Dumbarton Urban Realm
Sector: Public Realm
Framework: SCAPE Scotland Civil Engineering
Client: West Dunbartonshire Council
Budget: £2.7m
Completion: January 2024
"The contribution from Balfour Beatty has been absolutely phenomenal… it just looks wonderful. It takes it away from being what some people would consider a bit of an eyesore, into something that looks fixed, and it looks valuable – it looks like a good place to go. We wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the time, as much as the money, and just that whole team effort."
Fran Alston
Vice Chair, Old Kirkpatrick Food Parcels
Enhanced public realm works have revitalised Dumbarton town centre.
Connecting Dumbarton is a transformational project which aims to create a welcoming, safe, attractive, and pleasant environment between the Dumbarton Central Station and the Town Centre. Delivered by Balfour Beatty via the SCAPE Scotland Civil Engineering framework, the £2.7m project forms part of the wider Dumbarton Town Centre regeneration programme.
Wider masterplans for 'Connecting Dumbarton' include new residential accommodation alongside a range of supporting retail, commercial, leisure and community uses. In support of this regeneration programme of works, Balfour Beatty were tasked to create a welcoming gateway into the town centre from Dumbarton Central Station, alongside enhancing active travel infrastructure and the historic connection along the former College Street.
Delivered on time and within budget, the works have revitalised Dumbarton town centre. Local residents and visitors to Dumbarton now benefit from:
- Improved routing of NCN7 section between the Dumbarton Central Station and Risk Street, making route finding easier for first time visitors.
- Enhanced public realm around Dumbarton Central Station using high-quality pedestrian environment and improved pedestrian crossing to create a more welcoming and inviting arrival into Dumbarton.
- Improved pedestrian and cycle infrastructure making it easier and safer to walk or cycle, and encouraging modal shift to walking wheeling and cycling for local journeys.
Alongside project delivery, Balfour Beatty generated more than £463,000 in added social value and a bespoke social impact action plan for the Connecting Dumbarton project included:
- 36 hours dedicated to support young people into work.
- 20 weeks of training opportunities delivered.
- 14 hours supporting local schools and colleges.
- 32 hours volunteering to support local community projects.
- Zero Environmental Incidents & Zero RIDDORS.
- 98.54% waste reduced from landfill – equating to 2,901.90 tonnes.
Tangible community benefit
Sustainable Employment | Construction Academy
Throughout the Connecting Dumbarton project, West Dunbartonshire Council and Balfour Beatty designed and delivered a Construction Academy for local young people looking to pursue a career in construction.
The course offered 10 young people the opportunity to gain qualifications, build their networks, develop their knowledge, and learn new skills. The course provided practical sessions and workshops supported by Skills Development Scotland, the WISE Group and Working 4U.
Community Legacy | The Wee Chatty Café
The primary purpose of Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels is the prevention and provision of relief from food poverty in the local area. They also aim to relieve social isolation through community hubs, such as The Wee Chatty Café.
The Wee Chatty Café is located down at the Salting’s, just below the Erskine Bridge, and offers free food, a listening ear, a smile and a safe place for anyone who needs it. Balfour Beatty's connection with the charity was made through the West Dunbartonshire Council’s community benefits support service, and was quickly identified as an organisation which the Connecting Dumbarton project could offer meaningful support and a legacy of social impact for the local community.
Alongside their supply chain partners, Balfour Beatty carried out the works needed to provide a raised platform and improve the access to the café. Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels, OKFP Hub and The Wee Chatty Café offer such a wide range of support, services and opportunities for their local community and this project will give support the charity to continue with their great work long into the future.
The project team and supply chain provided 32 hours of volunteering to design the raised platform and, in joint delivery with the Exxon Site Infrastructure Development project, around £20k of benefit in kind through building materials, plant, specialist skills and labour – demonstrating the benefits of SCAPE Scotland frameworks being utilised within the local authority area.
Social Value Delivery
This project has been submitted by Balfour Beatty as part of the collaborative Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report. This report captures the latest insight into the regional and national trends in social value delivery, learn more here.
£463,279
Social value generated
£0.17
Added social value per £1 spend
100%
Fair payment
94%
SME engagement
75%
Local spend within 40 miles
In collaboration with:
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Social Value in Construction
Benchmarking Report
SCAPE's annual report in collaboration with Social Value Portal that captures the latest insight into the regional and national trends in social value delivery.