Two prominent schools will light up their local area, in a pilot initiative as part of the development of North Lanarkshire Council's lighting strategy.

Cardinal Newman High School in Bellshill and Kilsyth Academy have been chosen to demonstrate the positive effect that lighting can have in promoting community safety, highlighting architectural features and improving the image of the local area.

The school buildings were selected because of their prominence in the local area and their architectural value, as well as the fact that they are used extensively by the community.

A variety of techniques will be used to highlight features of the two buildings, including the front elevations, with white and coloured lights. The two schools will be invited to work with the consultants and council officers to devise the design for the lighting and choose the colours to be used.

The lighting strategy is currently being developed by the planning and environment department, and will be published later this year. It will promote the lighting of buildings, spaces and landmark features across North Lanarkshire to enhance the image of local communities and North Lanarkshire generally as well as improving community safety and well-being for residents.

Councillor Tom Maginnis, Convener of the Economic Regeneration Committee, said:

"Using lighting schemes in an imaginative way can give buildings and other features real visual impact, making us look at familiar places in a new way and making our communities more attractive. It can also have a positive effect on community safety - making the areas around the buildings more visible and so reducing crime and the fear of crime.

"The new lighting strategy will identify a range of locations across North Lanarkshire that could benefit from feature lighting, but these two pilot projects will showcase how lighting can be used effectively and allow us to use their examples to develop the detailed strategy."

Tenders have been issued to commission consultants to carry out the work on the two pilot projects, and work is expected to begin next month (April).