Former teachers and pupils in the South Side have shared fond childhood memories of their time at Holmlea Primary School as the resurrection of the Edwardian building has been completed. 

Developers sent transformation pictures of the finished site to teachers and pupils as residents now settle into their new homes. 

The school said goodbye to children and employees for the last time in 2004 after it faced an estimated repair bill of £5 million. A merger with another school was decided and the building was sadly left abandoned. 

Glasgow Times:

The elegant grade B baroque style school remained a familiar and fond part of the local community but was left unused until 2018 before UK housing association Home Group bought the development over. 

A restoration process saw the former school transformed from classrooms into 49 affordable homes for the Cathcart community. 

One former pupil named Colin McKellar uploaded the photos onto the dedicated ‘Holmlea Primary School’ Facebook page where it had over 100 likes and almost 60 positive comments from former teachers and pupils.

Glasgow Times:

He said: “They’ve made such a good job, it’s really beautiful. 

“It was strange to see the door of my old P7 classroom as someone’s house now. It’s really like stepping back in time. I kept expecting to hear the bell.”

Another ex-pupil, Steven Smith said: "It is amazing to see the transformation of this beautiful building and brings back happy memories of my primary school life at Holmlea."

And the new customers moving into their new homes couldn’t be more excited.

Glasgow Times:

One customer, who is a former pupil of the school, said: “I was a pupil at Holmlea Primary school in Primary one 46 years ago.

"We moved home shortly afterwards, so I didn’t stay at the school, but I think it’s great that I’m now living amongst the old classrooms, there are so many memories here for so many people.

"The flat we have is brilliant. Fantastic views and my daughter and I have our own private spaces. We couldn’t ask for more.”

Glasgow Times:

The category B listed building is an example of the Glassgow schools designed by Andrew Balfour in the early 1900's. 

The building's original features were maintained during the development through Home Group's collaboration with Historic Environment Scotland.