FOR almost 40 years they have towered above the Gorbals ... giant monuments to the 1960s dream of communities in the sky.

FOR almost 40 years they have towered above the Gorbals ... giant monuments to the 1960s dream of communities in the sky.

But by this time next week, the Stirlingfaulds flats will be reduced to thousands of tonnes of rubble - and a new era in housing will begin.

Health and safety rules mean we can't reveal the exact moment of demolition; suffice to say it is imminent.

For community activist Jimmy Mutter, who lives in the shadow of the towers, the demolition of the two 23-storey blocks by the Glasgow Housing Association is a pivotal moment in the history of the Gorbals.

It marks a new beginning, and the realisation of a dream for Laurieston.

Jimmy, 72, is Gorbals born and bred, was the local councillor for 23 years and is now chairman of the Laurieston Regeneration Committee. He has battled tirelessly to see the area improved.

That is what is going to happen over the next decade, as an ambitious regeneration plan costing £350million takes shape.

Nearby Norfolk Court - Stirlingfauld's neighbouring twin blocks - is also targeted for demolition.

Permission has been granted to erect 1600 quality homes - in the style of Park Circus in the West End - in their place.

Shops, offices and community facilities will sit side by side along wide European-style boulevards, while a park will give residents a place to relax.

According to Jimmy, a grandfather of eight married to Tilda for 45 years, it is time for these major changes.

"Families don't want to live like this any more," he says, looking up at the 23 storeys of concrete.

"They have better expectations and want low-level homes in a vibrant community.

And who can blame them?

"Blocks like Stirlingaulds were a good idea at the time and, compared to the crumbling old tenements, they were like palaces. But in the longer term they didn't work.

"I'm confident this time we're getting it right."

Jimmy believes Laurieston, if given the chance, will thrive again.

He says: "I'm very proud of the Gorbals and its people. Planners now come from all over the world to see the regeneration in nearby New Gorbals.

"Our plan for Laurieston is fantastic - people will want to live and work here again."

Many view multi-storeys as damaging architectural and sociological mistakes.

But to the families who lived there for generations, the flats - which once housed 2000 people - were home.

Dorothy Denham lived on the 16th floor from when the flats were completed in 1973 until 1996.

The mother-of-two had previously lived in a nearby tenement, which was overcrowded and had an outside toilet.

The retired catering manager, now 72 says: "The new flats were lovely, with fitted kitchens and bathrooms - something we had never had - and a fantastic view."

Lena Borland agrees. She moved to the 15th floor, also in 1973, after years in a tenement no longer fit for habitation.

The grandmother of two says: "There was such a great community spirit in the flats. Everyone pulled together and looked out for each other.

"We ran arts and crafts classes for the children, and took them on bus runs to Ayr and Prestwick."

But by the mid-80s, the flats had become rundown, and the council did not have the cash to improve them.

Residents were forced to climb 23 flights of stairs with buggies when the lifts broke down, which they often did for weeks at a time.

And the residents changed too.

"By the 80s they were letting anyone live in the flats," says Dorothy. "Drug dealers, drug takers, and anti-social families moved from elsewhere.

"It was awful. Lots of decent families moved away, and the flats got a very bad reputation. They were finished by then - there was no way back."

Both Dorothy and Lena moved out in 1996, settling minutes away from their former homes.

"I'll be there to see the flats come down," says Lena. "I might even shed a wee tear when I think of the happy times I had living there.

"But demolishing them is the best idea GHA ever had."

Dorothy adds: "The plan for the area is smashing and the new houses look lovely. I just hope the folk that move in appreciate them. It will transform the place."