EXCITED youngsters have given the brand-new multi-million pound Arthurlie Family Centre a big thumbs up following its completion last week.

Built on the site of the former Auchenback Primary, in Barrhead, the £5.3million facility offers 120 morning and 120 afternoon places for children aged between three and five.

A further 50 part-time places for children aged from birth to three years are also being made available to provide a community space for families.

Vickie Devlin, headteacher at Arthurlie Family Centre, said: “We are delighted to have now relocated into this fabulous new facility, which will provide an amazing learning environment for all our young people.

“Everyone is settling in well and enjoying being in such a fabulous facility, which will also provide fantastic opportunities for the wider Auchenback community.

“We’re looking forward to the exciting future that this will provide for all the children and young people from across the area who will have the opportunity to benefit from this development in the heart of Auchenback.”

The development of Arthurlie Family Centre is part of a wider multi-million pound investment in the council’s school estate to improve services for its youngest residents and communities.

The centre offers seven playrooms, bright modern learning spaces and underfloor heating.

Each playroom also features a canopy and an access door to allow youngsters to make the most of a secure garden.

As well as a fresh new building for the youngsters to enjoy, there are also plans for a name change for the facility.

The facility will be renamed the Sir Harry Burns Centre, named after the former chief medical officer for Scotland.

The famous Barrhead resident and Freeman of East Renfrewshire has long been a advocate of preventative work in communities to improve health and wellbeing.

Plans are still to be developed for the future of the former Arthurlie Family Centre.