AN ambitious community plan to raise £9 million to restore a historic Glasgow building has taken a major step forward.

AN ambitious community plan to raise £9 million to restore a historic Glasgow building has taken a major step forward.

The Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust has been awarded £1.2 million in European grants taking the mammoth fundraising project to the halfway mark.

Once restored, the B-listed Edwardian building will be a community events and concert space, as well as a nursery, cafe and recording studio.

Around £4.5 million in funding has now been secured and work is on course to begin in September with an expected completion date of early 2011.

Campaigners have led a long campaign for the burgh halls, which are recognised on Historic Scotland's buildings-at-risk register, to be brought back into use.

The building, which opened in 1878, has slowly been wound down over the past 20 years and has been closed for the past eight years.

The council owns the hall but will sell it to Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust and give them back the money in the form of a grant.

Part of the renovation will involve the restoration of 20 stained-glass panels which chart Maryhill's economic history.

Created by Stephen Adams in the late 19th century, they document the lives of workers including a canal boatman, linen bleachers, a gas worker and a glassblower and are currently in storage in the Burrell Collection.

The grant, which comes from the European Structural Funds Programme, is the third major cash boost in five months.

In January the Heritage Lottery Fund announced £990,000 while in April the BIG Lottery Fund promised £980,000.

Money has also been pledged by the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Maryhill Housing Association.

Billy McAllister, chair of the Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust, said: "This is great news and represents the biggest piece of funding to date as we endeavour to bring the halls back to life.

"There can be no better example of urban regeneration than our drive to restore and equip Maryhill Burgh Halls for the community and our city."

The regeneration project will complement a leisure complex next door, being built by Glasgow City Council.