THE Citizens Theatre and three other community projects have been awarded more than £4million.

City councillors approved grants for work on the theatre, a community centre in Elderpark, a new community hub in East Pollokshields and a scheme at the Seven Lochs wetland park at Provanhall.

The grants follow successful bids by the council and its partners to the Scottish Government's regeneration capital grant fund.

The Citizens was awarded £2.5m towards the £19.5m cost of repairing and transforming the popular venue in the Gorbals.

Work will result in the most comprehensive redevelopment in the building's 137-year history and will protect the theatre for many years to come.

It will repair and reveal the most significant parts of the heritage of the Victorian auditorium.

Work is due to get underway next year.

Judith Kilvington, executive director of the Citizens Theatre said: "This award is a major milestone in the planning and fundraising for our building redevelopment and recognises the significant contribution to community regeneration at the heart of the project.

"The Citizens Theatre is essential to the vibrancy of the local Gorbals community and the redevelopment will act as a catalyst for further cultural and commercial development as well as playing a vital role in the well-being of our local communities."

The theatre has launched a public fundraising appeal to raise £1.7m towards the cost of the work.

Elderpark community centre and Elderpark Housing Association have been awarded £400,000 towards a project costing almost £1.24m and £550,000 was awarded towards the £2.2m of a new community hub in East Pollokshields.

The final grant of £675,000 will go towards the £2.14m cost of work at the Seven Lochs wetland park.

Kenny McLean, the city council's spokesman for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm, said: "These awards will help to deliver key regeneration projects in different parts of the city and I am delighted to see the hard work of the council and our partners bearing fruit in this way.

"Communities across Glasgow will benefit from these projects in many ways when they are complete."

The regeneration capital grant fund, which has an annual budget of £25m, aims to provide financial support to projects which will help deliver large scale improvements in deprived areas.

Projects can be developed by community organisations but are submitted to the Scottish Government by local councils.