Almost £300,000 will be allocated from Glasgow City Council to replace and maintain four synthetic pitches at the Barlia Sports Complex in Castlemilk. 

Earlier today members of the city administration committee agreed to allocate £298,597 from its City Plan ENV2 policy to replace and provide ongoing maintenance of a full-size 3G as well as three 5-a-side pitches.  

Barlia Sports Complex is made up of a full-size, floodlit 3G synthetic grass football pitch and 3 floodlit 5-a-side courts, serviced from a changing pavilion and dedicated car park. 

Because of the financial challenges facing Glasgow Life as a result of the pandemic, the Barlia Sports Complex did not reopen to the public so the Castlemilk Community Football Trust applied through the People Make Glasgow Communities Initiative to take over operational responsibility of the club.

During the meeting, questions were raised about the funding for the complex.

Councillor Jill Pidgeon said: “Thank you for bringing this paper before us today. I know my colleagues in Castlemilk had said they were delighted with this money coming in.

“I would like some more information around this ENV2 funding pot, where it comes from, where it goes to and who decides who get what funding.

“I feel that there is sometimes money in it, there’s sometimes not, it sometimes goes to community projects, it sometimes goes elsewhere.

“I would appreciate more clarity on it.”

Leader of the council, Susan Aitken said: “This is not new (funding) – it has been around for a long time. 

“ENV2 is directly linked to development and development is something that isn’t steady, it doesn’t happen all the time and it happens in different places in the city so that is why it is not consistent all the time.”