans are a complete game changer and will provide a real boost to our communities. Taken together with our £800million investment in housing, it represents a total capital investment in North Lanarkshire of around £1.45bn over the next five years.”

Town centre regeneration is a key part of the council's overall plan, which sets out a clear vision for the area's businesses and its people, boosting the local economy and creating jobs.

Other key highlights in the programme, which totals £660million, include:

• £250 million to continue investment in the Town and Community Hub programme.

• City Deal investment of £91 million, including resources to progress the East Airdrie Link Road project which is central to the Pan-Lanarkshire Orbital Transport Corridor, connecting the M74 up through Motherwell, Ravenscraig and Chapelhall to Cumbernauld in the north, unlocking key development opportunities.

• £39 million investment in the Council's Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan to support the ongoing transformation of North Lanarkshire's town centres, including ongoing work to regenerate Cumbernauld Town Centre.

• £34 million key infrastructure investment in bridges, flooding, active travel and road safety.

• £11 million investment in the Parks Masterplan, including funding to enable the redevelopment of Strathclyde Park Watersports Centre.

• £20 million investment in business and digital systems.

• £10 million investment in Community Boards to support community asset transfers

The Capital Investment Programme was approved by councillors at a meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee on Thursday 14 March 2024.