Brandon Street, Motherwell

Brandon Street is an outstanding example of brownfield regeneration in North Lanarkshire.

Located in the heart of Motherwell town centre, the development comprises the transformation of a derelict site to deliver 42 new build flats across two, 4-storey blocks, with a further 6 properties contained within a refurbished former B-listed YMCA Building.

Led by CCG (Scotland) in partnership with Coltart Earley for North Lanarkshire Council, Brandon Street is a continuation of a successful affordable housebuilding programme that commenced in 2019, and is the local authority’s second-ever development to have adopted the CCG Net Zero Home build standard, following the successful delivery of 19 pilot ‘net zero ready’ homes at Dykehead Road in Airdrie in 2023.

The YMCA Building had lain vacant since 2014 and was in a perilous state of abandonment. The B-listed landmark — designed by Alexander Cullen and originally built in 1898 — has been reconfigured to provide six dwellings, including a stunning one-bedroom maisonette. The building has been brought up to modern performance standards while its original architectural features have been carefully conserved and upgraded.

The new build flats have reinstated a defined street edge, which overlooks a landscaped square which houses the Windmillhill Street Drinking Fountain, a B-Listed cast-iron fountain which was also carefully repainted, and now forms a prominent feature of the development’s landscaping strategy.

Each flat, new build and conversion, achieves EPC B, Gold Aspect 1 (CO2 Emissions) and Silver Aspect 2 (Space Heating) as defined in the Building Regulations.

To achieve the necessary building performance criteria, a combination of fabric performance and zero emissions heating technologies was used, with CCG’s iQ Timber System, integrated with triple-glazed PVCu windows and enhanced door sets, used for the new build portion of the development, and a combination of Internal Wall Insulation, External Wall Insulation and upgraded components for the conversion.

The project is the first of its kind in the local authority. From the outset, North Lanarkshire Council wanted to pilot a new heating technology to test the practicality and viability of its application for future developments.

A series of heating strategies were analysed and concluded with the utilisation of a Kensa Ground Source Heat Pump system.

The heating system is connected to a network of 28, 150m deep boreholes throughout the site, which circulates glycol to create ambient heating for homes. Each home is provided with a heat pump (3 or 6 Kw), to draw energy from the heating network, and a Hot Water Tank to allow hot water to be stored in each home.

Looking beyond the site boundary, Brandon Street’s positive impact has extended into the wider community, resulting in four new jobs, two apprenticeships, eight work placements, and a £4,000 donation to locally based causes.

Client:
North Lanarkshire Council

Contract Value: 
£11m