A COMMUNITY land project looking to transform "a blight on the community" has received a £419,000 cash boost.

The Scottish Land Fund has granted the funding to Copperworks Housing Association (CHA) to bring two neglected areas of land into community ownership.

Both spaces, in Royston, are to be developed as greenspace areas for leisure, recreation and wellbeing activities.

Fiona Murphy, director of CHA, said: “Copperworks Housing Association is absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding to purchase this site which has been a blight on our community for many years now.

"It is fantastic that we can bring this land back into local ownership and we are excited at the prospect of future regeneration, in consultation with local people.

"We are extremely grateful to the Scottish Land Fund for this very generous award and would also like to thank Rosemount Development Trust and Blochairn Housing Association for their support."

The housing association is one of 11 groups across Scotland sharing in £2,128,943 of Scottish Land Fund money following the decision to open up applications for funding to community land initiatives in both rural and urban Scotland.

With the backing of local people, CHA plans to purchase an open space at Millburn Street, locally known as the Triangle site, as well as smaller second site opposite the Millburn Centre.

Announcing today's funding, John Watt of the Scottish Land Fund Committee, said: “Today’s award to CHA is a great example of what can be achieved now that the opportunity for community ownership has been extended to all parts of Scotland.

"This project, based in the heart of Royston, has the potential to transform two neglected pieces of land into spaces that local people can be proud of.

"By owning the land they will have more control over their own futures and will have a greater say on how these areas are developed for community use.”

Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “Our land is one of our most prized and valuable resources and has the potential to make communities stronger, more resilient and sustainable.

"This award is an example of what can be achieved through co-operation with other groups in an area and I am pleased that the Scottish Land Fund is able to support projects that deliver these sorts of benefits to communities that need them most.”