Villagers have secured £144,000 to buy Thornhill’s old primary school.
The Thornhill Collective wants to turn the disused B-listed building into an entrepreneurial hub for the community.
The group – made up of artists, designers and business people – received the cash boost from the Scottish Land Fund.
Spokesman Daniel Sparrow said: “We are over the moon. It’s a big milestone for our project.”
The building is owned by Buccleuch Estates and lies opposite the new Wallace Hall Academy.
It was erected in 1904 and has a central assembly hall and five classrooms.
The collective plans to redevelop it as studios, offices, hot desking facilities, workshops, a performance space, a community kitchen and a creative studio for Wallace Hall students who have an award-winning design and robotics team.
The villagers have already carried out a feasibility study, business plan and initial architectural work thanks to £20,000 of grant aid secured almost a year ago.
David Smith, of the collective, said: “We are delighted with the award and look forward to working with our community to make this project happen for the benefit of Thornhill and Mid Nithsdale.
“In 2017 we came together with an idea to buy and transform our old school into an innovative, design-led community asset – a space that would foster creative collaboration and benefit our village and the surrounding communities. It has been exciting to see that initial idea grow and develop into a strong business model through our consultation.
“With the support from the Scottish Land Fund we’re now one step closer to making it happen.”
