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East Kilbride Community Trust (EKCT) has unveiled ambitious plans to construct a new building at its K-Park Training Academy. The existing facility opened to the public in 2011 and is situated within South Lanarkshire Council’s Calderglen Country Park. And the new ‘Community Football Spaces Building’ is set to enhance the existing sports hub through the delivery of a range of indoor services not currently available – and all designed to support participation, inclusion and wellbeing across every age group. Jaynie Kean, senior trustee for EKCT, said: “The development of our proposed new community football spaces building aligns with local and national objectives around promoting health, wellbeing and fitness, structured around the provision of valued diversionary activities. “Importantly, discussions between EKCT volunteer staff and South Lanarkshire Council have ensured that EKCT’s ambitions for the new building correspond with the objectives of the council, and that the principles of its proposed Community Football Spaces Building Project align fully with those of the council’s wider Calderglen Country Park masterplan. “I encourage our local community to support our building plans.” Calderglen Country Park hosts a wide range of outdoor visitor activity attractions, situated alongside top-class sports facilities for rugby, football, tennis and cricket, K-Park Training Academy is a well-established community sports facility serving East Kilbride and the wider South Lanarkshire area. It plays a key role in supporting grassroots football for 320 young players aged eight to 18, covering five girls’ and 13 boys’ teams, overseen by 45 unpaid, volunteer support staff. It also supports youth development and wider, non-football related community engagement. The proposed development will build on this foundation, providing “modern, warm and adaptable spaces” that are not available currently in the park, enabling the continued growth of wider community activity. EKCT has lodged a planning application with South Lanarkshire Council, seeking full planning permission for the development of the new Community Football Spaces Building at its K-Park Training Academy. The trust is progressing this development in partnership funding discussion with The Scottish Football Association (SFA) and the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) through the Scottish Football Facilities Fund – 2025/26. The new building will include: ■ Flexible, multi-purpose, modular community and football-related spaces, including changing facilities, social areas, meeting rooms and exhibition space. ■ A fitness suite, physiotherapy rooms and accessible changing areas. ■ Integration of the new building within the existing K-Park Training Academy site, complementing the established football pitch and training infrastructure. ■ Encourage social interaction amongst all community groups. ■ The objective of unlocking the potential of the wider East Kilbride Community around education, nutrition, exercise, fitness classes, learning workshops and cultural events. The new building will provide two paid jobs and opportunities for volunteer/learning experiences designed to assist people secure meaningful, paid employment opportunities. * Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook ? Head on over and give us a like and share!
