Formal Opening of Drummuie, Golspie
The Highland Council’s new flagship offices for East Sutherland will be formally opened tomorrow (Friday) – 104 years to the day after Sutherland Technical School opened its doors to its first residential students.
The refurbishment of Drummuie, Golspie, began on Monday 21 August, 2006, and staff completed a phased transfer there from five offices - in Brora, Dornoch and Golspie - in May of this year.
Part of the project involved the formation of a new access off the A9. In addition to giving access to the new offices, the road has opened up land to the north of the A9 for much-needed affordable housing in the Golspie area. The 72-house development is being supported by the Council and the Highland Housing Alliance. The road also provided access from the A9 trunk road to the Kilbraur windfarm.
Council Convener Sandy Park will open the building. He said: “I am so impressed with the way this magnificent landmark building has been brought back into life. It represents a major commitment to the area by the Council, and, by bringing the majority of our staff in the area into one office, we can significantly improve our service to the public and at the same time be more efficient.”
Councillor Ian Ross, East Sutherland and Edderton, who has taken a close interest in the redevelopment, said: “Drummuie is a magnificent and striking listed building; it is justifiably considered of high architectural heritage value and as the former Sutherland Technical School has many strong historical associations and links for people in Sutherland and beyond. The new Council office development allows the building to continue to make an important public service contribution to the people of Sutherland and also ensures a significant continued Highland Council presence in the County. The removal of the trees and the landscaping of the land to the front of the building have now returned it to its former status of early last century, as an impressive gateway to the village of Golspie.”
The building was built at the behest of Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland in 1903 for the education of crofters' sons in Caithness and Sutherland. It was funded by her husband, the Duke of Sutherland, as well as the Duke of Portland and Andrew Carnegie of Skibo Castle. During its years as the Sutherland Technical School, hundreds of pupils were trained in a wide variety of skills to fit them for careers across the Highlands and beyond.
Sutherland Technical School’s log book reveals that the date for the opening was – coincidentally - Monday 3 October 1904. It also reports that the school’s first pupil – Donald Martin from Lochs, Lewis - arrived on 30 September, 1904 with his sister “after dark and without any previous notice. Beds were hastily made up for them. Martin was thus our first pupil”.
One “old boy” is former Sutherland County Councillor George Murray from Rogart, who attended the Technical School between 1933-35. George (87) remembers his days at Drummuie with fond affection and is pleased to have been asked to speak at the opening ceremony.
He said: “I am delighted that the Councl has breathed new life in Drummuie. It would have been a crying shame to see such a beautiful building being allowed to decay, especially as it was gifted to the people by the Duchess of Sutherland.”
Drummuie was disused when the Council decided to totally refurbish it and provide modern office accommodation for 130 administrative and professional staff from a number of Council Services and associated car parking.
Already, the building has won a commendation from the IAA Awards for Architecture 2008 in the category, New Life for Old Buildings.
The main contractor was Morrison Construction Ltd, Inverness.
The Project Manager was Ian Morrison of Davis Langdon, Aberdeen.
The Architect was Sandy Borrie of Colin Armstrong Associates
The Building Services Engineer was Pick Everard, Inverness
The Civil and Structural Engineer was Andrew Fleming of WA Fairhurst and Partners, Inverness
The Council’s own staff in Housing and Property and the Business Improvement Team have been heavily involved in the supervision of the project.
Fujitsu Services have provided the ICT services
A new ghost island junction was built on the A9 by Rok Construction to allow safe access to the new offices. It also provided a safe access for the construction of the windfarm at Kilbraur and for the proposed new affordable houses at Drummuie.