What would you do with East Ren’s Stalled Spaces?

As reported in The Extra in December, the Stalled Spaces Scotland programme - part of Legacy 2014 — was to be matched in funding by East Ren Council.

Now, councillor Tony Buchanan, convener for infrastructure and sustainable growth, is urging residents and businesses to apply for funding to temporarily transform unloved areas of land.

He said: “Support from Stalled Spaces Scotland will give people the opportunity to do something positive with those awkward pockets of unused ground in our town centres.

“We want residents, local groups and businesses to be imaginative about how their town centre spaces can be used in new ways.

“Please take this opportunity to apply for Stalled Spaces Scotland funding.”

Across the country, projects considered for financial support include market places, performance spaces, street events, temporary public art, community gardens or food growing, natural play areas or solar farms.

This is the first of three rounds of funding on offer for the next 18 months, and an estimated six to eight projects across East Renfrewshire — to be completed by December 2016 — will be successful.

The Stalled Spaces project was pioneered in Glasgow in 2011, benefitting 75 spaces — including community gardens on Craigie and Calder streets, led by southside group South Seeds.

In East Ren, applications can be made until April 27 - to find out more, visit www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/stalled-spaces or for inspiration, go to www.ads.org.uk/access/features/stalled-spaces-scotland.