Work starts on Leuchars’ £22m health centre former airbase

The contract, worth almost £22m, was awarded to GRAHAM last year, and this week a ceremony was held at the British Army base to mark the start of construction.

The new building will replace the aging current medical and dental centre, which was built in 1936. It will be demolished and all staff transferred to the new centre which will be of sufficient size to cater for the increasing number of personnel forecast to be based at the station in the coming years as it becomes the Army’s hub in Scotland. Around 3700 personnel and their dependents will benefit from the new building, which will house physical rehabilitation and mental health facilities as well as GP and dental services.

The building has been carefully designed to be as sustainable as possible, including through thermal efficiency, solar panels, air source heat pumps and provision of four electric vehicle charging stations.

Shaun Purdy, Defence Infrastructure Organisation project manager, said: “While the current medical and dental centre has hosted great medical care, it is important that we continually strive to improve and modernise. This new, larger facility will ensure that personnel and their families continue to receive the best possible care into the future in a modern clinical practice.

“Working closely with Defence Medical Services, UK Strategic Command and partners it was agreed that a brand-new building is by far the best solution and will provide the sort of high-quality medical and dental care our personnel deserve. It will provide a modern building suited not only for patients, but also for our dedicated professional medical staff.”

The base has been home to the army for a decade after previously serving as an air base and is now home to troops who served in Germany.

Major TB Gray, station quartermaster, said: “The new healthcare facility is one of many ongoing and planned multi-million-pound projects which will see Leuchars transform from an aging RAF site into the largest army garrison in Scotland.

“Our medical provision required a full new build, which when finished will support the Leuchars service community and dependents alike. This shows that the MOD is serious in the development of Leuchars into a modern Garrison with state-of-the-art facilities to support its operational capability.”

The work was also welcomed by Surgeon Commodore Andy Nelstrop, Cdr Defence Primary Healthcare.

He said: “Delivering expert healthcare to our Armed Forces and ensuring that they are able to see a medical professional quickly is a priority for all those who work within Defence Primary Healthcare.

“It is fundamental that all our medical personnel and patients can work and be treated in a modern environment and have access to the latest equipment and resources which is why the construction of this new centre is so important. “It is just one part of our ongoing programme to ensure everyone in our military receive the primary healthcare they deserve, and I am delighted that all those based at Leuchars will soon be able to benefit from this fantastic facility.”

Chris MacLeod, GRAHAM Building North’s regional director, added: “We are delighted to be continuing our longstanding relationship with Defence Infrastructure Organisation to help deliver new and improved health and wellbeing facilities for the military personnel and their families.”