The £3.7 million park was created by the council on the site of the former steelworks, and includes a play area, Mini Craig, and the main park, The Craig.

The Princess Royal was welcomed to Ravenscraig by Lady Susan Haughey, Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, before meeting Provost Jean Jones. Council Chief Executive Des Murray and Marion Fellowes MP.

She was given a tour of the park by Jonathan Speed, Senior Project Manager at the council, and met staff from Brannock High School in Motherwell and Our Lady and St Francis Primary School, Carfin. Pupils from the schools and community groups chose the park names, which recognise the area’s history.

The park includes a sensory garden, visitor hub with a disabled toilet and a cafe, events area, walking and cycling routes, an outdoor gym, multi sports pitch, wildflower area, and a feature path on the line of the historic steel strip mill.

Within the play area are climbing walls, swings, trampolines, bouncing discs, a climbing tower, zip slide, talk tubes, balance beams and posts, incorporating accessible facilities for children and young people with mobility issues.

The Princess Royal unveiled a commemorative plaque to officially open the park.

“It was an honour to welcome The Princess Royal back to North Lanarkshire, and to the fabulous facilities at The Craig park at Ravenscraig,” said Provost Jean Jones.

“Since it opened last July, thousands of people have visited to use the play and sports areas or just to enjoy a walk or cycle through the networks of paths. Work is also currently underway to create an active travel route to the park from Motherwell, linking it to the wider area and opening up new opportunities for leisure.”

During the tour, The Princess Royal met Bobbi Arnott, manager of the Food Lovers Café. Bobbi, a former student of New College Lanarkshire, won a competition to use the hub for a new business.

The park is an important part of the wider masterplan for the regeneration of the Ravenscraig site, which has been developed by Ravenscraig Ltd. The plan will transform the area, bringing homes, jobs, leisure facilities, green spaces, shops and business opportunities.

Her Royal Highness was introduced to Russell Wilkie, Director of Ravenscraig Ltd and Willie Wilson, Operations Manager with Liberty Steel.

Russell Wilkie, Director of Ravenscraig Ltd said: “We were delighted to welcome HRH The Princess Royal for the official opening of The Craig, where she learned of the Ravenscraig site’s history, the strong development progress made to date and the benefits this is bringing to the wider community.

“Ravenscraig has undergone major regeneration in the last decade, with success stories including the creation of approximately 1,000 new build homes, a regional sports facility, a state-of-the-art college campus and local amenities. We were also pleased to share our plans for the next phases of the development with sustainability and inclusive growth at its heart, which feature new green space, additional new homes with affordable housing, new retail, commercial, logistics space and transport infrastructure. We’re grateful for the support received from The Princess Royal, who recognises the potential of Ravenscraig as an outstanding place to work, live and play.”

She also met representatives from the project team: Janet Pope, Director of design architects Ironside Farrar; Gavin Broomfield, Contracts Manager with VHE Construction, the groundworks contractor; and Stuart Dillett, Managing Director of the construction contractor Idverde.

Before leaving, The Princess Royal was presented with a posy by Zara Maguire (6) from Our Lady and St Francis Primary School.

For more information on the park project, visit www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ravenscraig-park