North Lanarkshire Council is delighted with the news that an early vision of Cumbernauld Town Centre has been recognised as a 'treasure' by the Scottish population.

 

Earlier this year the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments (RCAHM) of Scotland launched the 'Treasured Places' campaign to celebrate its centenary. It asked the Scottish public to choose from 100 images of Scottish landmarks, and at the end of the voting process, an image of Cumbernauld town centre landed 10^th place.

 

The original drawing of architect Geoffrey Copcutt's design, which was prepared by Michael Evans in about 1963, shows Copcutt's vision of a clean, modern, commercial space, which was widely recognised as a masterpiece of its time. Despite coming in for some heavy criticism in more recent years, the town centre design remains an internationally-recognised and cherished example of modernist architecture.

 

In 2002 it was recognised by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) UK – an official adviser to UNESCO, which identifies World Heritage Sites for preservation – as one of the UK's heritage sites. A spokesperson for the organisation said at the time: "Cumbernauld reflects the rewriting of the urban landscape that took place in the last century. It is among the most important innovations."

 

North Lanarkshire Councillor Gerry McElroy, who is also chair of Campsies Centre Ltd, the council-owned company responsible for the regeneration and redevelopment of the town centre, expressed the council's delight at the news that the centre was receiving more positive recognition.

 

"It's wonderful to see Cumbernauld Town Centre getting some of the appreciation it deserves," he said. "I can see why people would vote for the image – it shows the vision for the new town in the 1960s. People had never seen anything like it before, so perhaps there's some sentimental attachment there.

"Whatever the reason, this vote reflects how things are changing for Cumbernauld. People want to live here, and the population boom shows that. Almost every builder in Scotland is here somewhere, and there are excellent schools, shopping and sports facilities.

 

"People in Cumbernauld can see the major investments being made in the town, and they appreciate them. Perhaps that's why they're prepared to recognise the original vision for their town - because that vision is being realised through strategic and planned investment programmes that deliver the kind of town in which they want to live."

 

All the top ten images will all feature in a major centenary exhibition at the Edinburgh City Art Centre in 2008, and the winning image will be celebrated by a poem written by Valerie Gillies.

 

Please use the link to visit The 'Treasured Places' site.