Communal outdoor spaces and facilities in Glasgow and Bridge of Allan are in the running for a makeover from the Stewart Milne Group as part of a campaign to mark the company’s 40th anniversary.

In September, the Group launched its RUBY (Regenerating Urban Back Yards) campaign to improve run-down community spaces in Scotland and north-west England.

Members of the public, special interest groups, charities and community councils were invited to nominate an outdoor space in need of improvement, resulting in dozens of applications from across the regions.

In central Scotland, four entries have now been shortlisted by the judges for support. They are the provision of play equipment for toddlers and infants in Fountain Road Park in Bridge of Allan, promoted by Bridge of Allan Community Council; upgrading the play area at the disability resource centre in Castlemilk, promoted by Caring Operations Joint Action Council (COJAC); creating a children’s play space on derelict land in Parkhead, promoted by community group All in: For Parkhead; and the greening of a public space in Shettleston, promoted by Shettleston Housing Association.

Members of the public can now learn more about the projects and vote for the one they feel deserves support through Stewart Milne Group’s Facebook and Twitter (@SMilneGroup and @SMilneHomes) social media channels.

Stewart Milne Homes will allocate resources and support towards the winning project or provide the materials and/or people to carry out the improvements.

The central Scotland RUBY campaign winner will be announced on 18 January and the project will get underway as soon as possible, subject to weather and availability of materials and labour.

Jonathan Fair, managing director at Stewart Milne Homes Central, said: “As award-winning homebuilders, we know just how important community spaces are to the quality of life that people enjoy in their local areas. With the RUBY campaign we aim to help regenerate outdoor spaces and amenities that need a bit of attention and help to build stronger, better resourced communities across the regions that we work in.

“We received a fantastic response to RUBY with projects of different sizes and type nominated from across the region. We have shortlisted four entries which the judging panel felt offer the greatest potential benefit to their communities in Bridge of Allan, Castlemilk, Parkhead and Shettleston and we now want the public to vote for the project they think deserves our support via our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

“We will announce the winning entry later this month and look forward to moving forward with that project in 2016,” said Mr Fair.

Keith Geddes, chair of Europe’s largest greenspace initiative, the Central Scotland Green Network, and member of the Stewart Milne Group RUBY judging panel, said: “Grass-roots projects are instrumental in creating a high-quality green network across central Scotland to improve the quality of life for residents.

“These shortlisted entries in central Scotland are fantastic examples of projects which will encourage healthy outdoor learning and natural play for children and provide valuable greenspace resources for local communities and we urge people to vote before the deadline.”