Stonehouse was the last new town to be designated in Scotland, in 1973, and was the first new town anywhere in the UK to be de-designated, with construction being halted in 1976 after just 98 houses had been built.
Initial moves to build a new community in south Lanarkshire date from the 1960s, with there being some debate as to whether it should be designated as a new town or alternatively overseen by the local authority. A site centred on Stonehouse village was identified in the middle of the decade, and feasibility studies demonstrated its potential. After the 1970 General Election, it was decided that the development should go ahead as a new town, overseen by East Kilbride Development Corporation (which expanded its name to include Stonehouse accordingly). The purpose of the town, however, remained the subject of debate. Revised population projections suggested that it was no longer necessary to provide for Glasgow overspill, and so Stonehouse’s potential role as an economic growth point was instead stressed. Plans were prepared and there was talk of potential investment by employers. However, with the national economic situation worsening in the middle of the decade, the timing of the project was not good. In addition, the newly created Strathclyde Regional Council determined that it preferred to focus on the regeneration of Glasgow, rather than the continued creation and expansion of the new towns. Its arguments were accepted by the Secretary of State for Scotland. The staff who had been working on Stonehouse were in many cases transferred to the GEAR (Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal) project after 1976, demonstrating a decisive policy shift.
Our project is now complete and you can read more about our findings in our Open Access book. You are still welcome to get in touch with Dr Alistair Fair via https://www.eca.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-alistair-fair If you have any questions about the project or media requests.
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