Robertson Group has begun work on a key project for the University of Edinburgh.

The £3.1 million contract will see Robertson refurbish a four-storey building at 7-8 Chambers Street in the centre of the city. The project will transform the former police training school into a new base for the University’s Architecture and Landscape Architecture students and will provide accessible general teaching space.

The project has been procured through Major Works Scotland, part of Scape’s National Construction framework – with work due to complete in early 2019.

David Cairns, managing director, Robertson Central East, said: “Our relationship with the University of Edinburgh continues to grow and we are delighted to be involved in the project at 7-8 Chambers Street. The extensive refurbishment of the building will also provide further teaching spaces which is a main priority for the University, and will assist in providing the best quality teaching environment for all students.”

This is the fifth project Robertson has been awarded by the University and includes the ongoing refurbishment of the Lister Learning and Teaching Centre.

Work at the Lister Learning and Teaching Centre, which is located on Roxburgh Place, has a contract value of £5.7m and is due to complete later this year.

The Lister Learning and Teaching Centre project was procured through Scape’s National Major Works framework and is being delivered via the framework partnership with Willmott Dixon. With that framework having since expired, Robertson continue their excellent delivery of projects for the University through its successor, the National Construction framework.

Victoria Brambini, managing director at Scape Procure, said: “The restoration and refurbishment of the Category C listed building at Chambers Street, formerly a police training college, will bring this key city centre site back into regular use.

“Sitting alongside existing University of Edinburgh facilities on Chambers Street it will create a vibrant hub of activity, with the state of the art facilities, including new teaching rooms and studios, helping to attract the next generation of Architecture and Landscape Architecture talent. Robertson has an excellent track-record of delivering projects in the city and will work alongside their extensive supply chain throughout the project’s delivery.”

Peter Porteous, Scape business team leader in Scotland, added: “This is the first time we have procured a dedicated framework lot for Scotland to meet the growing construction and infrastructure needs across the country.

“The performance management processes embedded into our frameworks ensure certainty of cost, time and quality for the client, essential to ensure that this refurbishment project is ready to provide a best-in-class learning facilities for students, as well as creating community benefits.”