GLASGOW City Council has marked ten years of its stalled spaces programme by reviewing the progress of the scheme and its future plans.
In 2010, in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, it was found that more than 60% of Glaswegians were living within 500 metres of vacant and derelict sites.
The local authority viewed addressing these sites by developing them – even on a short-term basis – as a means of improving collective health and wellbeing, bringing an economic boost, and improving social cohesion and the local environment.
The council said that the next stage of the initiative will see them work with local community organisations to develop projects on multiple sites within each of the Drumchapel, Pollok and South Central areas. Each of the areas will see a £10,000 grant awarded to the organisation delivering the project.
In addition, the local authority said that a £5,000 grant will be made available for an organisation to develop a mechanism to support nature-based enterprises, working closely with the organisations receiving the above grant in Drumchapel, Pollok and South Central to identify three innovative projects with the potential for growth and sustainability.
Councillor Kenny McLean, city convener for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm, said, “The stalled spaces programme has brought new life to more than 125 derelict or under-used sites all over Glasgow over the past decade, bringing economic, environmental and social benefits to local communities. The pandemic has underlined the value of the development of such spaces to our communities. We now propose to develop the programme in three particular areas of the city, and with a focus on nature-based solutions in order to continue to bring these benefits.”
