HELIX reaches final stage for £25 million Big Lottery funding
The HELIX has become the only Scottish project in final bid stage.
The inspirational bid from Falkirk and Grangemouth for £25 million of funding from the Big Lottery Living Landmarks Fund has reached the final stage along with projects from all over the UK.
The HELIX project, which aims to transform the landscape between Falkirk and Grangemouth into a thriving environmental community, is the only Scottish project to have reached the final bid stage.
If the bid is successful The HELIX, which is a partnership of Falkirk Council, British Waterways Scotland and Central Scotland Forest Trust, will see the creation of 300 hectares of new greenspace and woodland with 750,000 new trees planted, a new canal link which will open up the Forth Estuary, an inspired public art programme and 34km of paths and cycleways.
The canal link will include the creation of the world's largest equine sculptures in the form of two 30 metre high 'Kelpie' horse heads by world renowned sculptor Andy Scott. These will form an integral part of an ingenious new boat lift mechanism at the eastern entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal.
The final stage of the bid will see The Big Lottery Living Landmarks Fund panel making a final visit to Falkirk and Grangemouth on the 30th of October to remind themselves of the scale and detail of the HELIX project prior to making their recommendations.
Over the past few months an unprecedented community engagement programme has been undertaken throughout Falkirk and Grangemouth to raise awareness and secure backing for the groundbreaking initiative. Thousands of local people have thrown their weight behind the project with this support forming a key element of the bid.
The HELIX, which is one of the key projects in the innovative My Future's in Falkirk economic development initiative, will create a fantastic community based resource which will bring a host of environmental and economic benefits to the area.
But the HELIX isn't an idea developed overnight. It is a vision that has come about with contributions from community councils, the voluntary sector, landowners, small businesses and community planning partner agencies over the last two years.
Back in early 2005 the partners in the My Future's in Falkirk initiative identified a huge area, either side of The Falkirk Stadium, as far up to The Carron Works and through to the Antonine Wall, as an area perfect for this project. In autumn that year a bid group of Falkirk Council, Central Scotland Forest Trust and British Waterways Scotland started to further develop that project then known as the Eco Park.
Richard Millar, Business Development Manager at British Waterways said: 'We haven't got the big prize yet but the news that the HELIX bid has reached the final stage is a strong endorsement of the hard work put in by everyone and of the tremendous support and backing received by the Falkirk and Grangemouth community. The imagination and vision of the ingenious new boat lift would create another iconic visitor attraction which would benefit not only the local community but the whole of Scotland."
Councillor Adrian Mahoney, Falkirk Council's Convener of Environment and Heritage Committee, said: 'The HELIX is one step closer to reality but it is important to stress that we are not there yet. For the bid to reach this stage is a reflection of the ambition of the people of this area who understand what the benefits the HELIX could bring.'
Simon Rennie, Chief Executive of Central Scotland Forest Trust, added: 'To get this far has been a great achievement and is recognition of the quality of the plans and the commitment to them by everybody from local communities to the formal partners. We will keep doing all we can to ensure this great project comes to fruition for the benefit of Falkirk and Scotland.'
Ongoing support for the bid is welcomed.
- Falkirk Council (23/10/2007)
