Scottish Construction Hubs Boost

The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) have helped to generate £200 million-worth of construction projects in the last year. SFT will also continue to be a vital helping hand for the Scottish construction industry to make its recovery from the impact of Coronavirus

The trust set up a programme of five hubs, each of which are a partnership between both the public and private sectors. With investment from each of the hubs leading to £205.4 million-worth of construction contracts being let in the 12 months to Q1 2020, in accordance to Glenigan’s construction data.

Allan Wilén, Glenigan’s Economic Director said: “Levels of public sector construction spending remain high in Scotland compared to England, in part due to the funding projects through the SFT.”

The South East Scotland hub generated the majority of work by value on the last year, which includes a £14.3 million primary school in Calderwood, which has been developed with West Lothian Council.

The South West of Scotland had the largest number of individual schemes, which included a £27 million school in Stevenson, for Norther Ayrshire Council, and is being build by Morrison.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some hub schemes have been temporarily closed, an example of this is the £11 million New Madras College in St Andrews, with research showing the new site has since reopened. Fife Council have developed the scheme in conjunction with the East Central hub, which has a multitude of other work in the pipeline. These include a £20 million conversion of Perth City Hall into a tourist attraction due to start in autumn, and a £1.2 million nursery at Lochgelly High School.

The North of Scotland hub has helped NHS Highland realise a £18.5 million community hospital in Aviemore, and, has other plans in the pipeline including a £500,000 health and social care club at Castlebay on the Western Isles.

The West of Scotland hub’s work included a £15.1 million health and care centre in Clydebank, developed in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Trust. These hubs will also generate projects as part of wider developments and this scheme takes part of a £250 million residential and housing scheme in Clydebank.

The SFT have also brought forward major developments such as the £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh, proposals to turn brownfield area into a new coastal town featuring 3,500 homes were unveiled in February.

The city council has also committed £196 million, and housing associations including Port of Leith, Link and Places for People are already delivering around 700 new homes. CCG for example was on site with Plot Three for 104 flats before COVID-19 struck, and other packages are in the pipeline.

The Scottish Futures Trust and council are also working with the National Museums Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland ad Edinburgh College in order to deliver other projects in and around Granton Waterfront.

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