A main contractor is being sought to undertake a project to restore the University of Edinburgh's historic McEwan Hall.

The revamp will cost £18m and will see the building transformed with maintenance and repair issues being addressed, including damp, damage to the exterior stonework, and cracked ceilings.

Accessibility and capacity would also be improved at the restored venue.

External and stonework repairs at McEwan Hall were procured separately and are now almost complete, it is understood. As for the interior works, they will take around two years to complete. The hall will close for the duration of the works which include:

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• Restoring the damaged exterior Victorian stonework

• Constructing a new public facing entrance building and link which leads visitors directly into an extended basement area from a redeveloped Bristo Square

• Creating new flexible basement accommodation which will support the vision of McEwan Hall being used throughout the year

• Renovating and developing the existing basement area, including providing additional toilet facilities to accommodate the numbers of guests for graduations, examinations, lectures and public events

• Landscaping the Bristo Square area to make it more accessible and safe, as well as increasing its potential as a significant public space for activities and performances

• Restoring the main hall, making it a spectacular multi-functional space.

Work is scheduled to commence in February.

The PQQ document is available here.

The closing date for submissions is 10 October.

(JP/CD)