REGENERATION chiefs have been ­given an £8million vote of confidence.

Holyrood officials have agreed to back Scotland's biggest and most ambitious regeneration programme by awarding a major cash injection.

The promise of more than £8million of funding from the Scottish Government will help create vital jobs, protect historic buildings and safeguard the future of the Clyde Gateway ­Urban Regeneration Company.

The cash support is to come from Holyrood's ­recently created Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.

They money is provided by the government and delivered in partnership with local authorities.

The multi-million pound windfall guarantees:

l Clyde Gateway's core staffing and operational costs will be met until at least April 1, 2016.

l An investment of £460,000 to upgrade an historic building in Landressy Street, Bridgeton, which is the new home of the Glasgow Women's Library.

l Construction of a £5.8m office development to attract an anchor tenant at the new Rutherglen Low Carbon Zone at Farme Cross.

The Clyde Gateway ­application was considered by an independent investment panel set up by Holyrood and its recommendation of approval was accepted by government ministers and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Neil MacDonald, who chairs the Bridgeton-based urban regeneration company, said: "The support from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund caps what was a fantastic 2013 for us.

"Just over £6m of the award will allow us to ­deliver on our promise of an important and highly visible office building that will bring 100 construction jobs over a 12-month period followed by 200 new jobs to ­Rutherglen by March, next year.

"The decision to allow the fund to provide more than £2m of core funding to Clyde Gateway is also very welcome news."

Regeneration chiefs have invested millions of pounds on creating new industrial estates in the city's East End.

They have also invested heavily on the preservation of local landmarks such as the transformation of the old Olympia Theatre at Bridgeton Cross into a community hub.

gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk