Blackburn United Community Sports Club has been granted a 25 year lease from West Lothian Council for New Murrayfield Park.
Council Executive agreed to the long-term community benefit lease of New Murrayfield Park sports pavilion, 3G pitch and surrounding land, which are currently leased to Blackburn United.
The club’s senior football team currently play in the East of Scotland Premier League – the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid – and entered the Scottish Cup for the first time this season.
Blackburn United achieved the Scottish Football Association legacy club award for their good work in the community and has secured charitable status.
The new long-term lease is aimed at enabling continued growth and support of the community. They currently have 23 teams and 460 members across all gender and age groups.
Executive councillor for culture and leisure Dave King said: “The excellent facilities at New Murrayfield Park have helped Blackburn United develop and grow substantially since they were opened in 2013.
“We are delighted to grant a new long-term lease to help support Blackburn to continue to move forward, now they are part of the Scottish Football Association’s (SFA) senior leagues.
“Blackburn United already has a hugely positive impact on their local community, and we hope this new lease will help them provide sporting opportunities to even more local young people.”
Club President Ian McGinty added: “Blackburn Community Sports Club would like to thank both the council executive and council officers for progressing the lease on the Purdie Worldwide Community Stadium to this happy conclusion.
“This should now help with new grant funding possibilities that the club will be able to pursue in the hope of opening up not just further sporting opportunities for the community but opportunities to improve health and wellbeing offerings in Blackburn too”.
