Falkirk Regeneration moves forward with £25m Lottery Funding
October 2008
British Waterways Scotland, in partnership with Falkirk Council and Central Scotland Forest Trust, is in final preparations before the contract goes live to transform, revitalise and regenerate a massive 420 hectare landscape between Falkirk and Grangemouth into a mixed use eco-park.
The HELIX project - an exciting project to transform the landscape between Falkirk and Grangemouth into a thriving environmental community – was given a major boost with the award of £25 million from the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks Fund. It was the only Scottish proposal to receive funding from a staggering 700 applicants across the UK. The grant is the first of its kind in Scotland and the largest ever awarded by the Big Lottery Fund to an individual project.
This vibrant and accessible new area will connect the two communities and promote greener travel and health improvement through walking and cycling.
The Big Lottery Fund grant will fund a new section of the Forth and Clyde Canal, linking it directly in to the Forth Estuary. It will also pay for extensive landscaping and improvements, including 750,000 new trees and 34kms of paths and cycle tracks.
A key feature of the project will be the creation of two equine sculptures, as part of the development of an innovative Kelpie lock structure to rival the innovation of The Falkirk Wheel. They have been designed by the equine sculptor Andy Scott and based on the mythical Scots legend of water-based spirits or kelpies.
Steve Dunlop, Director of British Waterways Scotland, said: “This is great news, not just for the many local communities in and around Falkirk and Grangemouth but for Scotland as a whole.
The Helix has captured the imagination of the public both locally and nationally and I have no doubt that this groundbreaking environmental project will become a great source of pride for everyone.
The breathtaking Kelpie boat lift is quite simply an engineering marvel which is set to become a major tourism asset for Scotland, attracting visitors from across the globe.”