OREANDA-NEWS. Construction work on Pitlochry’s newest visitor attraction is underway with energy company SSE announcing the appointment of construction group CCG as the main contractor for its new ?4m visitor centre at Pitlochry dam and power station.

CCG constructed the Athletes’ Village for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

SSE’s new visitor centre in Perthshire will open in October 2016. Entry will be free to visitors who can learn about the role played by engineers who brought hydro power to Scotland over 70 years ago. It will also house a 60 seat caf?, retail area, and a multi-space area for educational use.

SSE Project Manager Iain Muir said he was confident CCG would deliver the project on time and to the benefit of the local community.

He said: “We are very excited to have a contractor of the quality of CCG on board to deliver this project for SSE. CCG are known for their work for the Commonwealth Games and we are confident they will bring their rigorous approach and desire to work in tandem with the local community to this project.

“The new visitor centre is very important to us because SSE’s history is Scotland’s history. Hydro electricity improved the lives of ordinary people living in the north of Scotland and we have a responsibility to preserve and promote the remarkable stories from that time.”

David Wylie, Business Strategy Manager of CCG, said: “Working with SSE to deliver this visitor centre represents another exciting project for CCG. Our construction approach will use the latest materials to create a high performance building that provides a great experience for the 100,000 users expected each year.”
Situated at the end of the Tummel valley, the picturesque Pitlochry Dam is already a major tourist attraction, with an estimated 500,000 visitors crossing it each year. It also boasts a popular fish ladder and the scenic beauty of Loch Faskally.

SSE has recently converted the former visitor centre in Pitlochry into a corporate archive, open to the general public by appointment, which will store many historical blueprints, speeches and artefacts.

CCG was established in 1974 and under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Alastair Wylie, the Group has established itself as an industry leader and is one of Scotland’s largest privately owned construction and manufacturing companies.

Based in Cambuslang, CCG has consolidated its position as a major contributor to the Scottish construction industry employing over 600 staff across eight divisions whilst maintaining a commitment to trades apprentices, reflecting 10% of their workforce.

Construction of SSE’s new visitor centre will be completed and open to visitors in Autumn 2016.