A charity team who took on an abandoned Perth community centre are hoping to be thrown a £1 million lifeline.
The Scottish Government funding will set the Letham Centre regeneration plans back on course after they were scrapped by Perth and Kinross Council.
Project leaders are optimistic that the package will be rubber-stamped by MSPs later this month.
The Tweedsmuir Road centre was formerly run by arms-length organisation Live Active Leisure.
The council signed off on a £3m revamp, which would have included an extension and NHS treatment room, but the plans were put on hold two years ago when the local authority slashed its budget.
The local authority has made the bid to Holyrood’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, on behalf of Letham4all, which has been recommended for approval by the Scottish Government.
It would allow the Letham4all group to press on with a large chunk of the works, including bringing the building up to scratch.
Around £1.25m in existing council funding would also be added to the mix. A further £1m is still being sought.
Letham4all chairman Jon Kidd said: “This is just amazing. We are all so excited about this and all our hard work to keep the dream of a Letham Community Hub alive has been worth it.
“I honestly cannot describe what this means to all the volunteers and what it will mean to our community.
“We have worked positively with the council over the last 18 months to get to this stage, and we are thankful for the support they have given us to help us achieve our aspirations for our community.”
Around 10 people are employed at the Letham Centre at present.
The charity has already secured funding to create new gym, community kitchen and soft play facilities since taking over the premises.
SNP councillor John Rebbeck said he was delighted that the Scottish Government had seen fit to support the project.
His party colleague councillor Sheila McCole said: “Letham4all, and community volunteers, must be credited with turning it around.
“There is a long way to go, but the building is at the heart of our communities and this grant will be crucial in its positive redevelopment.”
