Council to invest £1.5m to improve high streets, parks and community spaces
Falkirk Council is to use £1.5 million from the UK Government’s new Pride in Place Impact Fund to deliver visible improvements which the community will see and use across the local area.
The Impact Fund aims to deliver early, noticeable improvements and must be used by April 2027, with Falkirk being one of only eight council areas in Scotland selected to benefit from the fund.
The priority projects to benefit from the funding are:
- The High Street Grants Programme, managed by Business Gateway, to help bring vacant properties back into use and activate High Streets and Town Centres across the Falkirk Council area
- Grangemouth regeneration, linked to the Grangemouth Masterplan
- Kinneil Reconnected, improving access, waymarking and visitor information in and around Kinneil Wood and Kinneil Estate
- Supporting the creation of a traditional skills centre at Lock 16
- Community self-ownership grants, to support Community Asset Transfer projects, including upgrades that improve sustainability and energy efficiency
- Restoring the Glebe Park bandstand in Bo’ness
Projects selected were judged on whether they could be delivered on time, had enough resources, met the fund’s goals, and showed existing community support.
Council officers also met with local MPs and MSPs, invited proposals and considered suggestions from local partners.
The objective of the fund is to support work such as:
- bringing empty high street units back into use and improving shop fronts
- making public spaces easier and safer to use, with clearer routes and signage
- helping community groups improve local facilities so they are fit for long-term use
If a project does not use its full budget, the remaining funds will be used towards other projects across our community.
Councillor Paul Garner, spokesperson for Economic Development, said:
This funding is about making everyday places work better, supporting high streets, improving public spaces and helping communities get more from local buildings and assets.
“People want to see clear, practical changes in their area and we’ve chosen projects which are deliverable within the timescales and based on existing engagement, while supporting community groups to improve local facilities.
Note for editors
The UK Government also announced on 12 December 2025 that Falkirk is set to receive up to £20 million in UK Government Pride in Place funding.
This will be aimed to support community led projects in Hallglen and the Braes, helping residents shape investments in safer streets, green spaces and local facilities from April 2026.