The chair of Burdiehouse/Southhouse Community Centre's management committee says the area will benefit "hugely" from City of Edinburgh Council's decision to ensure a new centre is built.

While it is still unclear when construction work will commence, Helen McNeill also showed appreciation for the support of local people and councillors after uncertainty over the project grew when the project's original contractor pulled out.

"The new centre will be a great asset which will provide excellent facilities in a modern building in the heart of our community," said Ms McNeill.

A council report on recommendations for the project will go to the Education, Children and Families Committee for approval this month.

This, says Ms McNeill, is a result of a lot of hard work by local people in ensuring the new-build remained near the top of the council's agenda.

"Only through the community's effort to highlight the peculiar situation in which we found ourselves were we able to inform the council of our frustrations and worries about the future of this project," she said.

"I would like to thank all those people who supported this campaign via our petition, especially the young people who voiced their concerns over this issue. I'm also grateful to the four councillors for their support and energy during this difficult period, namely Conor Snowden, Norma Hart, Ian Murray and Tom Buchanan."

"The management committee of the current centre have been magnificent too, sending letters, organising petitions and the deputation we brought to the council."

"Users of the centre are clearly very pleased and glad we have had a positive outcome to all of our hard work, and people at the centre are just glad we will get the centre we deserve," said Ms McNeill.

"We are awaiting budget decisions, but extra funding has been assured by the council at this stage which I think is very important and great to have from them at this time."

Mr Snowden was equally delighted  at the positive news.  "The new admin has always been committed to Burdiehouse/Southhouse Community Centre, despite what others have tried to say otherwise.

"Personally, I am delighted to progress this as quickly as possible - it's the best Christmas present Burdiehouse and Southhouse could get!"

Marilyne MacLaren, convener for Education, Children and Families, said, "I am delighted that we are now able to announce such good news to people in the Burdiehouse/Southhouse area today. I have felt that we had a moral obligation to ensure that this project goes ahead and I appreciate the last few months have been difficult for the local community. Now that we are moving forward again I look forward to delivering an enhanced and modern facility for a community that we have worked so hard to bring about."

The new centre, to be situated on Southhouse Road just a hundred yards from the present building, will include a larger activity hall than in the existing centre, a dance studio, several meeting rooms including a special youth zone, a social café area, an ICT suite and a crèche.

The additional facilities in the new centre will contribute to an expanded programme including increased provision for young people and health promoting projects.