Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre
Sector: Community & Recreation
Budget: £4.8m
Client: East Dunbartonshire Council
Location: Twechar, East Dunbartonshire
Completed: May 2025
Framework: SCAPE Scotland Construction Framework
“Well done to everyone who has worked so hard to complete construction on the new centre. This is a major step towards the facility being made available to people of all ages and abilities in East Dunbartonshire – offering a range of outdoor activities and opportunities, with community involvement at its heart.”
Councillor Gordan Low,
Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council
Twechar Outdoor Pursuit Centre is now an exciting adventure and community hub for everyone in East Dunbartonshire.
Set beside the historic Forth and Clyde Canal on a once-neglected site, this new £4.8 million centre is helping breathe new life into Twechar. The facility will be a vibrant hub for canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling, and learning activities.
Delivered through the SCAPE Construction framework for East Dunbartonshire Council by Morgan Sindall Construction and local specialists, with project management led by AtkinsRéalis via the SCAPE Scotland Consultancy Framework. Managed by the Twechar Community Action Group, the centre will support health, wellbeing, and community connection, playing a key role in Twechar’s regeneration.
Despite planning and utility challenges, the Twechar Outdoor Pursuit Centre was delivered on time and within budget through strong teamwork and smart construction methods.
Using a prefabricated timber frame made locally, the building was assembled in just three weeks and made weather-tight within a month, reducing disruption to the canal-side setting.
The finished single-storey centre combines a modern design with its heritage surroundings, while solar panels help cut carbon and running costs for the community.
Working alongside the historic Forth and Clyde Canal, a scheduled monument, required careful environmental management to control contamination risks and manage wildlife sensitivities, including badgers and invasive plant species. The team successfully navigated these challenges whilst maintaining the highest environmental standards.
Throughout the Twechar Outdoor Pursuit Centre project, Morgan Sindall delivered strong social value by investing in the local community and workforce. Most of the project spend stayed local, with 80% of costs and 71% of subcontractors sourced within 20 miles, giving a real boost to the local economy.
In total, Morgan Sindall delivered £2.7m in social value, with £8,050 in charitable donations and £17k spent with social enterprises.
Supporting the wider community
Building on a relationship that began through SCAPE's World of Work Tasters programme in 2023, as part of the Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre project, pupils from Lenzie Academy participated in a tailored "Introduction to Construction" programme, combining site visits, practical workshops and careers guidance with support from supply chain partners. Sessions covering timber kits, roofing and cladding, mechanical and electrical services, brickwork and joinery gave students first-hand experience of different trades while introducing career pathways and apprenticeship opportunities.
Delivered in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Council, the initiative formed part of a wider programme that generated 25 apprenticeship weeks, seven work placement weeks and 37 hours of school engagement. The programme's real-world impact was demonstrated when one pupil secured a place on an electrical pre-apprenticeship following participation in the mechanical and electrical workshop.
The series concluded with CV development sessions and career guidance, helping students build confidence, develop valuable skills and gain a greater understanding of opportunities available within the construction industry.
The team also supported the wider community by donating iPads to a local elderly IT group, helping improve digital skills and connections. Now run by the Twechar Community Action Group, the centre will deliver lasting benefits and remain firmly rooted in community ownership.
The project utilised two of SCAPE Scotland’s framework routes: Consultancy for design, project and cost management, and Construction for the delivery of the centre. Together, these routes and the activity of both delivery partners demonstrate how social value can be embedded from the earliest stage of a project and carried through to delivery and beyond.
To read the Consultancy case study for this project, click here.
"Morgan Sindall has gone above and beyond to give our students practical exposure, expert guidance, and an insight into real-world construction projects. The experiences have been incredibly beneficial, equipping our students with skills and confidence as they explore potential career pathways."
Kirstin McDonald
Teacher, Lenzie Academy
Social value outcomes
This project has been submitted by Morgan Sindall Construction and AtkinsRéalis 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.
£2.7m
social value
25 weeks
of apprenticeship/T-Level support
37
school engagement hours
58
volunteering hours
£17k
spent with social enterprises
In collaboration with:
Meet the lead:
Rachel Park
Senior Framework Manager
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