A COMMUNITY has been awarded more than £150,000 to revamp neglected wasteland and boost the job prospects of unemployed residents.

The Five Lamps Organisation, Thornaby, has received £140,107 from the European Regional Development Fund to support the Holmes and Middlefield Park project, which provides sport, play, health and leisure facilities around the South Thornaby Community and Resource Centre. A grant of £18,376 has also been given to Tees Valley Wildlife Trust from the European Social Fund, enabling 11 unemployed local residents to receive paid training in ground maintenance and environmental improvement at the park.

The area surrounding the community centre is a public open and green space, which provides a link across the Holmes and Middlefield council estate to the town centre, schools and health centre.

But in recent years, the area has fallen into disrepair and become a hotspot for youths whose anti-social behaviour has alarmed nearby residents.

The project to transform the site includes enlisting residents to help upgrade the facilities and improve the landscape.

Those involved in the scheme will receive practical conservation and landscaping training, leading to accreditation through the Open College network.

Jeremy Garside, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust chief executive, said the idea was to give people the chance to improve their job prospects, as well as the environment.

"The European Social Fund has been essential to the delivery of the training project," he said.

"By providing participants with a wage, the project has encouraged the involvement of residents who would not otherwise be able to take part in such training."

John Clark, Five Lamps chief executive, said: "The project has been initiated and developed by local residents, young people and children, and this community participation will continue throughout the scheme."

The scheme is the final stage of a three-phase rescue package for the area initiated by the Five Lamps Organisation.

The first phase was the demolition of the adjacent derelict church in 1998.

The second phase was the renovation of the community centre.

Stockton Borough Council is involved in improving properties on the housing estate itself, through a Housing Capital Receipts Refurbishment Scheme.