Work is under way to support further CAT proposals progressing through the process, including more complex sites such as Grangemouth Stadium, where a full asset transfer application has been submitted and is currently being assessed.  
  
An update report going before Falkirk Council on Thursday 29 January 2026 sets out how this shift to community ownership is helping to reduce the number of ageing, under-utilised and expensive buildings the Council owns while supporting local groups to take on properties that matter most to them.  

One of the earliest successes of the SPR is Bonnybridge Community Hub, which became the first property to legally transfer under the review. Since then, asset transfers have included a mix of community buildings and more specialist facilities, including Polmont Snowsport Centre.  
  
In many cases, the move to community ownership and management has led to increased use of buildings, new activity and access to external funding that the Council itself is not eligible for. To date, community groups have secured c£760,000 from third-party sources, a figure expected to rise as more CATs are legally concluded. 
  
The report highlights that getting to this stage has taken hard work and perseverance and makes clear that the commitment of community groups, alongside significant support and resource from the Council, has resulted in more proposals reaching a viable stage than originally anticipated.  

A key factor in successful transfers has been the creation of a Capital Enablement Fund. To date, almost £2.4m has been committed from the fund to help pay for repairs, building improvements and energy-efficiency upgrades. It has also helped unlock match funding from external sources.    
  
Due to the higher-than-expected number of successful community proposals, councillors are now being asked to consider increasing the fund by a further £1.6m. This would be met from savings generated by the SPR, allowing remaining asset transfer proposals to be supported on the same basis as those already approved.  
  
Alongside community ownership, the SPR is reducing the size of the Council’s operational estate. Once all phases are complete, the programme is expected to deliver net annual savings of more than £3.3m from 2028/29.  
  
Environmental benefits are also being gained, with the SPR expected to reduce the Council’s building-related carbon emissions by around 1,881 tonnes, equivalent to an 11.9% reduction across operational properties.  In many cases, Enablement Fund support is also being used to improve energy efficiency in buildings moving into community ownership, helping to reduce emissions across the wider area.