MOTHERWELL’S CHANGING SKYLINE
Just before noon on Sunday, 7 December 2025, a familiar part of Motherwell’s skyline disappeared as three of the town’s most recognisable high-rise blocks – Allan, Coursington and Draffen Towers – were demolished in a controlled blowdown. Draffen Tower was completed in 1969, followed by Allan and Coursington in 1970, with each 20-storey block standing 58m (190ft) tall and containing 117 flats. Demolition firm Thompsons of Prudhoe brought the buildings down using explosives in a matter of seconds, ending more than 50 years of housing history.
Their disappearance marks another significant change to Motherwell’s skyline, echoing the demolition of the Ravenscraig cooling towers nearly 30 years ago which symbolised the end of the area’s steelmaking era. But the transformation is only beginning. North Lanarkshire Council has a 25-year plan to remove all 48 high-rise blocks across the authority area, replacing them with around 5,000 new homes — meaning the skyline and communities of Motherwell will continue to evolve for decades to come.
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