A grand social housing plan

The £159million plan brings the total number of council houses to be built in the next decade to 1,800.

Councillor Barry McCulloch, the convener of housing and social work services, said: “This is a massive investment for the people of North Lanarkshire. As Scotland’s biggest council landlord we understand that modern, accessible housing is a key priority and I’m delighted we will be able to deliver 1,800 new houses by 2026.

“We already had an extensive new-build programme in place, but we are determined to do what we can to meet considerable need.”

The news was welcomed by Adam Lang, Head of Communications at Shelter Scotland, who said: “It’s welcome news that North Lanarkshire Council has committed to building 1,000 new social homes and we urge the rest of Scotland’s local authorities and the Scottish Government to show similar ambition to tackle our housing crisis.”