Motherwell Civic Centre

Motherwell Civic Centre is a municipal building in Windmillhill Street in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The building, which is the headquarters of North Lanarkshire Council, is a Category B listed building.[1]

Motherwell Civic Centre
Motherwell Civic Centre
LocationWindmillhill Street, Motherwell, Scotland
Coordinates55.7837°N 3.9825°W / 55.7837; -3.9825
Built1970
ArchitectWylie, Shanks and Partners
Architectural style(s)Brutalist style
Listed Building – Category B
Designated2 December 2020
Reference no.LB52545
Motherwell Civic Centre is located in North Lanarkshire
Motherwell Civic Centre
Shown in North Lanarkshire

History

The facility was commissioned to replace the ageing Motherwell Town Hall in Hamilton Road.[2] After a period of rapid population expansion associated with the growth of the Ravenscraig steelworks, civic leaders decided to procure a purpose-built civic centre: the site selected at the corner of Airbles Road and Windmillhill Street had previously been occupied by residential properties with a public house on the corner itself.[3]

The foundation stone for the new building was laid by the provost, Edward McCardle, in September 1965.[4] It was designed by Wylie, Shanks and Partners in the Brutalist style,[5] built by Whatlings (Buildings) Limited at a cost of £2.25 million and was officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, Lord Clydesmuir, in December 1970.[6] The main frontage of the civic centre, facing on Windmillhill Street (today part of the A721 road), featured continuous stone facing panels above and below a continuous row of windows on six floors with a separate council chamber jutting out to the east of the main structure: the design also included a multi-purpose concert hall and theatre which was built to the west of the civic centre and was part financed by the Scottish Arts Council.[4] The complex received a Scottish Civic Trust Award in 1973.[7]

Following the official opening, the concert hall and theatre hosted an initial "carol pageant" and then followed this up with a regular programme of pantomimes[8] and concerts.[9][10] As well as this, top-level snooker (the Scottish Masters event) was also held within the complex during the 1990s.[11][12]

The civic centre was the headquarters of the Burgh of Motherwell and Wishaw Council until it was replaced by Motherwell District Council under the wider Strathclyde Regional Council in May 1975.[13] It remained the Motherwell District Council headquarters[14] until the abolition of the Strathclyde Region led to the formation of North Lanarkshire Council, based at the civic centre, in April 1996.[15] A comprehensive programme of refurbishment works to the concert hall and theatre, costing £6 million, was completed in November 2011.[16]

The Civic Centre was designed a Category B listed building by Historic Environment Scotland in December 2020.[1]

See also

References
  1. Historic Environment Scotland. "Motherwell Civic Centre complex (LB52545)". Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. Historic Environment Scotland. "Motherwell, Hamilton Road, Former Motherwell Town Hall (Category C Listed Building) (LB48305)". Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  3. "Ordnance Survey Map". 1958. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  4. "Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre". Culture.nl. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  5. Mitchell, Ian R (2010). Clydeside: Red, Orange and Green. Luath Press. ISBN 978-1906307707.
  6. "Motherwell and Wishaw Civic Centre". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  7. "Obituary: Peter Williams". Herald Scotland. 13 January 2005. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  8. "Red Carpet Gala performance for The Steamie 30th anniversary tour". Theatre News. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  9. "Motherwell Civic Centre". Discogs. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  10. "Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre". What's On Lanarkshire. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  11. "Motherwell Civic Centre". Snooker.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  12. "Doherty strikes back". The Times. 1993. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  13. "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  14. "No. 22102". The Edinburgh Gazette. 3 March 1987. p. 312.
  15. "Council offices". North Lanarkshire Council. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  16. "Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre Refurbishment Proposals" (PDF). North Lanarkshire Council. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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