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Fri March 29 2024

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Morrison to build new Edinburgh home for British Geological Survey

16 Oct 14 Morrison Construction has won a £12.4m contract to build a new marine research laboratory at Heriot-Watt University.

Heriot-Watt University will host the Sir Charles Lyell Centre
Heriot-Watt University will host the Sir Charles Lyell Centre

The construction cost is significantly higher than the £9.4m estimate in the contract notice that was published in April.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) and Heriot-Watt University are joining forces to create the Sir Charles Lyell Centre on the university’s Edinburgh campus. It is expected to be one of Europe's leading centres for research and expertise in the earth and marine sciences.

BGS is relocating its Edinburgh office to the purpose-built complex. Incubator space for spin‐out and spin‐in companies looking to work with Heriot‐Watt and BGS staff will sit alongside the Centre’s office, research and communal space.

Morrison Construction, part of the Galliford Try group, will erect the 5,300m2 building on a vacant plot on the campus. It has been designed to acheive a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating.

Overall project cost is budgeted at £17m, with funding coming from Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Heriot-Watt itself.

The client’s team is led by Gardiner & Theobald and includes Page\Park Architects, Arup as structural and building services engineer and Ian White Associates as landscape architect.

Sir Charles Lyell was a prominent 19th geologist and author of Principles of Geology.

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