A COMMUNITY land project which aims to breathe new life into an area of Glasgow has received a £419,000 funding boost.
The Scottish Land Fund cash will be used by Copperworks Housing Association (CHA) to develop the urban landscape of Royston, a district in the north of Glasgow.
CHA plans to convert currently neglected areas of land into community green space areas.
These locations are intended to be utilised for leisure, recreation and wellbeing activities.
With the help of local backing, CHA also aims to purchase an open space at Millburn Street’s “triangle site” – as well as a smaller second site opposite the Millburn Centre.
CHA director Fiona Murphy said: “Copperworks Housing Association is absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding to purchase this site which has been a blight on our community for many years now.
“It is fantastic that we can bring this land back into local ownership and we are excited at the prospect of future regeneration, in consultation with local people.”
Her enthusiasm was matched by John Watt of the Scottish Land Fund Committee. He acknowledged that putting the land in the hands of the community will allow locals to determine how the sites are developed and for what purpose.
He said: “This project, based in the heart of Royston, has the potential to transform two neglected pieces of land into spaces that local people can be proud of.
“By owning the land, they will have more control over their own futures and will have a greater say on how these areas are developed for community use.”
The project is one of 11 similar schemes across Scotland that share roughly £2.1 million of Scottish Land Fund money.
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