Councillors have agreed to pursue compulsory land purchases in order to allow for the expansion of important infrastructure in Ravenscraig.
Should this not be in place by 2028 it would mean that more than 2000 homes could not be built and also three quarters of the huge former steelworks site - 120,000 square metres of land intended for commercial and industrial use - would remain undeveloped.
The southern access infrastructure includes a new dual carriageway into the new town, footpaths, crossings, a roundabout, drainage and lighting.
Much of this will need to be constructed within the former steelworks site on land currently owned by Ravenscraig Limited, which has an agreement with the council to provide vacant land as needed.
However in some cases there are enterprises still occupying buildings within the target area.
The council recently took over Dellburn Trading Park next to the railway, where a number of leases have now been successfully concluded.
But a single tenant remains with another party holding access rights through the trading park, meaning negotiations are continuing in these cases, as well as with a lone tenant within commercial property in Manse Road.
The council’s enterprise and growth committee unanimously backed proposals contained in a report on this matter in a recent online meeting.
Therefore they agreed to the compulsory purchase order, on the basis that voluntary agreement continue to be sought in all cases, for the relevant documents to be lodged with the Scottish Government and all necessary notices be published.
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