Working together over the past 12 months, the organisations have developed new proposals for the installation of a new 3G synthetic 11-a-side pitch at Raydale Park together with a new community gym, multipurpose fitness room and changing facilities – and the partnership is working hard to secure the funding necessary to make the project happen.

Over the next few weeks local residents will see the first phase of the development starting to take shape with the arrival of two large portacabins which have been sourced by Cunninghame Housing Association from a site in Lockerbie.

These will be transported to the site in Gretna and placed in position at Raydale Park, before being refurbished and the fitted out over the next few months to create new accessible and affordable facilities for local people.

Craig Peacock, chair of Raydale Community Partnership, said: “We are starting to make great strides with our Community Sports Hub and it will be great to see the first signs of what we will be able to achieve when the portacabins arrive on site. We know from our consultations with local people that they have to travel outwith Gretna to access fitness and sporting facilities and we are determined to address that.

“When we complete this phase in a few months’ time, the creation of a new community gym, fitness room and changing facilities at Raydale will significantly increase opportunities for local people to lead more active, healthy lifestyles.”

Alex Thomson, chair of Gretna 2008 FC, added: “It’s fantastic to see the relocation of the Portacabins to Raydale Park. This couldn’t have been achieved without the wonderful assistance of Cunninghame Housing Association. We will be looking to secure funding to complete the interior refurbishment of the portacabins and the park itself.

“This is just the beginning of a much bigger project and with the addition of an all-weather surface 3G pitch; something that’s desperately needed in our area. With works ongoing in the football ground, can we please ask for the support of parents by asking their children to keep safe by keeping away from the area until works are complete.”

Frank Sweeney, chief executive of Cunninghame Housing Association, also welcomed this latest development.

He said: “We are delighted to be working with Raydale Community Partnership and Gretna FC 2008 on this project. We are developing 100 units of new social housing in Gretna and Eastriggs in the next three years and we understand that its paramount that we help in developing the sort of facilities which promote the wellbeing and health of the entire local community. We are confident that this will be just the start of improvements at Raydale Park.”