A 300-hectare site between Falkirk and Grangemouth in Scotland is to be regenerated to provide a massive environmental area for the community, thanks to a £25m award from the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks programme.

The £49m HELIX project will comprise five biodiversity nature parks; 34km of paths and cycle tracks; a 1.85-km canal link between Grangemouth on the River Forth and Scotland’s canal network; a boat lift at the entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal – designed to replicate the Scottish mythical Kelpie creature – and more than 750,000 new trees.

The project has been developed by a partnership between Falkirk Council, British Waterways and Central Scotland Forest Trust.

Cllr Linda Gow, leader of Falkirk Council, said: “The project will transform the site and help us to achieve our long-term aims to improve the area for residents and visitors alike under our My Future’s In Falkirk economic development initiative.”

Simon Rennie, chief executive of Central Scotland Forest Trust, added: “The breathtaking Kelpie boatlift is quite simply an engineering marvel which is set to become a major tourism asset for Scotland, attracting visitors from across the globe.

“Independent research has shown that the rebirth and investment in Scotland’s lowland canals has resulted in a range of social and economic benefits to canal side communities and I believe that The HELIX will have a similar impact.”

Work is expected to start in 2008 and will progress over three distinct phases within a 10-year period.