Glasgow projects receive share of £3.2m

NINE Glasgow projects have been allocated a share of £3.2 million through the Scottish Government’s place fund.

Glasgow City Council administered the funding, with it issuing a funding call-out for applications in December. By the submission deadline, 56 applications were received – with the total funding request being almost four times the available allocation.

The local authority said that a number of projects were not assessed in detail, as they did not meet the criteria of the fund, or other eligibility criteria, with the remaining 37 projects then scored by officers against a set of weighted criteria.

The place fund seeks to develop projects under a variety of themes, including 20-minute neighbourhoods; town centre regeneration; community-led regeneration and community wealth building; achieving net-zero; and well-being and inclusive economic development.

The nine Glasgow projects to receive this funding for the current financial year are as follows:

  • The Braes, Castlemilk – environmental improvements to this shopping centre, including enhanced public realm and better permeability, will stimulate the local economy and help small retail businesses, and encourage further commercial development.
  • Carbon free Govanhill – expansion of Carbon Free Govanhill project, including creation of an allotment and recycling hub.
  • Hamiltonhill green infrastructure project – development of active travel links between green infrastructure (pocket parks), benefiting new and existing housing in the Hamiltonhill masterplan.
  • Laurieston community rooms – replacement of temporary accommodation and the creation of community kitchen and garden space, and the improvement of street frontage.
  • Parkhead pantry garden – community growing space which will produce food for the nearby Parkhead pantry.
  • Queensland community park (pictured) – Development of underused open space adjacent to two multi storey flats in Cardonald.
  • Ruchazie Café – refurbishment of two shop units next to the existing pantry, to create a social kitchen and community café.
  • Treehills community supermarket – development of a community supermarket in Nitshill.
  • Tollcross Winter Gardens – redevelopment of B-Listed glasshouse, which will promote social interaction, social enterprise, benefit park users and complement the new nursery currently under construction

Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said, “After a difficult couple of years, this is really welcome series of investments which can help unlock the potential across many of Glasgow’s neighbourhoods.

“From community kitchens and new growing spaces to new active travel links, these nine projects will benefit communities in every corner of the city, helping our residents to better appreciate their local areas. As a south side councillor, I’m particularly pleased to see the commitment to the Braes Shopping Centre in Castlemilk; this is a game-changer, a final piece of the investment jigsaw that will allow for the development of a household name supermarket and make a huge positive difference to the area.

“The Castlemilk community has pushed for this for decades – it knew what it needed and why and the City Government has been supportive of local efforts to deliver that. A big well done to all those who have campaigned for this.”