Shots in North Lankarshire could be set for a radical regeneration programme – which will potentially include hundreds of new homes, more amenities, including a supermarket, as well as other commercial and community facilities.

Advance Construction Scotland plan to build up to build up to 350 new homes on an 80-acre site at Springhill Farm, having reduced the scale of development in principle down from 600 residential properties.

With good transport links in place, the residential scheme could offer social and economic benefits to the town, helping to support and therefore attract more amenities, including a supermarket, other commercial and community facilities.

Kenny Ross, the agent acting on behalf of Advanced Construction Scotland, said: “It will have the right balance for transport, infrastructure and education.

“We have submitted plans for a residential development for 350 homes and a new roundabout as you enter Shotts from the east.

“It has been submitted and registered with the council.

“They are looking at it going out to consultation with the various different departments.”

A broad range of house types, including flats, detached houses and cottages, have been proposed.

Local councillor, Tommy Cochrane, is supportive of the plans and believes that it will bring in an extra 1,000 people to the town.

“If this goes well I think it will be a boom in Shotts,” he added. “Shotts has stagnated since the early 80s.”

He continued: “We need to move on and we need to build houses. The population has fallen away. We still have the same amount of houses but not the same amount of people. This is the reason we are losing services because the population is declining.”