Slamannan’s new look: village entrance transformation complete
Work to transform the entrance to Slamannan is complete, with a new pocket park, restored public realm and a village clock that is ticking once again marking the culmination of a project shaped by the community from the start.
The £500,000 investment was the first from Falkirk Council's Regeneration Fund and has helped turned what was once a derelict eyesore into a welcoming green space at the heart of the village.
The former Royal Hotel - which sat abandoned for more than two decades before being demolished in 2024 - has been replaced by a pocket park featuring wildlife-friendly planting, seating, interpretation panels telling the site's history, and the hotel's original date stone, salvaged and given a new home in the park.
The village's historic clock, which had fallen silent, has been restored and is now keeping time once more. Two bronze lion's head plaques have been reinstated as part of the restoration, returning civic pride to Slamannan Cross.
The wider public realm improvements include resurfaced paving along the shopping parade, new trees, seating and planting, and a power supply installed to support community events and temporary retail.
The project began with community consultation, and that local spirit is already continuing into the park's future. Slamannan Library Garden Club, a local group with 12 members drawn from across the village has taken on the care of two of the park's raised planting borders, filling them with wildlife-friendly flowers chosen to support birds, butterflies and bees.
Cllr Paul Garner, Deputy Leader of Falkirk Council, said:
This has been a project that Slamannan residents helped to shape, and it's wonderful to see it completed. The entrance to the village has been genuinely transformed - from a site that had been a source of real frustration for local people into something the community can be proud of. The fact that a local gardening group has already stepped forward to help look after the park says everything about the spirit of this village.
How it happened
The Royal Hotel was acquired by Falkirk Council in early 2024 through the Ownerless Property Transfer Scheme, administered by the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer (KLTR), making Slamannan the first local authority project in Scotland to benefit from the pilot of the scheme.
The Council purchased the building for £1, plus external costs, and secured funding through the Regeneration Fund to cover demolition, professional and legal fees, and the broader improvement works.
About the Regeneration Fund
The Regeneration Fund, first approved by councillors in March 2023, is designed to support infrastructure improvements and community-driven regeneration in our town centres and smaller settlements facing significant economic and environmental challenges.
By engaging in community consultations, the Council ensures projects funded by the Regeneration Fund align with local needs, creating a model for future regeneration efforts across the local area.
Slamannan is one of several settlements identified for investment through the fund, alongside Bonnybridge, Dunipace, Bainsford & Langlees, Bo’ness, and Camelon and Tamfourhill.