GLASGOW.- Glasgow City Council’s Contracts and Property Committee has confirmed Kier Construction Scotland as the preferred bidder to deliver the Main Building Contract to take forward the Burrell Collection’s ambitious refurbishment plans.

The appointment marks the next phase which will see the sensitive repair of the building envelope, renewal of the building services, creation of a new internal access core and refurbishment of the museum’s interiors along with external landscaping. Kier Construction Scotland is set to start onsite at the Burrell early summer 2018 with procurement for the Burrell’s visitor experience contract taking place later this year.

In a further boost to the museum’s refurbishment, the Burrell Renaissance has received an additional £1.4 million funding from four major supporters. The Wolfson Foundation and The Headley Trust have each pledged £500,000. The Gannochy Trust has pledged £250,000 and The Taylor Family Foundation has pledged £150,000.

The cost of the project is estimated at £66 million with Glasgow City Council agreeing to fund up to 50% of the overall project cost. Support of the project has been overwhelming with over 94% of the estimated project costs now raised including £15million from the National Lottery.

Plans for the refurbishment and redisplay of the Burrell will see the museum’s public space increase by 83% and gallery space increase by 35% with store rooms on the lower ground floor open to the public for the first time. As well as improved facilities including café and retail opportunities, landscaped terraces will link the museum to its parkland setting, enhancing the visitor experience.

A re-interpretation of treasures of the Collection will also tell much more of a story about their importance and how they were collected, with an increase in artworks on display across the museum’s collections.

Chair of Glasgow Life, and Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor David McDonald, said: “The refurbishment of the Burrell Collection will unlock the great potential of Sir William’s incredible gift to the city and the appointment of Keir Construction as the main contractor is a significant milestone. We are protecting and enhancing the Collection for the current and future generations – and creating a home for these treasures which, in its location at the heart of Pollok Country Park, is nothing short of exceptional.”

Brian McQuade, managing director of Kier Construction Scotland said: “It’s an honour to be working with Glasgow Life in the restoration of the home of the Burrell Collection - a national treasure for Scotland.

“We have a solid record of successfully working on major heritage projects of this scale, including the restoration of The Mackintosh building at Glasgow School of Art and the refurbishment of Edinburgh College of Art and Aberdeen Music Hall. We are committed to working closely with the local supply chain to help create a range of diverse employment and training opportunities and provide opportunity throughout the life of the project to help increase footfall in Pollok Park during the construction period as we deliver this important project.”

On the announcement of an additional £1.4 million in funding for the project, Chair of Burrell Renaissance, Sir Angus Grossart, said, “We are grateful for the support of those who have committed so generously to the Burrell Renaissance, including The Wolfson Foundation, The Headley Trust, The Gannochy Trust and The Taylor Family Foundation. That significant support reinforces our ambition to ensure that Sir William’s legacy will have a physical context and the international engagement that his great collection deserves.”