GLASGOW City Council has confirmed it is to bid for a project in Pollok Country Park through the UK Government’s levelling up fund (LUF).
The LUF is focused on small transport schemes; town centre and high street regeneration; and support for the maintenance and expansion of cultural and heritage assets. It has £800 million available for projects in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Glasgow City Council can submit up to seven bids to the LUF (one per constituency), with a maximum value of £20 million per application. There is also provision for the council to submit one large scale transportation bid with a value of between £20 – £50 million.
Following work with a ‘broad range’ of partner organisations to identify potential levelling up projects, the council confirmed that 24 schemes reached the expression of interest stage – with a final review leaving a shortlist of the following four: Bridgeton Civic Hub – City Mile; Pollok Country Park Stables & Courtyard; SEC: Walkway and Connectivity; and the University of Strathclyde – TIC2.
Officers have recommended that the application for Pollok Country Park Stables and Courtyard be submitted for the first funding call. The council said that the project would ‘revitalise’ the ‘dilapidated’ category A listed stables and courtyard in the park, whilst also delivering a heritage attraction which enhances the ‘unique’ characteristics of the country park.
Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said, “The scheme to bring new life to the Stables and Courtyard in Pollok Country Park offers the chance to improve the city in a number of ways, and is an application very worthy of submission to this fund. A number of other outstanding projects around the city also met the funding criteria, and we can look forward to submissions being made for these at the second and third calls.”
