Shiskine’s new medical surgery took shape overnight on Tuesday.
A large crane unloaded the timbers, steel joists and prefabricated walls from three lorries on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were quickly fixed in place by a six-man team of Polish workers.
Local retired architect Colin Mills lives at Roadend, opposite the site. He told the Banner: ‘I’m very impressed. Yesterday it wasn’t there and today it is.
‘It is good to see Arran catching up with new building practices. When it is finished you won’t be able to tell it from a traditional construction and the site is so clean.’
Local contractors Armitage Groundworks had prepared the site at the junction of the String and Rodden roads.
Proprietor Struan Armitage said: ‘The whole building has come from Poland. The quality is excellent and it comes completely kitted out with windows and plug sockets.
‘We had hoped to build the new Whiting Bay surgery by the same method but the site was too tight for these thicker wall panels so it is being done by traditional methods.’
Lucas Franciszkowicz is site foreman for the Polish builders in Shiskine.
He said: ‘We were here five years ago to build the houses at Kinneil Park in Lamlash by the same method but this is the first commercial build of its sort on Arran.
‘It is a 12-week job and we will be finished by the end of April.’
Struan Armitage added: ‘We are the west coast agents for the company that makes the kits. In the next few weeks we will be building three of the kits in Lamlash and one in Tarbert.’
Armitage Groundworks do all the preparation and foundation work on site, co-ordinate the Polish team on construction and then finish off with plumbing and slating.
