Last week, two tower blocks in the Gorbals were demolished.

Flats 305 to 341 on Caledonia Road were brought down by way of controlled explosion on Sunday, June 29.

(Image: The towers before demolition. Picture by Gordon Terris, Newsquest.)

(Image: Picture credit: Julie Howden) It was a sad day for those who lived in the flats, some for decades, and also marked another change to the Gorbals skyline as Waddell Court is now the sole remaining tower block in the area.

It comes after the demolition of the Sandiefield Road towers in 2013, the Norfolk Court towers in 2016, the Stirlingfauld Place towers in 2008 and Queen Elizabeth Square in 1993.

(Image: (Image: Demolition of flats at Stirlingfauld Place in the Gorbals. Nick Ponty Staff.))

(Image: (Image: Demolition of flats in Queen Elizabeth Square in Gorbals)) So, what happens now that the Caledonia Road demolition is complete?

After the debris from the demolition is cleared – which will take around 14 weeks – contractors, Dem-Master Demolition, will begin excavating the slab and foundations, before backfilling the site to suitable levels. This phase is expected to take them into January 2026.

The rubble piles from the demolished blocks will be taken to Dem-Master’s processing facility in Glasgow. The material will then be crushed and recycled. 100% of materials from the full project will be diverted from landfill and used to make up ground in construction projects.

A spokesperson for Dem-Master Demolition said they would once again like to thank the local community for their invaluable cooperation, which significantly helped them expedite this section of the works safely and successfully.

They added: “Their understanding and support were crucial to maintaining our project timeline and safety standards.”

Fraser Stewart, director of New Gorbals Housing Association, also wanted to extend thanks to all tenants and residents for their co-operation.

READ NEXT: I saw the demolition of the Caledonia Road flats in Glasgow

Picture credit: Elder and Cannon Work will then begin around March 2026 to build 152 homes for social rent, which will be built by New Gorbals Housing Association (NGHA).

The project is anticipated to take around 18 months to complete, with the homes hopefully ready for around autumn 2027.

The homes will be a mixture of six and seven-storey flatted blocks, with some townhouses and a number of wheelchair-accessible homes, to help address the demand on NGHA housing lists.

Elder and Cannon and Page\Park will be the architects of the project.

Picture credit: Page\Park Fraser said: “NGHA’s intention is to design and build great homes with a strong sense of place for all of the tenants to live in.

“We are delighted that two of Glasgow’s excellent architectural practices, Elder and Cannon, and Page\Park, have produced designs that are as beautiful and dramatic and well crafted as the Gorbals deserves.”

READ NEXT: Glasgow reacts to Caledonia Road flats demolition in Gorbals

The strategy for new homes was agreed between NGHA, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government.

Picture credit: Page\Park

Picture credit: Elder and Cannon The Glasgow Times headed along to the demolition and heard some heartwarming and humorous tales from former residents of the flats – including stories of people growing fruit on their verandas.

One local claimed that he used to leave for work and come home to find that his tomato plant had almost doubled in size due to the heat on the 23rd floor.

However, many couldn’t speak as they were overcome with emotion, and the phrase “end of an era” was repeated by everyone.

To keep up to date with all the latest from the New Gorbals Housing Association, visit newgorbalsha.org.uk