Renfrewshire Council has appointed Kier Construction to transform and enhance Paisley Museum.

The company is set to deliver the £23million main works programme.

Members of the council's Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board authorised the appointment of Kier Construction as the main works contractor that will transform the A-listed building. Final negotiations will now take place with a view to formally appointing Kier next month. This will result in work beginning on site in early summer with construction likely being completed by late 2022, reopening to the public in 2023.

This marks a significant milestone in the £42million redevelopment of the museum - the signature project in Paisley's radical regeneration which also includes refurbishments of the town's A-listed town hall and a new learning and cultural hub housing library services on the town's high street.

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The museum transformation project is an important part of Paisley's economic recovery from lockdown both in terms of the on-site activity that will take place during the construction phase and in the increased footfall that will follow when the museum reopens to the public. When Paisley Museum opens its doors it is expected to attract 128,000 visitors each year from Scotland, the UK and overseas and provide a £79million economic boost to the area over the next 30 years.

Paisley Museum Reimagined Project Director, Kirsty Devine, said: "The approval to appoint the main works contractor is an exciting step forward in realising our ambitions of radically transforming this prominent symbol of Paisley's past for future generations.

"A great deal of work has taken place behind the scenes over the last year to help realise our vision for the museum and once the contractor is formally appointed and work begins on site in early summer the public will start to see that vision take shape.

"Paisley Museum was founded as a place of learning at the heart of the town and this redevelopment project will preserve that for years to come, while showcasing the town's globally-significant story like never before.

"The project will not only deliver a cultural facility of significance for Scotland, it will also help transform Paisley's perception of itself, develop a visitor economy, lead the regeneration of the town centre and once again give Paisley a confident, outward-facing profile to the world."