The new storage facility is on the site of a former contractors’ yard to the south-east of the Balgove Course close to the A91. It is a major part of the Trust’s sustainability programme using cutting edge technology in its heating and cooling systems and a range of organic materials in its construction.
Provost Melville was joined by St Andrews Links Trust Chairman Peter Forster and Chief Executive Euan Loudon, Derek Reid, Project Director for architects Archial, and Bob Gray, Regional Operations Director of construction firm Robertson at the ceremony.
The new building is due to open on the brownfield site at the end of the year and will provide important warehouse and office space. It has been carefully designed to have minimal visual impact and to blend in with the surroundings. Among the building’s many features will be its sedum roof using organic materials from indigenous herbs and bushes. Natural materials such as timber, glulam and locally-sourced natural stone will be used wherever possible. The facility will be fully thermally efficient, with an air source heat pump system to heat it in winter and cool it in summer, and it will also use rainwater harvesting techniques.
Provost Melville, who is also a Trustee at the Links, said, “The new facility will be a wonderful example of modern, sustainable building techniques. There was a wide consultation about the new building and I know that a great deal of work has been done to make it sympathetic to the surrounding landscape and to meet the current standards of efficient energy use.”
Mr Forster said, “The Trust decided to utilise this former contractors’ yard to create a new storage facility much closer to the Links than the current warehouse but the need to make it sustainable and energy efficient was at the forefront of our minds. We recently achieved Golf Environment Organisation status and the new building is an important part of our strategy to manage the Links in as sustainable a fashion as possible.”
Mr Reid said, “The ceremony marks a significant stage in the realisation of our designs for the new building and great care has been taken to craft a building which complements the sensitive setting. The low rolling links landscape is clearly the defining quality of the site and the response and attitude to this striking coastal context are at the heart of our design proposals. The immediate site context is characterised by a distinctly natural environment and to support this a palette of natural materials has been adopted.”
Mr Gray said, “We are honoured to be selected as builders for this prestigious contract asSt Andrewsis considered amongst the finest golf destinations in the world. Once finished it will be a truly iconic building in a beautiful setting. We can’t wait to get on site and start work.”
A short presentation about the new facility is running in the St Andrews Links and Eden clubhouses.
St Andrews Links Trust www.standrews.org.uk