Customer: East Lothian Schools

Requirement: The East Lothian Schools PPP Project involves a mix of refurbishment and new building work at six schools in the region. When the project's original building contractor went into receivership, East Lothian Council's chosen concession company, Innovate East Lothian Limited, appointed Balfour Beatty Construction to complete the contract.

The major building contractor quickly realised that more accommodation was needed, to add to the Portakabin buildings already hired by the previous contractor. This decant accommodation was required to house students and teachers in high-quality facilities until building work was completed. The construction work in each school varies from simple maintenance and refurbishment to complete demolition and rebuilding.

Solution: A range of Portakabin buildings - including the company's new specially designed double classroom building - was hired for five of the schools involved in the project. Students and staff at Dunbar Grammar, Knox Academy, Musselburgh Grammar, North Berwick High and Preston Lodge High Schools are now working in high standard temporary classrooms while their permanent facilities are improved.

" We were already very aware of Portakabin, having worked with them in the past, so we knew about the quality of their buildings. In addition, because they had already supplied buildings for the project, Portakabin understood precisely what was required when we went to them for additional buildings.

"Using Portakabin gave us one less thing to think about when we took over this major project. We were simply able to tell them how many buildings we needed, where and when we wanted them - and Portakabin did the rest. They took care of everything, from gaining all the necessary permissions to installing the buildings on site.

"Portakabin's Edinburgh Hire Centre team provided a very good service and were always very helpful, responsive and adaptable. At Dunbar Grammar School, for example, we altered our plans at the eleventh hour - shortly before the students were due back in school after the summer - which meant that extra buildings were required. The Portakabin team reacted very quickly and were able to get the additional buildings on site in time for the start of term."

Roddy Mackay, Project Director, Balfour Beatty Construction