Seven Lochs Wetland Park, Scottish Urban Heritage and Nature, HLF, Buildings, Drumpellier Country

Seven Lochs Wetland Park

Urban Heritage and Nature in North Lanarkshire, Scotland – Heritage Lottery Fund News

28 + 27 Jul 2016

Seven Lochs Wetland Park receives significant funding

Johnston Loch:

image : GCV Green Network Partnership

Seven Lochs Wetland Park, North Lanarkshire, Strathclyde

Wednesday 27 July 2016 – Plans to create Scotland’s largest urban heritage and nature park have been given a major boost following the announcement that it is to receive £4.5 million funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The Seven Lochs Wetland Park project is a partnership between Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Forest Enterprise Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and The Conservation Volunteers Scotland, working alongside local communities to bring together 16km² of lochs, parks, nature reserves and woodlands between Glasgow and Coatbridge.

The £6.8 million project sets out how the area’s heritage buildings, wildlife habitat and archaeology will be improved, protected and brought together to create a new attraction of national significance.

Drumpellier Country Park:

image : GCV Green Network Partnership

The Seven Lochs Wetland Park will become a major new hub for heritage conservation and learning and engagement, and will leave an important legacy for the communities within and neighbouring the park. When complete, the project will enable local people and visitors to experience the natural and cultural heritage of the Seven Lochs area like never before and help local communities to take ownership of the park for generations to come.

Provan Hall house from garden:

Improved visitor facilities are planned to create gateways to the park at Hogganfield Loch, Provan Hall, Drumpellier Country Park and Glenboig Life Centre – as well as the restoration of Provan Hall – one of Glasgow’s oldest buildings.

Drumpellier Country Park:

The project also includes the development of walking and cycling routes linking the gateway sites and improvements to paths, signage, interpretation and management across the whole park, as well as a range of activities for people to enjoy and learn about the area’s heritage, including opportunities for training and volunteering.

Councillor Maureen Burke, Chair of the Seven Lochs Partnership, is delighted by the development and the opportunities it offers to local communities.

She said: “This is a unique project and a considerable amount of effort has been put in by partners and local communities. We are thrilled to receive this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund which allows us to move forward with the development of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.

“It offers people a fantastic opportunity to engage with important natural heritage first hand and increase their understanding of why particular local habitats are internationally important, and how these need to be protected.

“The work that’s involved in creating what will ultimately be Scotland’s newest and biggest nature park is a great challenge, and one which we are sure everyone, whether a local resident or visitor, will embrace and become actively involved in.”

Max Hislop, Programme Manager for the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership, said:

“The Seven Lochs Wetland Park is an exemplar of Green Network planning and delivery. It is a place with an abundance of natural resources; important natural habitats, historic sites and established places for recreation.

“This major new urban wildlife park will be the jewel in the crown of the wider GCV Green Network and bring a host of benefits for local people and visitors alike.”

Lucy Casot, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said:

“HLF is delighted to support this ground-breaking project which will develop nature-based tourism within a mostly urban environment. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, both the history and natural heritage of the area will be protected and celebrated bringing economic benefit to local communities and Scotland as a whole.”

Seven Lochs Wetland Park Vision

Scotland’s largest urban nature park

The Seven Lochs Wetland Park will be Scotland’s largest urban nature park, spanning the Glasgow City / North Lanarkshire council boundary between Easterhouse, Coatbridge and Stepps.

The Seven Lochs Wetland Park vision is of a new wetland park of national significance that will:

a. protect and enhance nature and heritage in the area as a national resource;
b. promote the health and wellbeing of resident and visitors; and
c. have a major impact on the environmental, social and economic regeneration of the area.

The development and management of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park is being taken forward by the Seven Lochs Partnership which brings together Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Forest Enterprise Scotland, The Conservation Volunteers Scotland, and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Development of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park is supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, along with funding from the Seven Lochs Partnership and a wide range of other funders.
For more information about the Seven Lochs Wetland Park, visit www.sevenlochs.org

The Seven Lochs Partnership consists of:

Glasgow City Council: http://www.glasgow.gov.uk

North Lanarkshire Council: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk

Forest Enterprise Scotland: http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk
Forest Enterprise Scotland is an agency of Forestry Commission Scotland and manages the National Forest Estate on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Natural Heritage: http://www.snh.gov.uk

Scottish Natural Heritage is the government’s adviser on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland. Our role is to help everyone understand, value and enjoy Scotland’s nature now and in the future. For more information, visit our website at www.snh.gov.uk. SNH media is also now on Twitter at twitter.com/SNH_Tweets

The Conservation Volunteers (Scotland) http://www.tcv.org.uk/scotland

Every day TCV works across the UK to create healthier and happier communities for everyone – communities where our activities have a lasting impact on people’s health, prospects and outdoor places.

TCV works together with communities to deliver practical solutions to the real life challenges they face.

• TCV transforms people’s health: being active outdoors improves people’s mental and physical well-being and brings people together
• TCV transforms peoples’ prospects: helping people get back to work and improve their economic well-being
• TCV transforms outdoor spaces: empowering communities to take responsibility for improving their environment

Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership
www.gcvgreennetwork.gov.uk

The Seven Lochs Wetland park is part of the wider Glasgow & Clyde Valley (GCV) Green Network which will transform the lives of 1.8m people and make the Glasgow city‐region a much more vibrant, resilient and successful place. The GCV Green Network will be a network of high quality multi-functional, well-connected green spaces which will permeate throughout the city-region. The GCV Green Network Partnership had a significant role in bringing to life the Seven Lochs Vision.

Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) – From the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife, we use National Lottery players’ money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about. www.hlf.org.uk. @heritagelottery

Issued on behalf of the Seven Lochs Partnership

Website: Seven Lochs Wetland Park North Lanarkshire