The three 58m-tall high rise Scottish tower blocks to be demolished in controlled explosion

Allan, Coursington and Draffen Towers will be demolished later this year, North Lanarkshire Council has announced.

The decision comes after a failed project to demolish the tower blocks from the top down floor by floor.

The project was hit by significant delays, so much so that North Lanarkshire Council have instead decided to demolish all three towers at the same time rather than the initial plans to take down the towers at a slow and steady rate.

The demolition had been unexpectedly delayed by “technical issues”.

The agreed process will now involve a single blowdown event for all three towers - a method chosen to minimise disruption to the local community.

An “exclusion zone” will be set up around the site to protect residents during the demolition. Temporary road and footpath closures will be necessary at key points around the boundary line. The closures will only last for several hours.

Stephen Llewellyn, chief officer (Housing) at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “We are delighted to now be able to move forward with these plans and want to thank all surrounding residents and businesses for their patience.

“We recognise that this process has taken longer than anticipated and has caused some disruption, but safety remains our top priority. The controlled blowdown method has been carefully selected following extensive specialist surveys and consultations with expert demolition engineers.”

Each tower block stands about 58m tall and contains 117 flats, all of which are now abandoned. The first one was built in 1969.

Michael McPake, the council’s convener of housing, said: “This is a significant milestone in our commitment to building a better future for Motherwell. We will continue to work closely with the community to ensure a safe and smooth process.”

While the exact date for the demolition is still being finalised, it is anticipated to take place towards the end of 2025. However, North Lanarkshire council said the removal of the towers would "significantly change" the skyline of the town.

The site will be cleared following demolition work in preparation for future redevelopment.

Businesses and residents near the towers will be receiving a newsletter with further details about the demolition plans and planned information sessions.