The development will include social rented and shared equity apartments as well as amenity housing for older people.

Designed by Coltart Earley Architecture, the new development - which is part of the Kirkintilloch Town Centre Masterplan - will provide 38 homes with a mixture of two, three and four-storey buildings containing one and two-bedroomed flats. It will be constructed by Cruden Building and is due to be completed by Spring 2023.

East Dunbartonshire Council’s joint leader, Councillor Andrew Polson, said: “I am delighted to see work getting underway at this site. This development will increase the stock of council housing in the area at a time when the demand for affordable homes continues to grow.

“This site forms part of the council’s affordable housing investment programme which is helping to meet the needs of local people who are finding it increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder.”

Cruden Building has been appointed as the main contractor for the works, and the demolition of the existing building will start on site in April.

Demolition work is anticipated to be completed by this summer.

A perimeter fence will be erected around the site and in order to ensure public safety, and to ensure that the works are carried out in a safe manner, a small section of the footway on Kerr Street and Queen Street will be closed for the duration of the works.

Joint council leader, Councillor Vaughan Moody, added: “We do understand that a project of this nature, near to residents has the potential to cause disruption but every measure will be taken, in conjunction with the contractor, to minimise any inconvenience during this period and to ensure the public’s safety at all times.

“These properties will be fantastic homes for the people who live there and bring new life to this vacant site.

“While the demolition of the former school building is necessary, we will ensure its history is preserved. A number of elements from the existing school building will be integrated into the new homes and other items will be salvaged and passed on to Museum Service for a future display on the history of Lairdsland Primary.”

Site works will include the widening of existing roads, provision for new parking, public and private footpaths, soft and hard landscaping and a new landscaped courtyard.

Gordon Lee, operations director of Cruden Building, said: “We are pleased to start work on this exciting development for East Dunbartonshire Council providing much needed quality, eco-friendly apartments and amenity housing for older people.

“As with all our developments, we will work closely with the council to bring a number of social and economic benefits to the wider East Dunbartonshire community. This includes providing jobs, work placements and training opportunities for people within the local area.”

The public were able to view the proposals and give feedback at a public engagement event held by the council’s housing team back in August 2018.