One of Scotland's New Towns of the 1950s, Cumbernauld was established as the biggest development to ease the pressure of overcrowding within Glasgow.

Nearly 70 years later it’s the tenth most populated area in the country, and continues to support the city it was created to aid – but now as more than just a housing solution.

As Glasgow slowly becomes the Hollywood of the UK, the burgeoning silver screen industry in Scotland requires a new hub. Enter Cumbernauld.

Wardpark Studios made its name as the birthplace of Outlander, filming and editing six seasons of the show, as well as for special effects filming for Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War – now it brings the stars of the movie screen out to Wynford Road.

Touting itself as the nation's only “elite film and television studio”, its presence in Cumbernauld shines a bright light on the area, and pushes this burgeoning industry in a positive direction.

The National:

Sometimes it’s not the easiest area to show affection for though.

Yes, Cumbernauld has history longer than that of a New Town, as an indicator for the northernmost point of the Roman empire.

The town is home to Scotland's only visible Roman altar, and the newer section of the town centre – the Antonine Shopping Centre – is named after the defence against Caledonian warriors: The Antonine Wall.

But since said centre's opening in 2007, it has been part of a perceived slow decline for the area as a whole, with many shop fronts left empty – including the loss of one of its biggest contributors, Dunn’s, in 2018.

The historical town centre that the Antonine is attached to was once a beacon of creative expression. The central structure was designed to resemble a cruise ship, with the surrounding area full of footpaths that led from the brand-new housing estates right into the heart of the town.

Today it's called an eyesore, has won numerous awards for how ugly it is, and its demolition is impending.

In 2011, the council spent nearly £1 million installing illuminated metal fins, intended to give the impression of driving through the ocean and improve the town centre's appearance. Instead, the lights are never on – with the public having complained about the dazzling brightness while driving.

It’s a hard area to love. But there are still elements that you can. When you take a stroll around the oldest area (humbly known as The Village) or drive around the stretches of motorway that surround Cumbernauld's many industrial estates, there is an overwhelming amount of green space.

History and a surprising amount of fresh air abound when you know where to look – and with these newly announced development plans accompanied by its international appeal for big-budget filmmakers, the future is looking bright for the area in which I was raised.