A drop-in session will be held at East Kilbride Central Library from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday 30 October, as part of the consultation process that is inherent to the planning process.

Councillor Joe Fagan, Leader of South Lanarkshire Council, said: “The masterplan envisages radical changes for East Kilbride town centre to respond to the rapid decline of in-person shopping that has blighted town centres right across the country.

“This public consultation session will allow local people to come along and see what is proposed and form their own opinions of how it could transform the heart of their town.

“Community engagement is of paramount importance, because once all the construction has been completed and the Masterplan has achieved its aim, the years ahead will belong to the people of the town who will make use of, and live in, the new heart of East Kilbride.”

The proposals that local residents and communities are being consulted on include:

• a reduction of 42% in retail floorspace
• up to 400 new homes in a new town centre neighbourhood
• a new Civic Hub
• a food supermarket as an anchor retailer
• the transformation of entrance points, including a new hotel

The vision is the result of a unique partnership across the private and public sectors, including the town centre’s asset managers and administrators, property experts, leading architects and South Lanarkshire Council.

Four key parts of the shopping centre have been identified for significant change, including the demolition of the Centre West area to create space for the new neighbourhood, which would feature a mix of private and affordable housing, from flats for first time buyers and downsizers to larger homes for families.

The new Civic Hub would boast a flagship building that could have a range of uses across the public sector, the arts and education. It would also feature a civic square providing a new meeting place and access point to the town centre.

The masterplan will generate employment through short-term construction jobs and longer-term regeneration through town centre employment in retail and leisure, business rates, as well as more local spend as people return to shop and take part in other activities in East Kilbride.