Building work at a new nursery in Wishaw is finally complete, with the early years centre now operational.
The construction activity to transform the former Wishawhill Community Centre building into an early years setting first started in the summer of 2022.
However, the project has experienced many setbacks with the construction work and the delays have significantly impacted on the completion timetable.
At a meeting of North Lanarkshire’s Education Committee in May, councillors were informed that the aim was now to complete the building activity in July.
However, the council then revised the anticipated completion timetable with the goal of concluding the remaining construction work at the former community centre building on Main Street in the final week of August.
A drainage problem coupled with periods of heavy rain during August further delayed the work and it could not be finished until September.
The local authority has now confirmed that the remaining construction work is complete and the nursery opened on Monday, September 23.
Scottish Conservative councillor for Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig, Nathan Wilson said: “I am delighted that the construction work to establish the Heathery Park Family Learning Centre in Wishawhill has finally been completed and with the nursery now open.
“It has been a long journey to get to this point and very significant challenges were experienced with taking forward the plans for enhanced nursery capacity in this part of Wishaw.
“As the plans stalled over the course of the past few years, I met with senior officials to highlight concerns about the progress of the work and continually raised questions on the considerable difficulties to emerge with the project at the council’s Education Committee.
“An amendment I proposed at the Education Committee in November 2022 calling for more detail to be published on the council’s efforts to make the early years centre operational secured unanimous approval and the requested information was presented at the next meeting.
“The new nursery is an incredibly important development for the area and it will allow children who live in Wishawhill to receive a first-class early years education within their local community.”
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