A former coal Bing on the south of Falkirk is set to be transformed into a new community leisure location.
The Lionthorn Bing project has received £560k awarded to the Green Action Trust and Falkirk Council from the Scottish Government’s Derelict Land Investment Programme.
The funding will help to provide:
- New landscaping to provide visual interest and shelter
- The creation of extensive meadow areas and ‘nectar rich’ bulb planting
- Native woodland planting
- Extra heavy standard trees – to provide immediate visual interest, structure, and amenity
- ‘Edible’ hedge planting to encourage wildlife and biodiversity
- ‘Kick about’ grass sports pitch
- Path links/access enhancements to improve the local active travel provision
Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said: “It’s fantastic that this last phase of major greenspace improvements at this vacant and derelict site is going ahead. Council employees continue to work with our partners and agencies, and we thank all of the funders, particularly the Scottish Government’s Vacant & Derelict Land Investment Programme for their support.
“We are very excited to be working with our partners, the Green Action Trust, to complete the regeneration of the long-closed Policy Bing colliery site. On completion this will provide a tremendous new amenity park for the neighbouring communities of Lionthorn, Hallglen and Glen Village as well as helping to connect this area with the important habitats at Callendar Woods and South Falkirk allowing local wildlife to thrive.”
Lionthorn Policy Bing is owned by Falkirk Council and is the remains of a coal mining spoil heap lying between the communities of Lionthorn and Hallglen. The colliery closed in 1960, resulting in the site being cleared and the top section of the Bing being converted into a blaes sports area. By the early 1980s, the pitches were no longer regularly used, and they fell into disrepair.
The Green Action Trust (acting as project manager on behalf of Falkirk Council) are currently tendering the contract, and work is expected to be carried out in spring/summer 2022
Scottish Government’s Communities Minister Tom Arthur said: “Derelict sites can be a blight on communities and often hold back development.
“The five-year, £50 million low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme is intended to have a transformational impact by investing in creating great places, regenerating communities, creating jobs and helping tackle climate change.
“I am delighted to see projects from the first round of funding, such as the greenspace improvements at Lionthorn Bing, progress. The project will bring significant community benefit and I look forward to seeing it once completed.”
Green Action Trust’s CEO Derek Robertson commented: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Falkirk Council to deliver the greenspace improvements at Lionthorn Bing. This is a great example of what can be achieved through partnership working and a shared ambition to improve the environmental quality of our towns. I look forward to seeing the plans come to fruition, which will deliver a valuable amenity for the local communities, as well as making a positive contribution to the aims of the wider Central Scotland Green Network.”