Piling work on the £6.6 million project to replace the Army Reserve Centre (ARC) at Dunfermline started ahead of schedule.
350 piles are being driven into the ground at the rate of 60/70 per day using a vibro piling rig. Work had been due to start on 15 February, but began a day early on the 14th.
The good news followed setbacks caused by the discovery of hazardous materials during initial groundworks. Additional works were undertaken to ensure there was nothing else of a historical nature buried on the site. This meant scanning the ground, then removing and replacing all of the potentially contaminated soil. The site was then backfilled to allow piling to begin.
The Bothwell House project had originally been due to get under way in March 2020. However COVID-19 hit and the national lockdown that followed halted all projects that weren’t already in progress.
In 2022 Henry Brothers won the contract to design and build the new ARC and demolish the original Bruce House. Mott MacDonald is acting as the technical service provider, supporting the Highland RFCA Estates team with project management. The Army-funded project is due to be completed in 2025.
The Dunfermline ARC serves as the Regimental Headquarters for 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistics Corps (RLC); and is home to 239 (Fife) Transport Squadron and the Dunfermline Detachment of The Black Watch Battalion Army Cadet Force (ACF).
The new building will provide first-class facilities, allowing all the units housed there a chance to grow, and will impact positively on training, recruitment and retention.
