Councillor David Key believes that, as part of North Lanarkshire Council's New-Build Programme, promises were made that a number of properties would be constructed in the area.

However, council bosses say the plot was only identified as a potential location for the development.

Councillor Key said: "Once again NLC is turning its back on Kilsyth and the nearby villages. There is a real need for high quality new social housing in the Kilsyth area and I was delighted when the announcement to build 20 new houses here was originally made. It was fantastic news to see the Council take up the Scottish Government's offer and actually build up our housing stock, rather than selling it off.

The New-Build Programme will see social housing built in the North Lanarkshire area for the first time in more than thirty years. Tenants of the new properties will not have the right to purchase the homes as in previous years, thus protecting housing stock from depletion.

Councillor Key continued: "This ward has areas that have recently featured in the 15 per cent most deprived zones in Scotland - revealed in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. We need more and better quality social housing in this ward and I will continue to lobby the Council to change their minds on this decision. This u-turn is simply not good enough for Kilsyth."

Pamela Humphries, development manager at NLC, explained that the site's location meant it was not suitable for such a development.

She said: "This council has not taken a u-turn. The Burngreen Lodge site was looked at as a possible site for new council homes, however following consultation with planning we were advised that it should not be developed for housing due to the potential risk of future flooding at this location. A number of sites have been identified as potentially suitable for the council's new build programme and we will continue to consider all potential sites, including sites in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth area."