South Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee has approved in principle a multi-million pound Hamilton Urban Village development on the 7.5 hectare site bordering Almada Street, Bothwell Road, Beckford Street and Caird Street.

UWS is set to vacate its home since 1972 and move to a new campus in Hamilton International Technology Park later this year.

Councillors on the committee have now given the green light to the joint proposal by UWS and the council to create a mixed-use development – to be known as ‘Hamilton Green - to be completed over 15-20 years.

Proposals included in the masterplan, which was devised by Ironside Farrar, are:

• Residential development of between 345 and 365 homes including affordable housing

• A 60-80 bedroom hotel

• Retail, cafe and restaurant facilities

• Care home and retirement flats

• Extensive open space and landscaping

• Retention of the 5000 sq metre Caird Building as a business and office hub

Councillor Alistair Fulton, the chair of the planning committee, welcomed the outline masterplan.

He said: “This proposal gives us a unique opportunity to strengthen and reinvigorate this area of Hamilton, which is well known as home to the town’s civic core of court, council and health board.

“It therefore seeks to increase the residential population and encourage a greater variety of uses while creating an innovative and high quality townscape. The plans also reflect the wider ambitions of the council for high quality homes and public spaces, supporting a high quality of life, and contributing to the aspirations of the town as a whole.”

The committee also agreed that a Section 75 legal agreement be concluded between the applicants and the site owners to ensure financial contributions towards additional nursery and school provision and affordable housing.