Project case study - Community Benefits conference
The A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project was constructed with an unprecedented focus on delivering benefits to the community and a commitment to bring meaningful and measurable change to the communities surrounding this major construction project.
Members of the project team took time away from the construction site at the end of February 2020, and were joined by 42 attendees from a range of the supply chain, partners in the local community and third sector organisations at the inaugural Community Benefits Conference for the A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project, held at Perth Concert Hall.
The conference celebrated the successes delivered through the project across several areas during 2019, which included: jobs and training; school and further education engagement and community engagement.
Gemma Patterson, project sponsor for Transport Scotland, said:
Creating opportunities that benefit the people and communities surrounding this project was a significant part of the contract awarded to Balfour Beatty to upgrade the 9.5km of the A9 to dual carriageway between Luncarty and the Pass of Birnam.
"In addition to building this important infrastructure project, our aim was to provide a legacy for future generations following the construction phase. This involved maximising employment and work placement opportunities on site and investing in skills and training to support young people at schools, colleges, and universities, to encourage careers using science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)."
“The conference celebrated the tremendous achievements of the project to date and looked at how we could build on these successes with the help of our partners as we embarked on the final year of construction.”
The benefits of the conference were seen as new partnerships emerged between local organisations and our supply chain, which quickly began delivering positive outcomes for the community.
Alan Brisbane, Balfour Beatty Project Manager, said:
Despite the unprecedented circumstances created by the Covid19 pandemic, we committed to leaving a positive, lasting legacy in the communities in which we operate.
“Working with our partners and Transport Scotland, we implemented an ambitious community benefits programme at the outset of the project, focused on delivering a wide range of benefits including employment and work experience opportunities in Perth & Kinross.”