A milestone has been reached on a £15.4 million town centre office development in Dumbarton.

Main contractor Lendlease has completed structural work at the former Dumbarton Academy site and the project remains on schedule for staff to move into the new offices in early 2018.

Designed by Keppie Design, the former school is being redeveloped into a modern and efficient town centre base. Conservation works to the William Leiper-designed, Grade-A listed façade are well underway with support from a Historic Environment Scotland grant to ensure the façade is retained as part of Dumbarton's Heritage.

The new facility will include a public Service Desk area with a multi-use civic space, training and meeting rooms to the front, with a new office building to the rear. In addition, a 195-space space car park will be developed at the rear of the building, including 10 accessible car parking spaces and 10 spaces for electric vehicle. Storage for 80 bikes will also be provided and the Council has been developing a Green Travel Plan to promote healthier and cost effective ways of commuting.

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As well as Lendlease and Keppie Design, other project partners include Rybka are the service engineers, Curtins are the civil and structural engineers and CDM Doig & Smith are the quantity surveyors.

Speaking during the topping out ceremony, Cllr Iain McLaren said: "I am delighted to be able to officially mark the topping out of the new Dumbarton offices and it's great to see how far work has come at the site.

"It's clear that the Garshake building is no longer fit for purpose as a modern working environment and the new facility will greatly improve conditions for staff and members of the public who visit to use the services. And as well as that, moving 500 Council staff to the town centre will certainly give the area a much-needed and welcome financial boost."

(LM)