The transfer and property transaction was legally concluded on Tuesday 29 July 2025, with the official date of entry Friday 15 August 2025. 

The milestone marks the first council-owned building to pass into community ownership under the Strategic Property Review - the council’s long-term plan to reduce its property footprint and support communities to take on valued local spaces. 

Now renamed Bonnybridge Community Hub, the venue is the largest community hall in the area and a place where local people meet, learn and take part in activities that bring the community together. 

By taking on the building, the Hub’s committee has been able to secure funding the council could not access - a key benefit of community ownership.  

Earlier this year, the group was awarded £318,000 from the Council’s Enabling Fund when councillors agreed the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) could proceed. The group has also secured £138,000 from SP Energy Networks’ Transmission Net Zero Fund. 

The investment will ensure the building remains open to the community, while also enabling a host of local organisations to continue using the space - from parent and toddler groups to sports and digital literacy classes, tackling social isolation and improving health and wellbeing.

Council officers identified the Hub as a strong candidate for the Transmission Net Zero Fund due to its location in a priority area, its size (1,428sqm), and the potential benefits that could be unlocked through sustainable upgrades.

Officers worked closely with the group on its application and will oversee the delivery of the planned works.
With the support of SP Energy Networks, the site is set to undergo major energy upgrades including the installation of an air source heat pump, solar panels, insulation, double glazing and LED lighting.  

A new roof and other upgrades – including exterior lighting and the installation of new Fire Exit doors and entrance doors and window - will complement the works backed by the Net Zero Fund and contribute to an improvement in the building’s performance - helping to cut energy bills, reduce emissions and support long-term sustainability. 

Arlene Graham, chair of Bonnybridge Community Hub, said: “The Hub is the heart of Bonnybridge and now it truly belongs to the community. It’s where people come to connect, get support and feel part of something. Becoming the first building to legally transfer from the Council to community ownership under the Strategic Property Review means everything to us. But we wouldn’t have been able to take on the building without the funding, which will make the building more environmentally friendly and more affordable to run.”

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, leader of Falkirk Council, said: “When the Council committed to the Strategic Property Review, we knew it would take time, effort and trust to deliver real change, not just in how we manage our estate, but also how we support communities to take the lead.

“Bonnybridge Community Hub shows what’s possible when that trust is met with determination. The group has stepped up, taken on a much-loved local space and is now securing significant investment to improve it for the long term. Falkirk Council is really grateful to them for that hard work and commitment.”

Jillian Violaris, community funding and partnerships manager at SP Energy Networks, added: Today marks the start of a new chapter for Bonnybridge Community Hub. The planned works are ambitious, and once complete, will create a more energy-efficient facility that benefits both the environment and the local community who use the building day in, day out.

“The upgrades to the site perfectly represent the ambitions of our Net Zero Fund - to empower local communities across central and southern Scotland by providing the support they need to invest in what matters – in this case, creating a space that future generations can enjoy for years to come.

A host of charities and organisations supporting communities across Scotland have been awarded funding from SP Energy Networks’ Net Zero Fund to introduce innovative net zero technology.  

The successful groups receive grants to help them decarbonise and reach their net zero targets sooner, with projects ranging from installation of solar panels and heat pumps to the purchase of electric vehicles and retrofitting listed buildings to increase energy efficiency.