Fourteen Scottish neighbourhoods will receive up to £20m to improve services and create opportunities for local communities.
The UK government has announced that 14 Scottish neighbourhoods are set to receive up to £20m each as part of a £280m ‘Pride in Place’ programme aimed at regenerating local communities.
The scheme, confirmed in September 2025, will see funding shared across 12 Scottish councils over 10 years. It is designed to target areas with the highest levels of deprivation and weakest social infrastructure.
Neighbourhoods selected include parts of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Highland, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Na h-Eileanan Siar and West Lothian.
Some projects could focus on revitalising high streets, preserving heritage, improving housing and enhancing transport, education, safety and health services.
‘The UK government is backing 14 of Scotland’s most in need communities with £280m investment – part of a £2bn package to uphold pride in communities and create opportunities the length and breadth of the nation,’ Douglas Alexander, Scotland’s Secretary of State, said.
‘Over decades of decline, people have watched as their neighbourhoods have lost services and support, so now we are putting the power into the hands of local people who can decide how the money is spent. We’re investing directly in Scottish communities to build stronger, thriving neighbourhoods.’
Steve Reed, Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government, added that this announcement couldn’t have come at a better time for Scottish people.
‘People across Scotland have been shut out from their own futures and felt powerless to make the changes they want to see in their communities,’ Reed said. ‘Pride in Place is fixing that and putting power back where it belongs – in the hands of the people who have the knowledge, ambition and vision to make a real difference.
‘We’re backing 14 neighbourhoods across Scotland with up to £20m each, to put local people back in the driving seat to revitalise their communities and shape their futures.’
Neighbourhood Board – a subject we have recently reported on – are set to decide how funding is spent. The first projects are expected to begin in April 2026.
Alongside the main programme, an additional £12m Pride in Place Impact Fund has been made available to support smaller-scale projects including green spaces, play areas and sports facilities. What’s more, councils in eight areas will each receive £1.5m over two years to implement these improvements.
The initiative forms part of a broader £2bn UK government investment in Scottish communities, including support for towns, city regions and regional growth deals.
Image: Imran Perwez/UnSplash
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