Member Article

Hebburn's Castle Building Services lands £3.5m sports centre contract

Castle Building Services has been awarded a £3.5m contract for the construction of Oriam, Scotland’s new national Sports Performance Centre, costing a total of £33m.

The Hebburn-based developer, which specialises in the design and installation of mechanical and electrical (M and E) building services, has been appointed by main contractor Bowmer and Kirkland to work on the new centre on site at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Campus.

It will act as the performance base for both the Scottish FA and Scottish Rugby Union, as well as the sportscotland institute of sport (East), Basketball Scotland, Scottish Handball, Scottish Squash and Racketball and Scottish Volleyball.

The new centre will include a full-sized indoor pitch with seating for 500, top-level grass and synthetic outdoor pitches, a high performance strength and conditioning centre, a high performance medical centre and hydrotherapy pool, fitness centres, studios and support services.

Castle’s scope of work includes the installation of all mechanical and electrical services to both the sports dome - which features hydro therapy pools and sophisticated HD/CCTV for the elite sportsmen and women training, who will be able to video themselves - as well as the outdoor MUGAs.

The biggest challenge on the scheme for Castle’s team is going to be lighting the 3G pitch from the perimeter rather than using traditional 23m high lighting suspended over the centre of the pitch.

Speaking about this latest contract win and Castle’s further opportunity to work closely with Bowmer and Kirkland, the firm’s operations director, David Harland said: “We are delighted that Bowmer and Kirkland has once more chosen to appoint us to work on their behalf, on such a prestigious scheme as Oriam.

“We have a number of challenges to overcome with the project having to cater for a multitude of activities. However I am confident that our ability, coupled with our experience of working on smaller but similarly complex projects, will ensure the building and outdoor facilities will be delivered to meet all Sport Scotland requirements.”

Bowmer and Kirkland’s regional director for the North East and Scotland, Alan Johansen, added: “We have developed a great reputation for delivering landmark buildings and our work on Oriam will be no different.

“We have worked with Castle Building Services Organisation on a number of projects both here in the region and in Scotland and have every confidence that they will do a good job. Work is progressing well on what will be a true state-of-the-art facility which will support Scotland’s top athletes to be the best they can be. “

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .