Ravenscraig New Town

Ravenscraig is a new community beibg planned in North Lanarkshire, in between neighbouring towns Motherwell and Wishaw. It is highly regarded as one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe. It will house up to 10000 people, the minimum requirement for a town, and will become a major site in the Glasgow and Clyde Valley action plan

Phase One

Housing

New homes is part of phase one of the development plan, that also includes a new £29 million sports facility and new Motherwell College campus. Ravenscraig will, in a few years, become a leading residential location containing high quality modern building designs.

At least 3,500 new homes will be built, all with the very latest in modern telephone and broadband connectivity. There will be a provision of different housing in terms of social and affordable.

ports facility

A new £29 million development sports facility is under way and will feature modern and accommodating facilities for loads of sporting needs.

The complex will contain the following:

· a football and sports hall (105 m × 73 m × 18 m high at its centre) with 400 spectator seats· an athletics hall featuring a track and field event training areas (26.5 m × 135 m and clear height of 7.4 m and 9.7 m)· central changing rooms and entry area· dance studios· outdoor football and training pitches· interaction zones· a strength conditioning area· a café· a viewing gallery· an activity area for children.

The proposed new facility is likely to host all types of sports, whether local or national. It will also be big enough to accommodate 5,000 people that will attend concerts or sporting exhibitons.

Motherwell College

The new Motherwell College is already well under construction and is due for completion in July 2009 at the earliest.

The new college will include a five-storey teaching block, a residential building for up to 50 students and workshop block for engineering students. The campus will also feature conference facilities, a public learning centre, performing arts space and a job shop. A nursery building will provide 300 places for pre-school children and after-school care.

Phase Two

Town Centre

After the House of Lords took the decision to have Ravenscraig as a town centre, amidst much controversy, work was due to begin in late 2008/early 2009.

The new town centre will have up to 1miilion sq m of shopping and restaurant facilities in a modern, attractive, retail centre, containing offices, major retailers, a cinema and a health centre.

Transport

Ther will be a network of pedestrian routes and cycleways to encourage more walking and cycling within the town and the town centre.

The town centre itself will be served by a railway station, allowing access to both Motherwell and Wishaw, a bus interchage, encouraging pedestrians to depend less on cars, substantial car parking and also dual carriageway access from both M8 and M74, allowing easy access to both Glasgow and Edinburgh, but also to faraway places such as Carlisle

Other major points

There will also be up to 216,000 sq m of industrial and business space, as well as major parkland areas. Two new schools are expected to be built in the new community.

External links

* [http://www.ravenscraig.co.uk/introduction.html Ravenscraig Official Site]