A sports club in North Lanarkshire is set for a near net zero redevelopment.

The improvements at the Strathclyde Country Park Watersports Centre will include better facilities for visitors such as a new ground-floor waterfront cafe, an upgraded reception area and changing facilities and multipurpose bookable spaces. There will also be newwelcome areas for outdoor education activities, and office and meeting spaces.

The project aims to reduce carbon emissions by 90 percent.

The refurbished centre will be available for community groups such as Parkrun and Jog Scotland.

North Lanarkshire Council received external grants of £2.3 million from the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund, £1 million from the Place Based Investment Programme and £400,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The remaining £9 million required for phase one of the project will be provided through the council’s capital programme.

Councillor Helen Loughran, convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, said: "This innovative project will transform a 1970s building into a modern, energy efficient facility that uses natural resources within the park to provide the power supply.

"It is an excellent example of how existing buildings can be retrofitted with the latest materials and technology to make them fit for current standards, and it will contribute to the council’s ambition to be carbon net zero by 2030.

"The improved facilities will allow more people to enjoy the watersports facilities and the new café, and we’ll see an increase in the number of schools and park users benefiting from the activities available.”

The redesign will also include insulation and green energy. This will be generated by a heat pump taking energy from the loch water and solar panels on the roof.

Strathclyde Country Park, popular with locals and visitors, offers a year-round programme of outdoor education for pupils.