We live in Scotland’s ugliest town – it’s a dump that should be demolished

CUMBERNAULD has been branded Scotland’s ugliest town – AGAIN.

The Telegraph ranked almost 1,250 towns with the Lanarkshire town, the only Scots one listed, ranked 4th worst in the UK.

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Five metrics including shop fronts, historical architecture, low traffic, litter, views and greenery were used with the new town receiving a score of just 20 out of 50.

Once heralded as modern 20th century town planning, hopes were initially high when Cumbernauld was designated a New Town on December 9, 1955.

As post-war Glasgow as slums were cleared and the so-called “overspill” were given the opportunity to move to new homes in central belt towns like Cumbernauld, East Kilbride, Livingston, Irvine and Glenrothes.

Working from a blank canvas, town planners were given the opportunity to design quite literally new towns.

Indeed, in May 1967, Princess Margaret gushed to a punter during an official Royal visit to Cumbernauld to open the huge Brutalist town centre that the place was “fabulous”.

However, now awarded just three for views and three for historic architecture in this year’s recent polls, it has repeatedly been handed the title of Scotland’s worst eyesore due to its “spirit-sapping” brutalist architecture.

Cumbernauld also retains the unwanted distinction of being the only Scottish town – population of almost 51,000 – labelled Scotland’s “most dismal” town twice by leading architects.

During its construction the centre was heavily praised but it quickly became known as an eyesore and was awarded Scotland’s Carbuncle title and handed the “plook on the plinth” award in 2001 and 2005.

The town itself was described as “the Kabul of the North” in 2001, with a special mention for the town’s shopping centre, described as “a rabbit warren on stilts”.

Four years later when the town scooped the award for a second time, a spokesperson for the panel noted that if anything the town had declined further still.

We asked residents if they felt the label was justified. 

And they said Cumbernauld centre, the heart of the town, is in need of attention.

And they firmly pointed the finger at the concrete monstrosity for the consistently low ranks on town polls.

Locals also blamed the lack of investment and care in maintaining the town centre building – with many hoping the dominating structure is finally torn down.

Retired painter John Mackie, 70, agreed with the ‘ugliest’ label.

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He said: “It’s a dump and it needs to be rebuilt.

“They had the opportunity all those years ago when it was a new town.

“They are talking about demolishing it and refurbishing it and what have you. It’s too late for that – it’s never going to happen is it?”

Retired James Young, 67, said: “One hundred per cent agree. Just look at it. It’s falling apart.”

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Asked what needed would need to be done to repair, he added: “Rebuilt and start again. There’s nothing to do. There’s nothing for children, there’s nothing for anyone. The whole town’s just dilapidated.”

James Bruce, 51, said: “Every other town can just be as ugly as well. It’s just that it has not been fixed. Everything’s getting  neglected.

“If it could get fixed up it could be better, the way it always has been. In the eighties and nineties it was really great. It was busy.”

But the writers praised its “decent green spaces”, which led to a Garden for Life Biodiversity award.

They added: “There is certainly no shortage of local passion and drive”.

Cumbernauld also shot to fame as the setting for hit movie Gregory’s Girl, starring John Gordon Sinclair, Clare Grogan and Dee Hepburn.

The town centre is set to be completely redeveloped under proposals to regenerate the area.

There has already been a public consultation on the future town hub, which will contain schools, leisure facilities, office space and a new health centre along with shops, homes and public spaces connected by “active and sustainable travel options”.

The plan is part of a £3.5 billion effort to reimagine towns across the region, putting schools and public services back at the centre of urban communities.

Work is expected to take a decade to complete.