Change of use is granted for village hall site

The site, which is zoned for short term housing development, sits on the corner of Caledonia Drive and High Street and back in 2006 permission was granted by North Lanarkshire Council for nine flats.

This was renewed in 2011, by which time the hall had been demolished, and then renewed for a second time in 2014, but a buyer for the site was still unable to be found.

As such site owner Naeem Tariq from Motherwell came up with a new strategy to market it and made an application to the council for a change of use.

Two letters of objection were submitted mainly concerned about an increase in traffic.

Council officers recommended the proposal be granted, which it was by councillors at a meeting of the Planning Sub-Committee last week.

A report to the sub-committee said: “It is considered this development would not have a detrimental impact on the residential/mixed use area.

“Although it is allocated as a short term housing site in the adopted local plan, the proposed use is not considered to be a bad neighbour within the area and there will be limited traffic generated from the site.”

Access to the site will be off a new dropped kerb in Caledonia Drive leading to a parking area for six vehicles, with the remainder utilised for the ‘cars for sale’ and a temporary office building.