£3m Lottery funding boost for groundbreaking River Leven project

The money is being sunk into plans for a 4km River Park that will support nature recovery and create new opportunities for communities and deliver opportunities for training and learning.

The £2.98m of funding was announced on the first day of National Apprenticeship Week 2025.

The River Park initiative aims to develop a neglected site along the River Leven to deliver an accessible, attractive and biodiverse amenity space for local communities. A key focus is to bring to life Levenmouth’s heritage through dedicated spaces that will encourage exploration and investigation of the area’s industrial and societal past.

Pauline Silverman, director of strategy, Green Action Trust said: “The £2.98m grant provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund is key to driving forward the River Park programme, which will deliver much-needed transformational change with the environment, heritage and people at its heart.

“Not only will the River Park forge better access to the river and between communities, it will also create opportunities for improved health, well-being and economic prospects that will benefit the local community for years to come.”

Unveiling the funding, Caroline Clark, the National Lottery Heritage Fund director for Scotland, said: “It is exciting to be able announce significant support for the River Park project on the first day of Apprenticeship Week as so many new opportunities will be created for young people to work and learn as part of the project activities celebrating the heritage of Leven’s communities and supporting regeneration of the River Leven Valley.

“Historically the River Leven played a central role in life for the communities along its course, from powering industry to supporting businesses, jobs and people. This vital role took its toll on the river’s environment but now, thanks to National Lottery players, the River Park project will support environmental recovery and deliver a 4km, nature-rich and accessible park for people and wildlife to enjoy.”

The River Park project secured a £246,857 Heritage Fund development support in 2022 which has helped the Green Action Trust and project partners to carry out extensive engagement and planning work locally.

An eagerness to learn more about Levenmouth’s heritage was first identified at the project’s inception, when an estimated 2,700 local residents were surveyed about what they would like to see from a regenerated site.

A significant percentage wanted to learn more about the heritage, history and archaeology of the area’s mill complexes, which were once the keystone of the area’s economy. This feedback has been incorporated into the River Park plan which will uncover and consolidate a historic mill complex while local communities will produce stories about the people and places of the River Park to be displayed along the mill lade heritage trail.

In addition, the programme is prioritising building capacity amongst the area’s existing heritage organisations to ensure that ties between the local communities and their past endure long into the future. It will work with local groups to deliver a series of skills and development opportunities, such as training workshops, heritage and archaeology courses, paid work placements, and establishing a youth forum, which will offer mentoring and further training.

Hannah Swanson, Leven Programme partnership manager, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “When the Leven Programme was first established, a shared vision was agreed between the partners. We didn’t know exactly how that vision would manifest, as we still had a lot to learn about the people of Levenmouth and the place they call home.

“I look now at the range of projects to be delivered with this funding – projects which aim to deliver positive change through nature regeneration, heritage celebration and community empowerment – and I feel immense gratitude to every person who played a part in making this moment a reality. “