Green Transport Hub and Spokes (Bell Street Hub)
Sector: Transport
Framework: SCAPE Scotland Construction Framework
Client: Dundee City Council
Location: Dundee
Value: £16.3m
Completion: November 2025
“The SCAPE framework enabled early contractor involvement with McLaughlin & Harvey and supported a proactive approach to risk management alongside Dundee City Council’s in-house design team. This early contractor appointment allowed key construction and buildability considerations, as well as targeted early investigations, to be incorporated during the pre-construction stage... Overall, the project demonstrates how SCAPE provides a structured route to managing risk and delivering complex schemes throughout the project lifecycle.”
Claire Higson
Dundee City Council
Dundee’s Bell Street multi-storey car park has been transformed into a green transport hub.
Designed to help support people in changing their travel habits for the future, Dundee’s Bell Street multi-storey car park has been transformed on behalf of Dundee City Council.
A project delivered by McLaughlin & Harvey through the SCAPE Scotland Construction Framework, car parking is now spread across four levels with Electric Vehicle (EV) bays, accessible bays and standard bays available to accommodate every type of car and driver. The ground floor of the car park is also now fully pedestrianised and features information points and meeting spaces.
The initiative was allocated £14.4 million from the previous UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, with £1.6 million for the main works coming from Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Infrastructure Fund.
Dundee City Council wanted to ensure that the employment opportunities and economic benefits of Dundee City Centre were accessible to all residents via sustainable modes of transport. In turn, a wider adoption of sustainable travel would also help the city meet its net-zero targets.
To make this possible, the project set out to refurbish the existing Bell Street multi-storey car park with a focus on regeneration, long-term sustainability, and creating public access to EV chargers within the city centre. Improving air quality, enhancing sustainable access from the north of the city, and addressing transport inequality were all project aims.
The project included installing 350 EV charging points supported by a solar panel array on the roof, a battery storage system, car share spaces and an e-bike hire service.
As the project involved refurbishing and repurposing an existing multi-storey car park, it introduced a high level of uncertainty. Unforeseen issues arose during construction that could not be fully anticipated at the design stage, including the need to adapt methods for downtaking (the controlled removal/dismantling of existing structures) and an increased scope of concrete repairs.
The project was delivered under tight programme constraints and budget pressures, requiring value engineering during the design process and careful sequencing and prioritisation of works.
As it was previously used as a graveyard, the site had historic sensitivities that added complexity to construction activities and required a cautious approach under planning conditions for groundworks.
The project adopted a collaborative, joined-up approach, with Dundee City Council, McLaughlin & Harvey and the wider supply chain working closely throughout. The team implemented a responsive, solutions-led approach on site, allowing issues arising from the existing structure to be addressed quickly without significant delays. Strong site leadership and coordination ensured that programme momentum was maintained despite the site’s constraints.
The hub now provides the people of Dundee with access to sustainable transport options that improve connectivity and make the city centre greener, safer and a more attractive place to live, work and visit.
The final outcome demonstrates the value of early contractor involvement and collaborative working, particularly on technically demanding refurbishment projects. The project achieved its intended outcome as a repurposed transport hub, meeting the client's brief as well as council-wide strategic objectives.
Social impact and sustainability outcomes
The project made a substantial contribution to developing the future construction workforce. Combined with investment in local SMEs, education, community organisations and environmental awareness, these achievements have created lasting social value that extends well beyond the construction phase, supporting long-term employment, skills development, community resilience and sustainable economic growth.
Inspiring the next generation
Why SCAPE Scotland?
Early contractor involvement facilitated by the SCAPE Scotland Construction Framework was a key factor in overcoming project challenges. By enabling early engagement between McLaughlin & Harvey and the council, the SCAPE Scotland framework supported buildability input, investigative works throughout the pre-construction period, and risk mitigation from the outset.
Dundee City Council’s target for apprenticeships on the project was 40 weeks, covering two new and two existing apprentices. McLaughlin & Harvey significantly exceeded this, delivering 804 weeks on site for four new and 37 existing apprentices. Of these apprentices, 18 were based within a 20-mile radius of the site, ensuring that the benefits of employment and training remain rooted in the local community. Two professional Civil Engineering trainees also completed 151 training weeks on site.
During the project, the team helped inspire 486 young people through STEM activities and four school workshops and promoted environmental awareness from an early age by delivering nature-based learning activities and donating environmental education resources to a local nursery.
Community investment
McLaughlin & Harvey supported several local organisations through the Client Community Wishes initiative, including delivering forklift training for a local charity and donations to Dundee Bairns, a charity that supports young children living in areas of deprivation. In total, the team delivered 57 hours of community volunteering, supporting young carers through the Dundee Carers group, a local nature trail launch, and sessions for adults with additional support needs.
Across the project’s workforce and local community, McLaughlin & Harvey ran project-led campaigns supporting Andy's Man Club and Prostate Cancer UK, helping to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing.
SME engagement
With 91% of project spend directed to SMEs, the scheme generated lasting economic and social benefits, supporting local businesses, skills development and community resilience well beyond construction.
Sustainability in construction
To support sustainable energy consumption in the hub, a 200kW photovoltaic (PV) array was installed at roof level, and a 100kW battery energy storage system (BESS) was installed externally to the building. The systems were designed, installed and commissioned to provide power to the 200 x 7 kW EV chargers over four floors.
Social value outcomes
This project has been submitted by McLaughlin & Harvey as part of the collaborative Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report. This report captures the latest insights into the regional and national trends in social value delivery; learn more here.
804
weeks of apprenticeship training delivered
18
apprentices based within a 20-mile radius of the site
91%
of project spend with SMEs
486
young people engaged through STEM activities
57
hours of community volunteering
In collaboration with:
Meet the lead:
Gary Meechan
Operations Director
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