Argyll and Bute Council last week appointed Raynesway Construction to deliver around £600,000 of public realm improvements along Stafford Street from January to May 2015.

Civil engineers with a wide range of skills, the council is delighted to have a construction firm with such a strong track record on board to deliver these vital works. Raynesway has delivered a number of high-value and complex projects recently, such as the High Mill and Victoria Park Primary School for South Lanarkshire Council, the Underwood Road recycling facility for Renfrewshire Council and the A82 Strathleven improvements.

Now that the contractor is in place, initial meetings have been set up for this week to formalise the plans for moving the project forward – setting up the site office, arranging start-up meetings for local traders and preparing to issue orders for materials straight after New Year.

The plan at this stage is for the site office to be set up by Monday 19th January and meetings with traders along Stafford Street to go ahead on Wednesday 14th or Thursday 15th January. These meetings will introduce key members of the construction team to local businesses who will then discuss the proposed phasing of works and how best to minimise disruption during the construction stage.

A project start up event is also planned for mid-January, introducing the programme of works to members of the public, giving an overview of the arrangements, the scope of work and the timescales. More details of this will follow, once arrangements are made.

Chair of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee, Oban-based Councillor Roddy McCuish, said of the news: ‘’This is another great boost for the project which is really taking shape now. I’m delighted to have a national company of such repute on board to deliver the works and am confident they will do so efficiently, on time and within budget.

‘’We’re going to be working very hard to keep people informed about what’s happening. We appreciate the fact that, while these improvements are much needed and will give the people of Oban a fabulous new public space to enjoy, there will be some disruption. We’ll be managing that as best we can and I would just urge people to be patient and bear with us while the work is ongoing.

‘’Raynesway have delivered projects like this before – they know what they’re about. Please keep an eye out for project updates on the council website and in your local papers. We’ll have the great new-look Stafford Street open for business in time for the 2015 tourist season.’’

The improvements to Stafford Street will provide the people of Oban with a terraced space to sit, relax and view the bay; a flexible open area (with power and Wi-Fi) for small scale events and a shelter with inlaid artwork and ornamental colour changing LED lighting.