02-03-2025
Group worried over the future of facility celebrate
A group who have had a huge question mark hanging over the future of a facility they have championed for the past five years are celebrating victory.
And Stephanie Callaghan, SNP MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, a long-time supporter of the Viewpark Gardens Trust, has warmly welcomed their remarkable achievement in securing a five-year lease for Viewpark Gardens.
The Viewpark community was devastated when North Lanarkshire Council announced the closure of the much-loved gardens in 2019 due to financial constraints.
The gardens, which had long been a treasured venue for the annual flower festival, weddings, and community events, as well as a sanctuary for orchids and rare plant species, faced an uncertain future.
The trust's board have fought a long and determined battle since launching the 'Save Viewpark Gardens' campaign in 2019. Their initial community asset transfer application was rejected by North Lanarkshire Council, which had valued the site at £1.5 million and planned to sell it to a developer.
However, by exercising rights under the Community Empowerment Act, the trust secured a landmark Scottish Government decision overturning the council's rejection—paving the way for community ownership.
By securing this lease, the trust has not only protected Viewpark Gardens' future for generations to come, but also avoided a lengthy public court hearing with the Scottish Government—marking a significant victory for community-led activism.
The delighted MSP praised the campaigners and said 'This is an outstanding achievement by a small group of fearless campaigners – an inspiring example of community activism and wouldn't have happened without totally Herculean efforts from them all.
'Despite the dereliction of the Viewpark Gardens and loss of rare, irreplaceable plant life, the trust has pushed through and worked tirelessly to get to this point.
'The trust has paved the way for other groups in their use of the Community Empowerment Act.
'This has proven that the legislation allows local groups and charities to take on derelict or unused community assets and restore them, securing them for future generations and creating stronger neighbourhoods.
'North Lanarkshire Council's decision in 2019 to close the Viewpark Gardens was met with opposition from the people of Viewpark and I am therefore delighted that the local community united and withstood countless hurdles to ensure a successful outcome for this beautiful space.
'I have no doubt that the future is bright for the people of Viewpark as the Trust works to restore the gardens, once home to the annual flower festival, to their former glory.
'I am sure that in years to come, the local community will benefit greatly from the trust's efforts. As someone who has followed the trust's journey from the start, and understands the level of incredibly detailed and painstaking work it takes to get to this point, I couldn't be more thrilled and proud of their success.
'Having been in touch with the trust directly to congratulate them on their monumental success in negotiating and securing their five-year lease, I look forward to keeping up to date with their progress and seeing volunteers come together to bring the gardens back to life.'
Jubilant members of Viewpark Gardens Trust have welcomed the hugely exciting news.
They said in a statement: 'We are delighted that after five long years we have been able to negotiate an appropriate lease with North Lanarkshire Council.
'We could never have done this without the support of the people of Viewpark pushing us forward. Agreeing the lease means we no longer need to attend the public hearing that was scheduled and we can move ahead with our plans to restore the beautiful Viewpark Gardens.
'We were devastated at the loss of plant life and deterioration of the gardens since NLC made their decision to close them.
'As the site is now derelict, we will have a lot of work moving forwards to restore the much-loved community gardens. We are looking forward to being able to welcome volunteers in the near future.
'As a group, we are so grateful to everyone involved who has helped, advised and supported our efforts.'
