Frame up for new Greenock health centre

More than 450t of structural steelwork has been erected to form the frame for the new Greenock Health and Care Centre in Scotland.

The £21M centre, located on the site of a former academy, will bring together four existing GP practices, district nurses, health visitors, dental and podiatry departments, and a number of out-patient clinics, alongside a community café.

Working on behalf of the main contractor BAM Construction, Hescott Engineering fabricated, supplied and erected the steel for the project.

Hub West Scotland is the main client, and its Chairman John Brown says: “The current facilities at Greenock Health Centre are out-dated and not ideal for the provision of modern health and social care services.

“This new purpose-built centre has been designed to be much more than a simple replacement of the existing facility. It has the potential to bring together the key elements from a range of professions to tackle health inequalities, improve health and contribute to social regeneration.”

Including the ground floor, the steel-framed centre is a four-storey structure measuring approximately 50m x 50m. The large square building features a large open centre, which will accommodate a landscaped garden.

Commenting on the project, Hescott Engineering Director Chris Scott said: “The erection of the steel frame was difficult due to the sloping nature of the site. The difference in level between the lowest base and the highest base is 7150mm, which over the width of the site is quite significant. Consequently, loads had to be scheduled to suit where the cranes and MEWPs could be positioned.”