A number of improvement projects across Midlothian have been successful in securing funding from the Scottish Government's Town Centre Capital Fund.

Refurbishing a pavilion in Mayfield, replacing St John's & King's Park Church hall roof and creating a Hardengreen to Newtongrange cycleway are among the projects to successfully bid for a share of the £910,000 fund.

Following agreement about the application process and how funds will be distributed, councillors agreed the recommendation to approve the projects at a meeting of the the full Council on Tuesday, 01 October.

The seven successful projects are:

• Mayfield and Easthouses Development Trust is to get £49.097.10. The money will go towards refurbishing a pavilion. Work will include upgrading electrics and lighting, creating of an accessible path, and improving the toilets.

• St John's & King's Park Church in Dalkeith will get £57,790 to replace the church roof.

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• Midlothian Council's Transport Team will get £25,000 for four new bus shelters along Dalkeith High Street.

• Midlothian Council's Communities and Economy will get £381,756.67 to refurbish Penicuik Town Hall.

• Loanhead After School Club will get £100,000 to expand Rosewell nursery pavilion, including creating a community room.

• Dalkeith Country Park will get £49,356.23 towards providing an accessible path connecting the park with the High Street.

• Midlothian Council Resources will get £247,000 towards creating a Hardengreen to Newtongrange Cycleway. This project will provide a safe walking and cycling connection between Hardengreen and Newtongrange town centre.

Councillors heard the money must be committed and spent by March 2020 with all building works to complete by September 2020.

There were 28 expressions of interest applications and 16 of those were invited to submit full applications. Officers from economic development, planning, estates and communities along with representatives from Midlothian Voluntary Action were involved throughout the project assessment stage along with a representative from the Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce.

Recommended projects are those that best align with the fund guidelines, local priorities, and are deliverable within the timeframe.

Midlothian Council's Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Councillor Russell Imrie said the projects will make a positive impact on local communities.

He said: "There is a good spread of initiatives across Midlothian that will make lives better by helping town centres diversify and flourish."

(MH/CM)