OREANDA-NEWS. SSE contractor RJ McLeod has engaged the services of John Gunn & Sons - operator of the Kirkton Quarry in Melvich - in a landmark seven-figure deal for the local firm.

The quarry will provide concrete for the turbine bases at SSE's Strathy North wind farm, which is currently under construction nearby, and also enable its owners to invest in a new batching plant. This will allow the materials required for the construction project to be mixed at the quarry before being delivered to the wind farm site.

The contract also reinforces job security for John Gunn & Sons' quarry staff and creates the potential for local temporary positions during the course of the Strathy North building works.

David Gunn, owner and operator of Kirkton Quarry, said: “John Gunn & Sons Ltd has been in the civil engineering and quarry business for over 100 years and currently has 45 employees. We are pleased to be, once again, involved with RJ McLeod. The size of this contract has allowed us to install our new 60m? per hour concrete plant which will be huge asset for the supply of concrete in the local area.”

Rod Crawford, SSE Renewables' Project Manager for Strathy North, said:

“SSE is delighted that a local company will benefit from this significant contract - it demonstrates the real commitment by SSE and RJ McLeod, our civil engineering contractor, to involve local businesses wherever we can and ensure that the project benefits the local area.

“Originally the plan was to batch the concrete at the wind farm site but this slightly revised arrangement with Gunns - to batch at the quarry using the new equipment - makes far more sense. As a responsible developer, and responsible neighbour, SSE looked closely at how the number of vehicle movements would be affected by this change. We have found that while there will be an increase in traffic, this will be limited and not significantly greater than previously anticipated.”

Ryan MacLean, RJ McLeod's Site Agent, said: “We've operated as a Scottish civil engineering construction business for over 60 years. In this time we have built up a reputation of working closely with other local companies, such as John Gunn & Sons, providing employment for generations of families from all over Scotland, including the Highlands and Islands. We are pleased to be working with John Gunn & Sons once again.”

Strathy North is a 68MW, 33 turbine wind farm approximately 7km south of Strathy village in Sutherland. It entered the main construction phase in February 2014 and is expected to become operational towards the end of 2015.