A revamp of a dilapidated shopping centre has stalled due to the COVID pandemic – but a local councillor is hopeful the long-awaited face lift will happen.
Westwood Square was bought at auction for £1million by property investors Knightsbridge Scotland last August.
They vouched to clean-up and improve the shopping centre.
The precinct was left to rot after previously being taken over by a private landlord more than 20 years ago.
Littering as well as a lack of maintenance had long been a thorn in the side for businesses, residents and shoppers.
Knightsbridge said they would make initial cosmetic improvements before consulting with all occupants over larger-scale works.
The property firm were also in talks with South Lanarkshire Council on how to improve residential properties above the shops.
But with the COVID pandemic affecting all sectors, major work has had to be put in the back burner for now.
However, East Kilbride Central South Councillor Gerry Convery, who welcomed the buy-over , hoping it would breathe new life into the once thriving precinct, is hopeful change will happen.
He told the News : “I have been in talks with the new owners and although the pandemic will delay overall works, they have ripped-out landscaping, done other bits and bobs and generally tidied up the area.
“I am hopeful that next year they can start to take things forward and bring it up to a better aesthetic standard for the stores, the people that shop there and the people that live in the flats there.
“It is a work in progress but I am reassured that once we return to some sort of normality there will be movement.
“The council had also been doing work to improve Murray Square and make it more attractive with planters and alike but that too has been affected by the ongoing pandemic.”
He added that prior to the pandemic hitting there had been ongoing talks with businesses in Westwood Square on the types of improvements needed and this would continue.
Knigtsbridge also carried out remedial work in the car park at the beginning of the year to fill crater-like potholes.
Westwood Square comprises 24 ground floor shops which form part of a larger building.
The retail units include a supermarket, betting shop, hot food takeaway and dental surgery.
Local community groups have long-campaigned for work to be done to improve the dilapidated area and make it more attractive to those working and living nearby.
