Yet another delay for Engine Shed
Now building won’t open until later in year
A multi-million pound project to revamp a landmark Stirling building faces further delays.
The £8.9 million transformation of the Engine Shed in Forthside was due to be completed last June but that date was revised to this spring following construction difficulties.
Now it has emerged the refurbishment of the building, which is being turned into a national centre for the teaching of traditional building skills,will not open until later this year..
The disused former military building near the ‘Spikey Bridge’ is to become a conservation hub but the project has been beset by problems such as site contamination making the transformation more complicated than originally thought.
Livingston-based main contractor Esh Border Construction began work on the project in May 2015, which involves a complete renovation of the former military building and the erection of extensions on either side.
Interior walls of the Engine Shed have been restored and the floor has been returned to its original level. Existing openings are being restored to their original proportions, with others being created to provide access to the new sheds.
Historic Environment Scotland said this week that they were working with contractors to complete the project later this year.
A spokesman said: “The Engine Shed is a landmark project that will see the creation of a worldclass building conservation hub in Stirling.
“A key priority for us is to ensure the delivery a high quality facility that meets the ambitions of the Engine Shed and its role in the future of building conservation in Scotland.
“As with any construction project there have been a number of challenges to overcome, including significant ground contamination, external landscaping works, design detailing and programming, which have led to delays in timescales and the delivery of the Engine Shed project.
“These issues and their extent could not have been reasonably foreseen. Additional time spent effectively managing and resolving these mean that completion has now been extended beyond spring time.”
The Observer understands that some of the problems encountered include having to access specialist drilling machinery for groundworks, as the rock the site is on is one of the hardest surfaces in Europe, and contamination from the previous use of land there by the military.
The building formed part of the extensive Forthside military compound in central Stirling between 1890 and the 1980s.
Forthside was a core military depot storing and transporting supplies, equipment and munitions across the country using the rail and river network. The Engine Shed used small trains known as ‘pugs’ to shunt wagons for loading with supplies for distribution.