A milestone has been reached in the regeneration of the former Ravenscraig Steelworks following the approval of extensive extraction and remediation works covering 200 acres of previously unusable land.
Ravenscraig is one of Europe’s largest brownfield regeneration and community creation initiatives. Located on the former industrial steelworks facility, the land requires extensive preparation before any further new building can commence.
The remediation works will see the removal of remnants from steel production, including deep reinforced concrete foundations and preparing the area for future development. This represents a significant investment and logistical undertaking, involving the extraction, recycling, and backfilling of over 2,700,000 cubic metres of material.
The permission granted by North Lanarkshire Council covers 200 acres – approximately 20% of the entire Ravenscraig site. This area includes Meadowhead, which sits adjacent to the new urban park, The Craig, and the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, as well as a section of land north of New College Lanarkshire Motherwell Campus.
Russell Wilkie, director at Ravenscraig Limited, said, “It’s fantastic to see this application approved by North Lanarkshire Council. This is a vital step for the next stage of our masterplan, turning once-unusable industrial land into a viable location for residential development that will breathe new life into the area. This land alone has the potential to deliver up to 2,000 new homes, a major step in regenerating Ravenscraig into a vibrant, modern, and self-sufficient community.”
Councillor Jim Logue, North Lanarkshire Council leader, added, “The regeneration of Ravenscraig is a key priority for the council, bringing huge opportunities for housing, employment, leisure, business and industry to the area. We are making a significant contribution towards the long-term regeneration of the Ravenscraig site by building a new road and active travel links from Motherwell to Ravenscraig as part of our Glasgow City Region Programme. This is essential to open up the site to enable further investment and create transport links to the motorway network across central Scotland.”
Remediation is set to begin early next year and will be carried out in a phased approach over the coming years.
