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Chamber and committees

Congratulating Leven’s Silverburn Flax Mill on National Lottery Heritage Fund Award

  • Submitted by: Claire Baker, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2022
  • Motion reference: S6M-03343

That the Parliament congratulates Fife Employment Access Trust (FEAT) on being awarded £3.47 million from the National Lottery Heritage fund for its redevelopment of the historic Flax Mill site in Silverburn Park, Leven, Fife; understands that the community-led project is being delivered with Fife Council, aiming to encourage tourism, support local businesses, and provide social prescribing activities for mental health and wellbeing; further understands that the award will go towards the renovation of the 1850s B-listed building with the development of a visitor centre, backpackers’ hostel, café, artist studios, community space and a shop; welcomes that the project will create, it understands, around 130 jobs, including construction trainee placements for local young people, and volunteering opportunities specifically targeting groups from under-represented communities; appreciates that the National Lottery Heritage Fund is in addition to £2 million funding from Fife Council, a Regeneration Capital Grant Fund from the Scottish Government of £1.5 million, £510,000 from Historic Environment Scotland and approximately £40,000 generated by the Levenmouth community; remembers that proposals for the project began almost 10 years ago and recognises what it sees as the hard work, dedication and many challenges overcome to finally see the project come to fruition; understands that Fife Employment Access Trust has worked together with the local community group, Friends of Silverburn Park, with over 70 members providing support with maintenance and improvements in the park; further understands that the organisation has established profit-making ventures with an onsite café and campsite to support ongoing running costs and providing jobs paying the Real Living Wage; looks forward to the planned opening date in Easter 2026, and extends its very best wishes for the success of the refurbishment and regeneration of this valuable heritage site to the area of Leven.


Supported by: Miles Briggs, Sharon Dowey, Annabelle Ewing, Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal, Bill Kidd, Ruth Maguire, Stuart McMillan, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance