This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Dewar takes Parliament Information to the People
23/12/1997
The Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon Donald Dewar MP, today unveiled information from design feasibility studies of potential sites for the Scottish Parliament building. The material is being displayed to the Press in Edinburgh today and will beMaterial will be on display in Edinburgh next week and in Glasgow at the beginning of January.
Mr Dewar said:
"A week ago, I received the first results of studies into the feasibility of a Parliament building on each of the four short-listed sites. I am now confident that I have the information I need in order to select the final site. It will be a difficult decision, and I shall be thinking hard over the holiday period. I have said that I shall announce my decision before the Second Reading of the Scotland Bill on and January 12 and 13 1998.
"We are committed to open and participative government, and I am today sharing with the people of Scotland information on all four sites.
"We have prepared an exhibition which will be open to the public in Edinburgh and Glasgow over the next two weeks, so that people can see for themselves the photographs, models and drawings of the sites and the kinds of buildings which could be built on them.
"As we have worked up the detailed design brief for an efficient, high-quality and accessible building, we have seen that our earlier estimates of the size of building the Parliament will require were too low. This means that the cost estimates we are working with are higher than the £40 million estimate given in the White Paper in July. We now expect the building costs to be in a range from £50 million to £65 million. The total cost will also include site acquisition, fees and VAT. It will also depend on the site chosen, the final building specification, and the results of the competition tendering process for the building's construction.
"I hope that as many people as possible will see the exhibition: it will make a good break from the New Year sales!"
BACKGROUND
The exhibition will be on display at the City Chambers in Edinburgh for 4 days starting on December 29, 1997 and at the at the Parish Hall, 266 George Street, Glasgow for three days starting on January 6, 1998. The exhibition will be open to the public from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.
The design feasibility studies were based on a detailed design brief covering matters such as the standard of accommodation required for the debating chamber and main committee rooms, office space for Members and supporting facilities such as secure car parking.
The design brief took account of information gathered on visits to Parliament buildings in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland. Account has also been taken of Parliamentary buildings throughout the world.
Information was also supplied by those promoting each of the four short-listed sites, which are at Leith, St Andrew's House, Haymarket and Holyrood.
Most of the material in the exhibition is graphical information showing how a building of the size necessary to accommodate the parliament could be located on each of the sites. Once it is completed, a summary of the transport and environmental impact study report will also be provided.
The studies were conducted by independent consultants appointed by the Secretary of State.