A project to improve the harbour area and main street in Ullapool won the Best Overall Project category at the Scottish Civil Engineering Awards.
Organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Scotland and CECA Scotland, the awards celebrate the best of Scottish civil engineering and how it shapes and adds value to everyday life.
The Ullapool development was designed to improve the A893 which was a narrow main street serving as the main road for ferry access from Ullapool to Stornoway in the Western Isles. For many years the A893 had been cramped for ferry traffic, as well as local businesses and pedestrians who enjoyed the village both for commerce and recreation.
Activities included widening of Shore Street with a widened southern promenade, a new Shore Quay wall with pontoons and a dredged Inner Harbour.
The project was led by RJ McLeod in partnership with Ullapool Harbour Trust, Transport Scotland, Wallace Stone LLP, Inland and Coastal Marina Systems Ltd.
John Macleod, site agent at RJ McLeod, said, “We are immensely proud to have been awarded the Overall Best Project. RJ McLeod and the whole project team worked incredibly hard to overcome the challenge of constructing a new road and marine facility adjacent to an operational Harbour, a live busy trunk road containing multiple utilities, and working on a busy shore front close to businesses and residents.
“The finished works have received widespread praise from locals and visitors alike, and the local community already see the works as their own, a sure sign of a successful community project.”
Kevin Peach, Ullapool Harbour Trust harbourmaster, added, “We are delighted to accept this award on behalf of our community who immediately came on board with the vision and formed a volunteer steering group that was instrumental in the overall design and material choice.”
ICE Scotland regional director Ben Westland commented, “I wish to thank the 20 excellent teams who entered projects this year and would like to congratulate all the winning projects. All have made an outstanding contribution to Scotland – not just to our economy, but to our people, our environment and to our community well-being.”
Grahame Barn, chief executive of CECA Scotland, said, “This is a celebration of civil engineering innovation and success here in Scotland. The Scottish Civil Engineering Awards is a unique opportunity to recognise the contribution that civil engineers make to shaping our everyday lives and the world around us.”
The full list of winners is as follows:
- Best Project Under £2M – St Andrews Landslip Remediation (Morrison Construction, Scottish Water, Geo-Rope, Allen Gordon LLP)
- Resilience Award – Caol and Lochyside Flood Protection Scheme (RJ McLeod, Highland Council, JBA Consulting, Stantec)
- Refurbishment Award – Camps Viaduct Underbridge Refurbishment (Story Contracting, Network Rail, MHB Consultants)
- Innovation Award – Crinan Canal Lock Gate 15 Replacement(Mackenzie Construction, Scottish Canals, MHB Consultants)
- Geotechnical Award – Blindwells (I & H Brown Ltd, Hargreaves Services, Gleeds, Waterman Group, Currie & Brown, EPC Associates Ltd)
- Marine Award – Lochmaddy Pier Upgrade (George Leslie, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Wallace Stone LLP, Caledonian Maritime Assets)
- Best Infrastructure Project – A939 Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge (Wills Bros Group, Aberdeenshire Council, Arcadis, Moxon Architects Ltd)
- Best Overall Project 2024 – Ullapool Shore Street and Inner Harbour Improvements (RJ McLeod, Ullapool Harbour Trust, Transport Scotland, Wallace Stone LLP, Inland and Coastal Marina Systems Ltd)
