IT really is time we stopped talking about Cumbernauld as a New Town,

and not just because its development corporation is being wound up in

1977. Since its conception in 1955, more than 50,000 people have found

home, work and play here -- and it is now where they ''come from''

rather than a place they moved to.

Mary Rankin and her family moved to Cumbernauld five years ago. She

found a newly-built executive bungalow she loves, her son found good

schooling and superb leisure facilities, and her husband found a

homebase that makes travel easy to anywhere in Central Scotland.

She says: ''With Cumbernauld's own attractions, and Glasgow and

Stirling just a mere 20-minute drive away, I can't think why we'd want

to leave.''

Continued investment and growth in the town and the steady influx of

property developers is indication enough that 40 years of New Town

status has been just the start.

The property market offers abundant choice across all price ranges,

split between privately built and former local authority homes.

Local valuer Ross Harper, of Slater Hogg & Howison's Cumbernauld

branch, comments: ''Both sectors of the market are performing well.

Ex-local authority homes offer excellent value: a typical mid-terrace

home with three -bedrooms and one or two public rooms will achieve

#35,000 to #40,000 depending on position and condition. One recent sale

achieved over #46,000.

''Overall, prices are stable, but some have been depressed by the high

supply level of both new and established homes.

''With so much new-build going on, prices do have to be realistic, but

there have been many notable recent sales in the #120,000 to #130,000

range on the periphery of Westerwood Golf and Country Club. Dullatur and

Luggiebank have remained bouyant due to the limited supply of

properties.''

Since 1985, private developers have built more than 1800 houses, and

home ownership now stands at nearly 70%.

Barratt are among the many housebuilders who have invested in the

area. Their #50m. Lochside View development at Broadwood is built around

a man-made loch and in addition to homes this area will have a motor

racing circuit, a garden centre and a retail/business park. Its

multi-million pound, multi-user stadium is open for business, with Clyde

FC as just one of its tenants.

The building of the Craigmarloch village commmunity is an example of

the Cumbernauld Development Corporations's partnerships with private

developers and housing associations and represents a #100m investment in

creating a balanced community of rented, private and special-needs

housing to suit all income levels.

In the town centre shoppers are offered covered malls and free

parking. Wm. Low and Asda supermarkets supplement a good range of shops,

banks and building societies. Abronhill Town Centre and Condorrat main

street have a variety of shops to meet everyday needs, and there are

small shops spread throughout the town.

There are numerous primary schools and four high schools --

Greenfaulds, Abronhill, Cumbernauld and Our Lady's, with a special

school called Glencrian in Greenfaulds.

Just about every imaginable sport and leisure pursuit is catered for

with three golf courses and more than 300 clubs and societies at the

Tryst Sports Centre and community centres around the town.

There's 300 acres of walks and picnic area in Palaceriggs country

park, and cultural activities are centred on the lively Cumbernauld

Theatre.