Planting Scheme to Improve Biodiversity at Community Park in Cardonald
Led by Southside Housing Association with support from a wide range of funders including Glasgow City Deal through the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership (MGSDP) – a £2.2m project to create Halfway Community Park in Cardonald has transformed underused greenspace surrounding Moss Heights flats, as well as reducing flood risk in the area.
Materially complete last year, the remaining landscaping elements of the community park which had been delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, is now being progressed through contractor RJ McLeod, with a mixture of bulbs, trees, ferns, grasses, perennials and shrubs planted to increase the attractiveness of the surrounding area as well as improve its biodiversity.
This community-led project has significantly enhanced the natural environment at Moss Heights by transforming the existing open space to the front of the high rise flats into an ecologically diverse landscape – with seating, exciting play spaces and improved accessibility. It has also delivered a range of surface water management features such as swales and raingardens to reduce the risks and impacts of flooding both within the local area and downstream. Multiple benefits have been achieved through the integration of drainage interventions with landscape design for the park, elevating opportunities to enhance greenspace whilst providing wider benefits to support local regeneration.
The Halfway Community Park project saw a wide range of funders join forces with Southside Housing Association to deliver its aspirations, including Glasgow City Deal, the European Regional Development Fund’s Green Infrastructure Fund, ENV 2, EB Scotland, FCC Communities Funding and the Glasgow Tree Lover’s Society.
RJ McLeod started construction in March 2019, with substantive work completed at the end of last year, with Southside Housing Association continuing to focus on managing the new space and engaging the local community through the Friends of Halfway Community Park.
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.
