DISAPPOINTED residents are using people power to push a second application for a lifeline shop in their community.

Currently, people living in Broomhouse, North Lanarkshire, have to take a 20-minute bus trip to buy daily essentials such as milk, bread or a newspaper.

In July, an application to demolish a house and build a shop at 536 Hamilton Road was refused by the council.

Now a second application has been submitted and residents have mobilised in support of the proposals.

They say the shop would make a huge difference to elderly residents, who currently have to travel to either Baillieston or Uddingston for their shopping.

One local, Mary Wilson, 42, said: "Broomhouse really needs a shop, we have got nothing here. There is a lot of elderly people who haven't got transport to get to Baillieston or Uddingston."

On January 24, the second application was submitted by Aitchison Architects on behalf of the property owners, Lochmill Ltd, to build the shop.

This time additional information was provided, including facts about the history of the area, and some slight alterations to the plans.

Locals have rallied together to produce a petition calling for the council to approve the plan for a shop to be built in Broomhouse. More than 70 people have added their names.

Mary, who has volunteered at Broomhouse Community Hall for 15 years, organised the petition. She said: "There's a lot of people wanting a shop in Broomhouse. We have got all these big houses but no facilities for anybody.

"I have been going round with the petition and not one person has refused to sign it. We were quite excited when the first application went in, then disappointed when we were knocked back."

The initial application was rejected because it did not show that knocking down the existing building would fit in with the City Plan. One of the policies in the plan relates to the retention of sandstone buildings on main frontages and the first application did not address this policy

A council spokesman said: "The application will be considered by the planning committee in due course."

David Cummings, 67, chairman of Broomhouse Community Hall, has lived in the area for more than 30 years. He said the area used to have a shop but it had closed around 15 years ago.

He said: "We must have about 600 or 700 new houses, and they are going to double Broomhouse in size, but there are no facilities at all. A shop would mean that senior citizens could walk down and get a paper."

Councillor David Turner said: "I have fully backed the shop for the area because there are no facilities in the area."

matty.sutton@eveningtimes.co.uk