North Lanarkshire council is debating proposals to create a £250 million rail freight terminal.

The plans to redevelop the existing Mossend rail head was submitted back in November 2013 by site owners PD Stirling and partners the I D Meiklam Trust. If the project was given the go ahead, capacity for the rail link between the UK and Europe would increase by two-thirds.

Additionally, two million sq ft of manufacturing and warehouse space would be developed at the site to house logistics, service and carbon neutral distribution facilities. This will allow for the occupiers of these buildings to directly load cargo to and from the trains. 

Nick Spence, property manager north at Ibstock Brick, said: "It has a great potential for businesses like ours to use rail freight as a means of reducing costs and moving our products in a sustainable way."

A decision on whether to give the proposals the go ahead is expected in the early summer.