The ambitious multi-million pound development will deliver a 20 bedded transitional care facility and 20 new technology enabled properties, all equipped with state-of-the-art telecare systems to support independent living.

On the same site there is a further development of 25 new council homes creating new social housing at the centre of Blantyre.

The care facility is scheduled to be operational by October 2022, while the first technology enabled homes were allocated in January and February of this year, with the rest to follow in July 2022.

Director of Health and Social Care, Soumen Sengupta, said “Innovation is the beating heart of this development and of our wider commitment to supporting people to live well, safely, and independently at home.

“Our collaboration here with the Glasgow Science Centre – the first of its kind in Scotland – is one that the development has really benefited from and that we look forward to our building on.”

Chair of the council’s Social Work Resources Committee, Councillor Margaret Walker, said: “This facility is all about supporting people to return home or to a setting which best meets their needs.

“It was fantastic to be able to see the excellent progress our staff and all those involved have delivered ahead of the much-anticipated opening in October.”

Chair of the Integration Joint Board for South Lanarkshire, Lesley McDonald, said: “The Centre of Excellence, with its Technology Enabled Care (TEC) zone, is particularly exciting.

“This development will support people right across South Lanarkshire to live well in their own communities.”

Chair of the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee, Councillor Davie McLachlan, said: “The 20 technology enabled properties will mainly support people who are predominantly frail and elderly to live safely and manage their own care.

“As well as that, the 25 new council homes will also be a welcome addition to the heart of Blantyre.”

Development of these homes has been supported by grant funding from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme.