CONSTRUCTION and infrastructure firm Robertson is expecting a “bright new financial year” for its Eastern business, with an £80 million order book.
Robertson Eastern operated in an area encompassing Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Angus. The firm has a number of projects already underway, including student accommodation, social housing and projects with NHS Grampian and showroom developments for John Clark Motor Group.
The firm has two developments for Superscheme limited, part of the Watkin Jones Group. Caledon Court student accommodation, adjacent to the main RGU Campus at Garthdee, is scheduled to complete this summer and will see 199 new student beds made available with a mix of studio flats and apartments.
The Pittodrie Street student community is to grow with development ongoing for an additional 618 beds. This project, for the same client, is to be completed in two phases, with Block B scheduled for the 2018 university year and Block A in the summer of 2019.
Work has commenced to deliver a new Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Dundee, while refurbishment works have begun on the Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Elgin. A BMW, Mini, Motorrad showroom in Dundee is to begin construction in the summer.
Robertson Eastern is also working in partnership to deliver nearly £25 million of affordable homes across the northeast, with developments in Ballater, Fraserburgh and Peterhead. A 101-unit development, aimed at key workers, is also to be built close to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI). The £14 million project is scheduled to start on-site this spring.
These projects were procured through Scape Group’s National Major Works framework, now superseded by the Major Works Scotland part of the (Scape) National Construction framework, and delivered by Robertson in partnership with Willmott Dixon.
The Robertson Easton team is now mobilising for the final phase of the five-year £52 million programme of work at the ARI. This ongoing project is worth £4.5 million to Robertson and is set to include a range of improvements to the ground and basement levels. Other works include improvements to the central stores, lift upgrades, reroofing works and the creation of the new Day of Surgery Admissions unit.
Andy Day, managing director of Robertson Eastern said, “Were tremendously pleased to be starting the financial year with such a strong order book. The fact that we’re seeing so much repeat business is very encouraging.
“It’s a varied portfolio of design and build projects that we have been working with clients on and I also look forward to seeing some of these come to fruition at the end of the year.
“It has been a challenging market but we made a strategic decision to develop work in sectors where there was greater activity such as student accommodation and affordable housing. We are involved with over one thousand student rooms and over three hundred and fifty affordable homes. With some confidence returning to the property market we need to add to this impressive start of the year and are constantly seeking future opportunities.”
