Graham Simpson is challenging the Scottish Government to take immediate action to prevent the long-standing decline of our town centres.
The Tory MSP for Central Scotland said the timing of the report was particularly pertinent following the recent news that the owner of East Kilbride’s shopping centre had gone into administration.
Mr Simpson's call follows the publication of a report by the Scottish Parliament’s economy and fair work committee, of which he is a member, which concluded that every town in Scotland should have their own Town Plan.
This would be a long-term strategic vision for the future which is driven locally and recognises the unique nature of Scotland’s towns.
The report also calls for town planning to be strengthened to prevent unfair competition from new developments, a rebalancing of business rates and for the government to tackle derelict buildings.
As part of the inquiry, the committee also visited Hamilton with many of the issues they heard there, including town centre parking and developing a more vibrant night-time recovery, covered in the report.
He added that, without support from the Scottish Government, town centres across Lanarkshire could disappear.
Mr Simpson told us : “This report should be a wake up call to the Scottish Government as, without additional support, Scotland’s town centres could disappear.
“We’ve already seen how fragile the situation is in areas like Lanarkshire with once vibrant shopping centres like East Kilbride’s struggling.
“Both the pandemic and pre-existing trends towards online shopping have left our towns with empty shops, a lack of investment and very few thriving businesses.
“Local residents still feel passionately about our town centres, but we need a meaningful intervention from the Scottish Government before it’s too late”.
EK, East Kilbride - Scotland’s largest undercover shopping and leisure centre - has went into administration just weeks before Christmas.
Lanarkshire Live exclusively revealed that the owners of EK, East Kilbride - Sapphire - have become insolvent, plunging the future of the centre into uncertainty.
It follows a series of difficult years for the centre, which has struggled to retain existing, or attract new, businesses to the town.
However, it is understood that traders within the centre have been told it is “business as usual” as Sapphire try to attract a new buyer.
The Centre will remain open and all day-to-day operations will continue unaffected by the administration process under the control of Reith Lambert.
Working with key stakeholders and advisors, over the coming months the Joint Administrators will take steps to enhance the Centre and consider the appropriate time to bring to the market.
The leader of South Lanarkshire Council warned East Kilbride town centre faces "radical decline" unless its fortunes are transformed.
Council leader, Joe Fagan, said it's in "all our interests that East Kilbride can thrive again".
"There are two futures for East Kilbride shopping centre – radical change or radical decline," he commented.
"Our administration support a masterplan to make the whole town centre area fit for the future."
Lanarkshire Live has contacted the Scottish Government for comment.
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