Hamilton town centre set for £20m boost under UK Government funded programme

Hamilton town centre is set for a £20 million boost under a UK Government-funded programme.

The town centre will benefit from funding after being selected for the Pride of Place programme.

South Lanarkshire Council has confirmed that Hamilton town centre will receive the investment over a ten-year period, aimed at regenerating the area and giving local people a direct say in how money is spent.

The Pride in Place programme targets neighbourhoods with high levels of deprivation and weaker social infrastructure, supporting projects that build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower residents to shape their area’s future.

Councillors on Thursday’s executive committee meeting will hear of the next steps, including the appointment of an independent chair to lead a new Hamilton Town Centre Neighbourhood Board.

The chair must be in post by March 31, with the final appointment delegated to the council’s chief executive in consultation with the leader of the council and local MP Imogen Walker.

Once appointed, the chair will oversee the creation of a neighbourhood board made up of residents, community organisations, businesses and partners.

The board will work with the wider community to decide which projects should be prioritised and how the funding should be allocated.

The board is due to be fully established by July 2026 and will lead extensive community engagement throughout the year. It must then submit a detailed Pride in Place plan to the UK Government by November 2026, setting out a ten year vision for Hamilton town centre and how funding will be spent in the first four years, approval is expected in spring 2027.

Funding will begin in 2027/27 and will be split between capital projects and revenue spending. The investment is in addition to the £8 million already approved for Hamilton town centre in the council’s 2025/26 budget, although funding beyond 2028/29 will be subject to future UK spending review.