Partner Announced To Deliver £200M Public Sector Infrastructure Programme For West Scotland

The West Territory hub Programme Board and the Scottish Futures Trust have announced the appointment of WellSpring Partnership Limited (“WellSpring Partnership”), comprising Community Solutions Investment Partners Ltd, Morgan Sindall Group plc and Apollo Capital Projects Ltd as the partner to deliver over £200m of public sector infrastructure projects for West Scotland’s hub partners*.

One of the primary aims of the hub programme (which is managed by the SFT) is to bring complementary public sector bodies together all under one roof rather than in remotely located buildings to provide a wide range of services for the benefit of local communities.

The West hub will cover all areas throughout Glasgow, Inverclyde, East and West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire. Work will now start in earnest to further expand a number of outline plans in the £200m investment programme to be delivered over the next ten years, which includes a range of health and education projects.

Projects across the West territory will be delivered through a joint venture company (hubCo) formed between the various public sector bodies and the WellSpring Partnership. The flexibility of the hub supply chain will offer many opportunities for local SMEs within the construction industry to become involved in building high-quality public sector buildings in their local area.

The announcement of the WellSpring Partnership as the West territory hub preferred development partner marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the SFT hub programme. The last remaining hub for the South West of Scotland is currently in procurement.

Barry White, chief executive of the Scottish Futures Trust, said: “This is a momentous achievement for SFT and the hub team. In the past 18 months we have announced the appointment of the preferred partners for the South East, North, East Central and West hubs with the last preferred partner for South West hub to be announced in August 2012. When all hubs are operational they will deliver in excess of £1.4bn of infrastructure projects across Scotland by 2020.

“I look forward to the West hubCo working with local suppliers and contractors to deliver quality buildings to provide improved public services for communities right across the West hub territory. “Across Scotland, the hub programme is currently building or developing well in excess of £100m of essential projects which in turn will support service improvements to local communities, and importantly helps protect construction jobs.”

Tony Curran who chairs the West Territory hub Programme Board explained: “The WellSpring Partnership, with its far reaching and dynamic approach is best placed to deliver better value-for-money buildings which will facilitate and enhance joint working across the public sector for the benefit of our communities.”

Representing the WellSpring Partnership, George Farley, director of operations at Community Solutions, said: “We are delighted with our appointment and look forward to working with the public sector partners to start delivery of vital projects which will generate multiple benefits in the areas in which we will serve. “We are already carrying out discussions with a number of local businesses within the hub area who are well placed to become part of the teams for each identified project, in turn enhancing employment opportunities within the local economy.”

*West Scotland hub Participants include: Greater Glasgow Health Board; East and West Dunbartonshire Councils; East Renfrewshire Council; Renfrewshire Council; Glasgow City Council; Inverclyde Council; The Glasgow School of Art; Glasgow Metropolitan College trading as City of Glasgow College; Strathclyde Fire and Rescue; Strathclyde Joint Police Board; The Glasgow Housing Association Limited; Govanhill Housing Association Limited; Elderpark Housing Association Limited; Scottish Ambulance Service; Clydebank re-built and Clyde Gateway Developments Limited.