£4.5m funding boost for new heritage nature park
A MULTI-MILLION pound funding boost has been awarded to help create Scotland’s largest urban and heritage nature park.
Heritage Lottery Fund announced a £4.5million funding deal for the Seven Lochs Wetland Park project, a nature park spanning the boundary between Easterhouse, Coatbridge and Stepps.
The park will encompass seven lochs, five local nature reserves, a country park and one of Glasgow’s oldest buildings at Provan Hall, as well as miles of walking and cycling routes. There are also plans to restore Provan Hall in Easterhouse which dates back to the 15th century.
Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Forest Enterprise Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and The Conservation Volunteers Scotland have joined together to create the project which is set to take five years to complete.
The £6.8m project will see local heritage buildings, wildlife habitat and archaeology brought together to create the new attraction of national significance.
To facilitate a rise in visitors, gateways to the park at Hogganfield Loch, Provan Hall, Drumpellier Country Park and Glenboig Life Centre will be created and will be linked to improved walking and cycling routes.
Councillor Maureen Burke, chairwoman of the Seven Lochs Partnership, said: “We are thrilled to receive this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund which allows us to move forward with the development of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.
“It offers people a fantastic opportunity to engage with important natural heritage first hand and increase their understanding of why particular local habitats are internationally important, and how these need to be protected.”
Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund Lucy Casot said they were delighted to support the ground-breaking project.