WHITFIELD Consulting Services (WCS) has announced it is expanding its UK presence with a new office in Edinburgh, headed up by principal civil engineer Shane Govender PrEng CEng MICE.
Joining WCS’ existing offices in London and Northern Ireland, the new base builds on the company’s existing project experience in Scotland and across the UK and Ireland.
WCS is already active in Scotland, including on the Keith BESS project in Moray, while previous work has included a feasibility study for the 349MW Blackhillock BESS in Aberdeenshire.
MD Asa Whitfield said, “Scotland has a fantastic civil engineering heritage, and today it is at the heart of another major engineering undertaking. With significant public and private investment driving renewable energy and infrastructure development, there is a real sense of momentum behind the transition to net zero. We want WCS to be part of that story.”
Power and energy will be a key focus for the new office. The team will also draw on WCS’ wider rail and civils & structures capability, including bridges, roads, drainage and culverts, retaining structures, structural assessments, and geotechnical and foundation design.
“Our depth of experience gives us the capability to support clients across a broad range of infrastructure projects,” Shane Govender commented. “We work with network operators, principal contractors, integrators and developers, often on complex projects where civil, structural and electrical requirements need to be coordinated closely. The value we bring is being able to anticipate challenges early, stay close to what is happening on site and respond quickly when issues arise, helping clients keep projects moving.”
Shane is an experienced civil engineer with a background in power and energy and complex infrastructure projects. Prior to joining WCS, he worked across southern Africa and on international projects, gaining experience in high-voltage substations, overhead lines and associated civil and structural infrastructure. Since 2023, he has worked with WCS on BESS, substations, grid infrastructure and rail projects across the UK.
