Newsletter #3 - December 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbours,

As 2025 draws to a close, we wanted to share some exciting news about what Gartcosh Development Trust has achieved this year - and what lies ahead for Gartcosh in 2026.

It's been a year of real progress, and none of it would be possible without your support.

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Gartcosh's First Local Place Plan

This month, we achieved a significant milestone: Gartcosh's Local Place Plan has been formally registered with North Lanarkshire Council - the first of its kind for our village.

This document is the result of extensive consultation with residents throughout 2024 and 2025. Using the Place Standard assessment tool and the CRT Place engagement toolkit, we gathered your views on how Gartcosh is now and how you want to see it develop in the future. We collected almost 400 wishes from residents, and held community consultations in March to shape the final plan.

The Plan addresses five key themes: movement, spaces, resources, civic participation, and stewardship. It identifies community action priorities that aim to improve wellbeing, reduce inequality, and work toward Net Zero.

Why does this matter? Gartcosh has been part of a Community Growth Area since around 2012. Our population has grown substantially, yet concerns remain about infrastructure, amenities, and the sustainability of our community. The Local Place Plan now gives residents a formal voice in the planning system - ensuring that future development respects our village's identity while meeting local needs.

The Council has validated and registered our Place Plan, and it will now carry formal weight in future planning decisions affecting our area. You can read the full plan on our website.

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Memorial Park: A Year of Transformation

2025 has been a transformative year for Memorial Park. After we successfully purchased the park in 2023 - rescuing it from years of neglect - we've now completed Phase 1 of its regeneration.

Thanks to generous funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Town Centre Fund (managed by North Lanarkshire Council), and the incredible support from our community through our Crowdfunder campaign, we've delivered real improvements:

• New play equipment including swings and climbing structures for local children
• Better drainage using Vogt geo-injector technology to decompact the soil and reduce waterlogging, making the park accessible year-round
• New pathways improving accessibility throughout the park
• Green spaces and seating areas creating a welcoming space for families, dog walkers, and nature lovers

We're incredibly grateful to everyone who volunteered their time this year - helping with clean-ups, spreading materials for paths, and tidying the nearby lane to improve access.

Phase 2 will further enhance the park with additional play facilities, improved access, seating and landscaping. If you'd like to help, keep an eye out for our volunteer days, or sign up sign up for volunteer updates at gartcoshdevelopmenttrust.com/volunteer.

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Community Asset Transfer: Saving Our Buildings

Looking ahead to 2026, we face both a challenge and an opportunity. When Gartcosh Primary School relocates to the new Community Hub building, both the current school and the Community Hall are scheduled to close.

What happens to surplus council buildings?

We know from experience across Scotland what typically happens when public buildings become surplus to council requirements. The pattern is well-documented: buildings are boarded up, security costs mount, and without regular use and maintenance, they deteriorate quickly.

Here in North Lanarkshire, we've seen this happen.

The former Cumbernauld Primary School – a 117-year-old sandstone building dating from 1904 – lay completely empty for 15 years after closure. It ended up on the national "buildings at risk" register. When the council tried to market it, there was no interest. Eventually, planners concluded that "the external fabric has declined to such an extent that it is identified as a vacant landmark in need of enhancement which currently detracts from the character of the conservation area." Despite Historic Environment Scotland's preference for the building to be "retained and re-used", it was demolished in 2021 and replaced with housing.

Across Scotland, there are over 11,000 hectares of vacant and derelict land - much of it the legacy of closed public buildings and former industrial sites. The Scottish Land Commission reports that these abandoned sites become magnets for antisocial behaviour, fly-tipping, and vandalism. They blight communities, harm wellbeing, and deter investment. In Glasgow's Calton, a former primary school sat derelict for 18 years - a known site for antisocial behaviour - before finally receiving funding for redevelopment.

This is the future we want to prevent for Gartcosh. Our school and community hall have served this village for generations. They sit at the heart of our community. Once gone, they cannot be replaced.

Gartcosh Development Trust is applying under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act to take on these buildings through a Community Asset Transfer. Our goal is to preserve them for community use and create a vibrant, all-ages hub that meets the needs you've told us about.

You Spoke - We Listened

In October and November we conducted a comprehensive community survey, and the results give us a clear mandate for action:

• 93% said they are likely to use a new community space once developed
• 72% said community ownership is "very important", with another 15% rating it "somewhat important"
• 86% rated health and wellbeing services - including GP services, optician, rehabilitation, and pop-up clinics - as important or very important

The priorities you identified were clear: activities for children (73%), young people (73%), families (70%), wellbeing services (70%), and a community café (73%). You also highlighted the need for weekend and evening opening hours, dedicated spaces for young people, fitness facilities, and better ways to find out what's happening locally.

Addressing Critical Gaps

The survey highlighted significant gaps in local provision. Gartcosh currently has no GP surgery, no dentist, and no health-based services - a critical concern for a growing Community Growth Area. There's no everyday café or social space, limited indoor community facilities with very restricted access, and a lack of safe, dedicated spaces for children and young people.

When we asked about barriers to using existing facilities, 71% pointed to a lack of activities and 65% highlighted poor information about what's available. These are gaps we can fill.

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Help Us Make This Happen

To submit a strong Community Asset Transfer application, we need to commission a comprehensive feasibility study and develop a robust business plan. This requires funding, and our funders require us to demonstrate local commitment by raising a percentage of the cost ourselves.

We've launched a Crowdfunder campaign to help raise these essential funds. Every contribution - no matter how small - strengthens our application and shows that Gartcosh is united behind this vision.

Donate at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/gartcosh-links-centre

You can also support us by joining our community lottery - with a weekly top prize of £25,000 and monthly superdraws. Find out more at gartcoshdevelopmenttrust.com/lottery.

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Thank You

We're grateful to everyone who has contributed this year - whether by completing our surveys, attending consultation events, volunteering at Memorial Park, supporting our fundraising, or simply spreading the word about what we're trying to achieve.

Special thanks to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, who have supported us with community engagement and helped produce both the Local Place Plan and our community survey.

2026 will be a pivotal year for Gartcosh. Together, we have the opportunity to secure these buildings for our community and create something that will benefit our village for generations to come.

Wishing you and your families a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year.

From all of us at Gartcosh Development Trust