Readers of this blog will be aware of the current dispute between the Trust and some residents. The Trust wants to close NL Homes and bring its 45 tenancies directly under their control. It is not clear if their opponents want to maintain the status quo or negotiate some compromise arrangement.
Facts
In 1968 the Gourock
Rope Company announced the closure of the mills with the loss of 350
jobs. By 1970 there were only 80 people living in the village. In 1974 the New
Lanark Conservation Trust was formed. The village buildings were in a very bad condition and faced restoration or demolition.
Public money was provided for the restoration of Caithness Row, Nursery Buildings and New Buildings on the condition that they be used to provide low cost accommodation. That produced 45 tenanted properties.
Recently the Trust has taken three of those properties for commercial purposes. Two are to be used to provide accommodation for hotel employees and the third is to be rented on the open market at commercial rates [Airbnb?].
New Lanark is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Clyde Valley of Scotland. Its mills were built to process cotton using the water power of the Clyde. The village used to have 2,000 residents, now it has about 150. This website has been created to provide information and a forum for residents and anybody else interested in the village. It is independent of both the New Lanark Trust and the New Lanark Village Group.
Trouble at New Lanark Homes
A REQUEST FOR REMOVAL
We have received a request for the removal of the letter below. If anybody wants this post removed [or wishes to contest the factual accuracy of its contents] they are welcome to post a comment setting out their case.
It should be noted that copies of the letter were circulated to all residents and its contents discussed at the village meeting of the 22nd July.
A letter from the three directors of New Lanark Homes
Dear Resident,
The Future of Housing in New Lanark: Residents’ Meeting
New Lanark Hotel at 7.00 p.m. on Monday 22 July
We are writing to you as Directors of New Lanark Homes because there are important changes being made by the New Lanark Trust that you should know about.
New Lanark Homes manages the 45 properties in the village that are currently let to people in need at affordable rents.
It is the only charitable subsidiary of the New Lanark Trust, and the only decision-making body in the village that is required to recruit tenants and residents as Directors.
This week tenants received a letter from the Chief Executive of the New Lanark Trust in which he states that New Lanark Trust has resolved to close down New Lanark Homes, to transfer its assets to the Trust, and to make decisions on letting and rent setting itself.
In his letter, he presented these changes as being minor and of a purely administrative nature.
We do not share this view.
We have good reason to expect that over time these changes could have far reaching impacts on tenants and even threaten New Lanark as a community that is open to people to live in, regardless of their means.
It is our duty as Directors of New Lanark Homes to outline the possible implications of this change:
The specific charitable objective of New Lanark Homes to help people in housing need will be lost.
The Trust would be free to let empty properties at market rents, rather than to people who are on the housing list at affordable rents.
The rents of current tenants could be increased until they reach market levels.
The reserves of New Lanark Homes (currently in excess of £200,000) will be transferred to the New Lanark Trust, which could use them to support its general business, rather than to repair and modernise the housing.
In a letter dated 24 June, the Chief Executive of the New Lanark Trust wrote:
“I am considering a proposal to the Trust that vacant properties, and/or properties falling vacant in future, might be offered at commercial rates, and that occupied properties might, in the future, be subject to rent increases more in line with the commercial market.”
Already three properties which have been available to let to families in housing need since at least January have been kept empty on the instruction of the Chief Executive of the New Lanark Trust.
We understand that these properties are now going to be “market tested”, which means let on the open market to find out what market rents could be achieved.
We are disappointed that the New Lanark Trust initiated these changes without allowing the Directors of New Lanark Homes to see any detailed proposal or justification presented to the Trustees, or even to attend the meeting where the decision was made.
We also believe that it was wrong of the Chief Executive to make such important changes without any form of prior consultation with residents.
The Committee of the Village Group shares our concerns and has decided to arrange a meeting at which these developments can be discussed, and any action agreed.
We are pleased that the Director of the New Lanark Trust has agreed to attend, or to send a representative in his place.
The meeting will be held at the New Lanark Hotel at 7.00 p.m. on Monday 22 July.
We very much hope that tenants and other residents who value New Lanark as a community that offers a home to people regardless of their means will attend.
Yours sincerely
Janice Glover Maureen McCulloch Prof. Mark Stephens
Director Director Director
New Lanark Homes New Lanark Homes New Lanark Homes
9 Nursery Buildings 13 Long Row Mid Lodge, Bonnington
New Lanark New Lanark Lanark
We have received a request for the removal of the letter below. If anybody wants this post removed [or wishes to contest the factual accuracy of its contents] they are welcome to post a comment setting out their case.
It should be noted that copies of the letter were circulated to all residents and its contents discussed at the village meeting of the 22nd July.
A letter from the three directors of New Lanark Homes
Dear Resident,
The Future of Housing in New Lanark: Residents’ Meeting
New Lanark Hotel at 7.00 p.m. on Monday 22 July
We are writing to you as Directors of New Lanark Homes because there are important changes being made by the New Lanark Trust that you should know about.
New Lanark Homes manages the 45 properties in the village that are currently let to people in need at affordable rents.
It is the only charitable subsidiary of the New Lanark Trust, and the only decision-making body in the village that is required to recruit tenants and residents as Directors.
This week tenants received a letter from the Chief Executive of the New Lanark Trust in which he states that New Lanark Trust has resolved to close down New Lanark Homes, to transfer its assets to the Trust, and to make decisions on letting and rent setting itself.
In his letter, he presented these changes as being minor and of a purely administrative nature.
We do not share this view.
We have good reason to expect that over time these changes could have far reaching impacts on tenants and even threaten New Lanark as a community that is open to people to live in, regardless of their means.
It is our duty as Directors of New Lanark Homes to outline the possible implications of this change:
The specific charitable objective of New Lanark Homes to help people in housing need will be lost.
The Trust would be free to let empty properties at market rents, rather than to people who are on the housing list at affordable rents.
The rents of current tenants could be increased until they reach market levels.
The reserves of New Lanark Homes (currently in excess of £200,000) will be transferred to the New Lanark Trust, which could use them to support its general business, rather than to repair and modernise the housing.
In a letter dated 24 June, the Chief Executive of the New Lanark Trust wrote:
“I am considering a proposal to the Trust that vacant properties, and/or properties falling vacant in future, might be offered at commercial rates, and that occupied properties might, in the future, be subject to rent increases more in line with the commercial market.”
Already three properties which have been available to let to families in housing need since at least January have been kept empty on the instruction of the Chief Executive of the New Lanark Trust.
We understand that these properties are now going to be “market tested”, which means let on the open market to find out what market rents could be achieved.
We are disappointed that the New Lanark Trust initiated these changes without allowing the Directors of New Lanark Homes to see any detailed proposal or justification presented to the Trustees, or even to attend the meeting where the decision was made.
We also believe that it was wrong of the Chief Executive to make such important changes without any form of prior consultation with residents.
The Committee of the Village Group shares our concerns and has decided to arrange a meeting at which these developments can be discussed, and any action agreed.
We are pleased that the Director of the New Lanark Trust has agreed to attend, or to send a representative in his place.
The meeting will be held at the New Lanark Hotel at 7.00 p.m. on Monday 22 July.
We very much hope that tenants and other residents who value New Lanark as a community that offers a home to people regardless of their means will attend.
Yours sincerely
Janice Glover Maureen McCulloch Prof. Mark Stephens
Director Director Director
New Lanark Homes New Lanark Homes New Lanark Homes
9 Nursery Buildings 13 Long Row Mid Lodge, Bonnington
New Lanark New Lanark Lanark
The lost social life of New Lanark
Newcomers may not realise how much of the village's social life has been lost.
One of the events was the village games which used to be held on the Caithness Row green.
One of the events was the village games which used to be held on the Caithness Row green.
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| Ladies three legged race |
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| Ladies sack race |
Who lives in New Lanark?
The New Lanark Trust [NLT] manages 45 rented properties. Some are currently unoccupied. Most of the rented properties are in New Buildings, Nursery Buildings and Caithness Row. There are four NLT rented houses in Long Row.
Braxfield Row has ten owner occupied houses.
Long Row has ten owner occupied houses, two of which are currently privately owned but unoccupied.
Double Row has seven houses. One is occupied, four have been sold but are not occupied and two are unsold. An eight house is in its original condition and may become a museum.
There are forty two [71%] households living in rented houses or flats owned and managed by the NLT.
There are seventeen households [29%] living in properties they own, or rent from an absent owner.
Who pays for the village TV aerial?
The NLVG is responsible for maintaining the village's TV aerial and cable network. To fund any work that is required they collect an annual fee of £35 for each unit which can receive a signal.
The hotel pays 49 fees for TVs in the hotel, waterhouses and hostel.
New Lanark Holmes pays 45 fees for their tenanted properties. The fee is collected from tenants in their rent.
Last year we had twenty privately owned properties in Braxfield Row, Long Row and Double Row which could receive the TV signal. One property in Braxfield Row was not connected to the system.
One of the twenty was not asked to pay because it provides electrical power for part of the system.
Two properties are vacant.
Twelve properties paid.
Five Braxfield Row properties did not pay. At least one Braxfield Row property did not pay because it did not use the signal.
The NLVG's aerial fund has a balance of £24,263 in July 2019 with a further £2,000+ yet to be received.
Note - the NLVG is only responsible for the TV system. It has nothing to do with the telephone/internet system. That is the responsibility of BT and other telephone/internet providers.
The hotel pays 49 fees for TVs in the hotel, waterhouses and hostel.
New Lanark Holmes pays 45 fees for their tenanted properties. The fee is collected from tenants in their rent.
Last year we had twenty privately owned properties in Braxfield Row, Long Row and Double Row which could receive the TV signal. One property in Braxfield Row was not connected to the system.
One of the twenty was not asked to pay because it provides electrical power for part of the system.
Two properties are vacant.
Twelve properties paid.
Five Braxfield Row properties did not pay. At least one Braxfield Row property did not pay because it did not use the signal.
The NLVG's aerial fund has a balance of £24,263 in July 2019 with a further £2,000+ yet to be received.
Note - the NLVG is only responsible for the TV system. It has nothing to do with the telephone/internet system. That is the responsibility of BT and other telephone/internet providers.
Village residents
Villagers in 1985
Villagers in 1989
This website has launched a project to try and put names to these faces.
Villagers in 2019
Some of the villagers and guests at the NL Village Group get together on Friday the 23rd August in the NL Mill Hotel. The party was organised by Lorna Grant [Long Row], the Social Secretary of the NLVG. Catering was provided by the Mill Hotel. All village residents were welcome.
Villagers in 1989
This website has launched a project to try and put names to these faces.
Villagers in 2019
Some of the villagers and guests at the NL Village Group get together on Friday the 23rd August in the NL Mill Hotel. The party was organised by Lorna Grant [Long Row], the Social Secretary of the NLVG. Catering was provided by the Mill Hotel. All village residents were welcome.
Village management
New Lanark Trust Management Plan 2019-2023 Link
We invite your comments on the following questions.
What should the Trust do to improve village life?
What are the main issues facing people living in the village?
We invite your comments on the following questions.
What should the Trust do to improve village life?
What are the main issues facing people living in the village?
Toxic waste dumping in New Lanark
The Trust is investigating the possibility that toxic waste was dumped at the Clearburn site in the 1980/90s. It is assumed that the material dumped at this site came from the clearance of the Metal Extractions works by Mill One.
This is the area above the children's play area. The village bonfire and fireworks display were held on the site.
Update June 2020
No action has been taken to investigate toxic leakage from the site.
This is the area above the children's play area. The village bonfire and fireworks display were held on the site.
Update June 2020
No action has been taken to investigate toxic leakage from the site.
Village History
We will be making regular postings of stories and photographs from the past. Do you have any you could contribute?
The mill area when it was controlled by Metal Extractions. Note the Second World War air raid shelters [now demolished] and the two men working on restoring Dale's House. Also Mill One before it was demolished.
Repairing Caithness Row
Note the building to the right. It is now an ugly pair of garages. What were its previous uses?
The mill area when it was controlled by Metal Extractions. Note the Second World War air raid shelters [now demolished] and the two men working on restoring Dale's House. Also Mill One before it was demolished.
Repairing Caithness Row
Note the building to the right. It is now an ugly pair of garages. What were its previous uses?
Rosedale Street
None of the residents of New Lanark own any land outside their dwellings. All the land in the village [apart from the public road] is owned and managed by the Trust. This website wants to ensure that, in future, the land in the residential areas gets the same level of attention as the land around the mills.
Rosedale Street
The road surface is in a very poor condition and has been so for several decades. The condition affects the value of the Rosedale Street houses and makes them difficult to sell. It may be reducing the value of each Long Row and Double Row house by as much as £20,000. There are also issues with noise, dirt and damage to vehicles.
The NLVG AGM was given information on the Trust's plans for the next few years. It was clear that the surfacing of Rosedale Street is a low priority item. It is unlikely that the work will begin this year and may be delayed beyond 2020. The Trust was unable to make any commitment on the standard of the work that would be undertaken.
We believe that Rosedale Street must be surfaced to the same standard as the public road into the village and not just consist of another dump of chippings.
Update
At its May 2019 meeting Scott McCauley, the Trust's Chief Executive, promised the NLVG that the surfacing of Rosedale Street would be completed by the end of this year and that the surfacing would be to the same standard as the public road into the village. It is not yet clear if the work would be done by the Trust or following the council's adoption of the road.
The first step will be to complete the utilities connections to all the Double Row houses.
Rosedale Street
The road surface is in a very poor condition and has been so for several decades. The condition affects the value of the Rosedale Street houses and makes them difficult to sell. It may be reducing the value of each Long Row and Double Row house by as much as £20,000. There are also issues with noise, dirt and damage to vehicles.
The NLVG AGM was given information on the Trust's plans for the next few years. It was clear that the surfacing of Rosedale Street is a low priority item. It is unlikely that the work will begin this year and may be delayed beyond 2020. The Trust was unable to make any commitment on the standard of the work that would be undertaken.
We believe that Rosedale Street must be surfaced to the same standard as the public road into the village and not just consist of another dump of chippings.
Update
At its May 2019 meeting Scott McCauley, the Trust's Chief Executive, promised the NLVG that the surfacing of Rosedale Street would be completed by the end of this year and that the surfacing would be to the same standard as the public road into the village. It is not yet clear if the work would be done by the Trust or following the council's adoption of the road.
The first step will be to complete the utilities connections to all the Double Row houses.
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