This year’s community benefits, which form part of our new council house building tenders, delivered 13 recruitment and employment opportunities, including a trainee estimator, joiner, landscaper, wall line operative and site administrator, facilitated four paid summer placements, four careers' events, four site visits and supply chain development with three businesses. In addition, financial and non-financial support benefited six local community projects. 

Connor McKenna (17) from Wishaw is just one example of a young person gaining experience and employment. He first completed a two week placement facilitated by his high school and followed that up with a seven week paid placement on our development at School Street, Coatbridge. He later joined contactor CCG and now has a plumbing apprenticeship. 

He said: “When I did my school placement, I knew then I wanted to find a role in construction. After doing the second placement and then joining CCG as a plumber’s mate, the level of responsibility was something I really enjoyed. I am looking forward to learning even more during my apprenticeship programme and can’t wait to become fully qualified.” 

Community benefits are also helping young people towards positive outcomes. We work with education, supported enterprise and employability teams to facilitate work experience and opportunities to positive destinations within construction.  

Achievements include: 

• Working with young people to inspire them to pursue a career in the building environment. The ‘Repurposing Challenge’ involved 20 S1-S3 pupils visiting our live development at Old Town Hall, Motherwell. Pupils were tasked with identifying a disused building in their own community and reimagining it for a new purpose which included measuring and costing. 

• Six Buchanan High pupils with additional support needs participated in bespoke training, including SQA Health and Safety in Construction and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS). All six pupils successfully passed both the SQA and CSCS exams and have embarked on careers within joinery, plumbing and general labouring. This programme has been recognised by the Scottish Government as an example of best practice. 

• Six young people completed a seven-week paid summer placement. They received training and achieved CSCS qualifications while working with contractors delivering two of our housing developments in Coatbridge and Bellshill.  

• Facilitating ‘Meet the Real Buyer’ events to engage with small businesses within the area to help them develop and grow their business. 

Councillor Michael McPake, Housing Convener, said: “Our ambitious new supply programme, which aims to deliver 6,000 homes by 2035, is transforming town centres and changing the face of local communities.  

“Our new supply team works closely with contractors and other services to maximise the opportunities generated through our new supply programme. Contractors building developments provide benefits such as jobs and community projects. We continue to work with contractors to roll these out across areas as we deliver more new homes and are committed to realising our vision to make North Lanarkshire the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit.” 

Communities can request benefits in the form of either goods or services from suppliers involved. Over the past year six projects have been delivered from our sites at Petersburn, Airdrie; Brandon Street, Motherwell; Ravenscliffe Road, Ravenscraig; Glenacre Drive, Airdrie; Thorn Road, Bellshill and School Street, Coatbridge. 

Community benefit projects 

Our School Street housing development, being delivered by contractor CCG, delivered a painting project for Kirkshaws Neighbourhood Centre. A request from the group asked for the outside of the community facility, which is used by people of all ages, to be painted. The group is delighted and commented that the building looks so much fresher and more inviting and welcoming to users. 

A request was received from Kildrum Community Council which saw Contractor CCG (School Street project) donate anti-graffiti paint. This was used to freshen up underpasses in the area which the community says helps make them feel safer and more likely to be used. 

Clark Contracts, who are delivering the Old Motherwell Town Hall project, supported North Motherwell Community Fun Day. The group was keen to organise some quiet space for children and families with additional support needs to ensure the group is inclusive and welcoming to all members of the community. The group was delighted with the support they received. 

Our Coshneuk Road development in Stepps, being delivered by the JR Group, was approached by the Northern Corridor Community Volunteers to help fund a Cardowan Health and Wellbeing mental health walk leader. This funding enables a walk leader to take people experiencing health and wellbeing issues out each week to the scenic Cardowan Moss. This funding supports those facing barriers to inclusion and long-term health conditions. 

St. Kevin’s parent council requested funding to complete Bargeddie Friendship Garden. The benefit, delivered by McTaggart Construction (from our Thorn Road, Bellshill development) provided funds for the completion of Phase 2 of the garden. St. Kevin’s Primary School is working in conjunction with Bargeddie PS to establish a new garden and outdoor learning space on unused land in the community. Work could not have been completed without this contribution. 

Office storage for North Lanarkshire Carers Together was donated by Clark Contracts as part of the Motherwell Town Hall development. This provided two secure storage drawers to keep records in compliance with GDPR regulations.