BAM Construction recommended for V&A Dundee project

The museum on the banks of the Tay was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma

A contractor is set to be appointed to build Dundee's new branch of the V&A museum.

Councillors will meet next week to discuss the main contractor for the £45m project, with BAM Construction recommended by council officers.

If approved, negotiations will take place between the authority and the building firm to refine their proposals and agree a fixed price tender.

The museum is the centrepiece of a £1bn redevelopment of Dundee's waterfront.

Council administration leader Ken Guild said the project was "a hugely important investment in the future of the city".

"This is a major milestone in the project to provide a world-class building to house the V&A museum of design Dundee," he said.

"Dundee's ongoing and ambitious regeneration will reach another level when the construction phase begins."

'World-class attraction'

Philip Long, director of V&A Dundee praised BAM Construction's "excellent track record" of delivering "prestigious cultural projects in Scotland".

He added: "This is an important step for all of us in building the home of V&A Dundee, a world-class visitor attraction and flagship of the waterfront regeneration."

Dundee's waterfront is undergoing a £1bn regeneration project, with the V&A at its heart

Douglas Keillor, the London-based construction firm's regional director in Scotland, said he was "keenly awaiting" the council's decision.

He added: "This is a project of international significance and it's great to hear that we have been recommended as the preferred main contractor."

Members of Dundee City Council's Policy and Resources Committee will discuss the plans on Monday.

If approved, a tender report will be brought back to the council after further negotiations with the contractor to fix a construction cost for the project.

The V&A building, to be constructed on the banks of the Tay, was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma following an international competition.

It has been forecast the centre of design could attract half a million tourists in its first year after opening and provide a multi-million pound boost to the local economy.