Highland Heritage Centre – Tourism Development

Extremely unusual and challenging project requiring a multidisciplinary approach and a variety of skills to manage the overall design and approvals necessary for construction. The development included:

• Conversion of an existing derelict railway station to a shop – this was done in such a way as to try and retain the character of the original building
• Formation of new road access off existing trunk road
• Formation of a parking area with specialist drainage design for parking and access road
• Formation of Highland games area and stand alone viewing shed
• Erection of toilet block
• Conversion of railway carriages to form cafe
• Erection of maintenance shed in the form of an old railway carriage
• Installation of a miniature railway
• Maintenance shed for miniature railway

To obtain planning permission it was necessary to co-ordinate a number of specialist reports including a Phase 1 habitat survey and protected species report, species protection plan, Phase 1 contaminated land report, Phase II site investigation, design appraisal for the new road access, road safety audit, Tree Protection Plan, Arboricultural method statement together with an outline Construction Method Statement.

Having obtained planning permission a phased approach was then taken to move the project forward, starting with the new road access, conversion of the station building, erection of the toilet block, conversion of the railway carriages before finishing with the miniature railway.

A local contractor, AW Laing, was approached with a view to carrying out and co-ordinating the construction work and a tender negotiated on the basis of the drawings and specification.

Ultimately the success of the project was only made possible through the co-operation of all involved, starting with the initial vision of the client to create something different. There were a number of unique solutions required for this project. I for one, had no idea how we were going to join 2 railway carriages successfully together, but by co-ordinating with the structural engineer, blacksmith, main contractor and estate manager, we came up with an approach that proved successful. Similarly designing a pizza oven breaking through into a railway carriage was a journey into the unknown, but again, proper research, talking things through with the team on site prior to construction followed by rigorous testing on site have worked wonders.