Redevelopment work is underway at Kirkintilloch Town Hall in East Dunbartonshire.

Construction has started to transform the building into a "modern centre for heritage, arts, culture and community use."

The council has been working alongside development partner hub West Scotland, contractors and East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture (EDLC) Trust to develop the town hall design.

Plans include creating:

• Ground-floor event space

• New entrance, reception and vestibule


• First-floor heritage display, reflecting Kirkintilloch's rich history (in association with EDLC)

• New office and community space

• Kitchen, store room, toilets and locker room

Council Leader Rhondda Geekie said: "This major investment in Kirkintilloch town centre - and one of its most recognisable buildings - has been long sought-after and I am delighted that work is now underway.

"It has been a long road - involving a huge amount of hard work. We have liaised with a variety of partners in the community - in both public and private sectors - to secure funding support.

"The aim is not to restore the inside of the town hall as it exactly was before. Times have changed and the interior will be radically different - and able to accommodate a variety of uses.

"There is a huge amount of investment currently taking place in Kirkintilloch. All of it is aimed at transforming the town centre and helping to ensure it not only survives, but thrives."

(LM)