Glasgow City Council has secured funding from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund for a City Deal project designed to improve greenspace and reduce flood risk.

The project which starts soon and will be delivered by the council is the most recent phase of the Hillington and Cardonald Surface Water Management Plan and is expected to boost the attractiveness and biodiversity of Penilee Park whilst also creating capacity to reduce pressure on the sewer network to better manage rainfall events - lessening the likelihood of flooding.

Funding of £115,000 will be used to create shallow basins and grassed channels to store surface water run-off. The amenity of the currently underused park will also be improved by improving access, creating natural play areas and enhancing biodiversity.

The programme of work at Penilee will benefit from direct funding from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund managed by NatureScot - to restore nature, safeguard wildlife and tackle the causes of climate change.

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet said: "At the local level, lessening flood risk unlocks development potential and encourages investment in the area, however this City Deal backed Surface Water Management Plan also offers enhanced greenspace and improved active travel routes for the community to enjoy - all of which contributes towards meeting the city's wider sustainability and low-carbon goals. I was delighted to hear about the NatureScot funding which will play a key part in helping to progress this important climate adaptation project in Penilee."


NatureScot Head of Biodiversity, Dr Katherine Leys, said: "Through the Nature Restoration Fund we can support projects across Scotland to tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, restore nature and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities. This Glasgow City Deal project is an excellent example of nature-based solutions being used to manage flood risk and enhance greenspace, bringing many benefits to the local environment and the people of Penilee. We're excited to see the positive difference this project will make to the area."

Glasgow City Region City Deal is behind this £1.2m project at Penilee, which is being delivered through the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership (MGSDP) alongside the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Both the UK and Scottish Governments are providing the Glasgow City Region local authorities with £500million each in grant funding for the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

The Scottish Government's £65m Nature Restoration Fund is open to projects that help Scotland's species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery, as well as improving the health and wellbeing of local communities, with at least £12.5 million available in 2022-23. For more information on the fund, see the NatureScot website.

Work is due to start on-site at Penilee this month, with construction undertaken by Covanburn.

To assist with the construction of the new sustainable drainage measures, it will be necessary to temporarily close a section of footpath across Penilee Park, which links Craigmuir Road and Langstile Road. These restrictions are likely to last until mid-November 2022. The footpath will be kept open whenever possible however during this period, whilst ensuring public safety during the construction works.