The councillors were welcomed on site by Persimmon Homes West Scotland managing director Chris Logan and land director Craig Moore. Following a short walk through the site, Cllr Logue and Cllr McPake took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking to signal the beginning of one of the largest new housing developments in the area.

Castle Hill will deliver 601 much-needed, energy-efficient homes, ranging from two-bedroom terraced properties to five-bedroom detached houses. Designed to meet modern living standards, all homes will feature air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, electric vehicle charging points, and sustainable non-gas heating systems as standard.

In addition to new homes, Persimmon will make a £3m education contribution to North Lanarkshire Council and deliver a package of infrastructure improvements to enhance local connectivity and road safety. These include the installation of signalised junctions at Netherton Road and Overtown Cross, alongside upgrades to two nearby roundabouts.

Chris Logan, managing director of Persimmon Homes West Scotland, said: “Castle Hill is a significant development that will deliver hundreds of high-quality, energy-efficient homes for local families. We’re pleased to be working closely with North Lanarkshire Council to support not only housing delivery, but also investment in education and essential infrastructure that will benefit the wider community.”

Cllr Jim Logue added: “Developments like this one at Castle Hill are essential to address the critical need to build more houses, where appropriate, whilst supporting local sustainable growth in our communities that people are proud to live in.

“It’s particularly welcome to see a strong focus on energy efficiency alongside the contributions to education and infrastructure.”

Cllr Michael McPake said: “This development will deliver a wide range of high-quality homes and enable families put down roots in a well-connected and well-supported community.

“This, combined with the wider project benefits, will undoubtedly bring lasting benefits for both current and future residents.”