At Wallace Whittle, our growing leisure portfolio demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform communities. From large-scale leisure centres to boutique wellness spaces, our projects combine high-quality architecture with sustainability, functionality, and inclusivity.

Working alongside a variety of clients and partners, we’re creating community-focused spaces that promote health, wellbeing, and connection, providing much-needed “third spaces” where people can gather, exercise, and engage.

Some of our recent and ongoing projects include:

The new Larkhall Leisure Centre will deliver a modern and energy-efficient community facility, replacing the town’s existing leisure centre and offering a wide range of flexible spaces including a six-lane swimming pool, wellness suite, fitness studio, gym, and multi-purpose games hall.

The design also adopts a fabric-first approach, utilising Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) construction and high-performance building materials to minimise heat loss and enhance thermal efficiency.

Wallace Whittle were appointed to deliver full MEP and Sustainability design services for this major £57 million leisure and community facility in East Renfrewshire just outside of Glasgow.

This development will feature a wide range of facilities, including a 25-metre main swimming pool, 17-metre training pool, four-court sports hall, fitness suites, studios, and a dedicated spin studio. In addition to its sports and leisure offering, the building will also incorporate a 364-seat auditorium, studio theatre, café, and social spaces, creating a vibrant, all encompassing community hub. Sustainability is central to the design approach, with the building adopting an all-electric strategy supported by heat pumps, photovoltaic panels and EV charging infrastructure.

Delivered in just six weeks, this project was completed while the leisure centre remained fully operational throughout the works, requiring careful coordination and minimal disruption to staff and visitors. The new studio provides a dedicated home for the centre’s popular indoor cycling programme and supports the reinstatement of its full group cycling timetable for the first time since reopening after COVID-19 lockdowns. The studio also incorporates advanced lighting and sound systems designed to enhance the user experience and support high-energy classes.

Leisure centres and community spaces play a vital role in everyday life. Often undervalued, these facilities foster a sense of community, belonging, and wellbeing, offering spaces where people can connect, stay active, and enjoy shared experiences.

Sustainability is a key consideration from the outset of all our leisure projects. Many are designed with a net-zero future in mind, minimising environmental impact while ensuring long-term performance and resilience for generations to come. By embedding sustainability and wellbeing into the design approach, we create high-performing, future-ready environments, often incorporating technologies such as air source heat pumps (ASHPs), PV panels, and enhanced building fabric to reduce overall environmental impact.

We spoke to Associate Director, Martin Lorimer, about our current and expanding leisure portfolio:

“We’re proud to support the delivery of modern, sustainable leisure facilities that make a lasting difference to the local communities they serve. Working closely with partners like Alliance Leisure and councils such as East Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council allows us to deliver high-quality leisure facilities that are both technically robust and genuinely tailored to the needs of local communities. It’s always rewarding to see these projects come to life, knowing the impact they’ll have for the people using them every day, and for many years to follow.”

Our specialists can help you create community-focused spaces that promote health, wellbeing, and connection. Get it touch with our team at [email protected]  

Hosted by the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF), the upcoming event stands as a pivotal platform where industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders converge to exchange insights and explore collaborative opportunities shaping the future of renewable energy and infrastructure investment.

Set amidst the vibrant heart of Leeds, from Tuesday 19th May to Thursday 21st May, this annual gathering promises an engaging agenda. From keynote addresses to panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions, it will encourage meaningful dialogue and drive actionable outcomes within the sector. With a keen focus on the latest trends, innovations, and investment strategies, we aim to gather invaluable knowledge and forge further strategic partnerships in this evolving landscape.

Our delegates, ready to contribute their expertise and perspectives, will engage in key discussions covering sustainability, market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and emerging technologies within renewable energy and infrastructure. But it’s more than just showcasing what we know – it’s about learning, collaborating, and growing together. Whether we’re sharing insights, brainstorming solutions, or simply swapping stories over coffee, we’re eager to meet with current and new connections.

We’re looking forward to the event, eager to catch up with many of our valued clients and collaborators, and explore new opportunities.

England

Craig Robertson, Director, England – [email protected]

Connect with Craig on LinkedIn.

Carl Saxon, Director, South England – [email protected]

Connect with Carl on LinkedIn.

Paul Dean, Director, Manchester – [email protected]

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn.

Peter Kirk, Director, London- [email protected]

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn.

Colin Preston, Director, London- [email protected]

Connect with Colin on LinkedIn.

Andrew Smith, Director, Leeds- [email protected]

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn.

Sustainability

Sarah Chipchase, Director Sustainability – [email protected]

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.

Scotland

Barry McKeane, Director Glasgow – [email protected]

Connect with Barry on LinkedIn.

Stephen Osborne, Director Edinburgh- [email protected]

Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn.

In 2021, a management buy-out marked the beginning of a new chapter. Not a new business, but a renewed one.

Since then, Wallace Whittle has grown from £8m to £20m turnover, and from 80 to over 200 people, expanding our reach, strengthening our capabilities, and continuing to deliver for clients across the UK and beyond.

April 2026 marks five years since that moment and we’re celebrating it in a way that reflects who we are today: by telling our story, recognising our people, and looking ahead.

The past five years have seen us reach far beyond our original home in Scotland and Ireland. While we’ve always had a presence in Warrington, our new offices in Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester and significant growth of the London office, has positioned us as a truly national consultancy. Major investments have also been made to upgrade our office infrastructure, enhance sustainability services, and a focus on in-house training through our Academy – all in the name of quality of product, quality of service and investment in our people.

“It’s an incredibly proud moment, celebrating five years of outstanding growth while marking our 62 years of history.

Our goal with the buy-out was to return to what Wallace Whittle is at its core, while evolving how we operate in a modern market. We took our decades-old foundation of quality and re-engineered the business in 2021 to support much larger ambitions through organic, investment-led and acquisitional growth. Today, we think like a major player, but we act with the agility and personal touch of a boutique consultancy.”

– Allan McGill, Managing Director

Allan added:  “A huge part of our success is down to the partnerships we have forged. We haven’t simply chased new clients – we’ve deepened our relationships with existing ones who have entrusted us with increasingly complex, high-value work.

“As we look towards 2030, our focus remains on staying a people-first, quality-driven business, while continuing to expand our UK-wide presence. With more expertise in-house, we are reducing outsourcing and positioning ourselves for the future, ensuring that as we scale, we never lose the excellence that the 1964 founders established.”

We’re proud to work with clients and collaborators who trust us time and again. Many of those relationships span years – even decades – and remain central to how we continue to grow.

We may technically be over 60 years old, but this is a business that continues to evolve.

The last five years have shown what’s possible when experience meets ambition. And as we look ahead, we’re focused on continuing that momentum – investing in our people, expanding our reach, and shaping the future of sustainable engineering.

If you’d like to be part of the next 5, 10 or 50 years of Wallace Whittle, whether by joining our growing team or bringing us onboard to deliver your next project – reach out to [email protected] or find us on LinkedIn.

Depending on your perspective, Scotland’s living sector is either mired in perpetual inertia or on the cusp of a resurgence.

With the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections on the horizon and the controversial Housing (Scotland) Bill stirring debate, Wallace Whittle convened a round table of leading voices from property development, funding, architecture, planning, Government and policymaking to ask: what’s holding us back – and how do we move forward?

We’re pleased to report that, despite the significant challenges there’s room for cautious optimism about what might be achieved in future.

The resulting report reveals candid insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Scotland’s built environment. From the viability gap between planners and developers to the cultural shift needed to unlock private investment, the discussion was frank, constructive, and surprisingly optimistic.

Key themes include:

• Misalignment between planning policy and commercial realities
• The urgent need for education and collaboration across sectors
• Lessons from Manchester’s pro-development approach
• The impact of political narratives on investor confidence
• Radical ideas to streamline planning and accelerate delivery

Whether you’re a policymaker, developer, architect, or investor, this report offers actionable ideas and a rare glimpse into the real conversations shaping Scotland’s housing future.

A huge thanks goes to our guests, particularly Robin Blacklock of property consultancy Dowbrae Real Estate Consultancy, and Director of More Homes More Quickly, who chaired and facilitated the discussion.

Our Guests:

David Cooper – Commercial Development Manager, Edinburgh City Council

Kathryn Ferguson – Housing Strategy & Investment, Scottish Government

Murray Henderson – Director, HAUS, Glasgow

Andrew Munnis – Partner, Montagu Evans Edinburgh

Ross McNulty – Development Director Ediston, Edinburgh

Will Scarlett – Founder/Director, Scarlett Land & Development, Edinburgh

David Westwater – Managing Director, Artisan Real Estate Scotland

Our experience in the Living sector across the UK and Ireland is vast, from completed large scale developments such as Battersea Power Station and Elephant Park in London, Dyecoats in Leeds and Boddingtons in Manchester which are on site following BSR Gateway 2 Approvals with clients Latimer by Clarion Housing Group. As well as ongoing developments for PBSA and Co-Living and the recently completed BTR and The Social Hub for Drum Property and Candleriggs in Glasgow.

If you’d like to discuss our report further, or speak to us about your next project, please reach out to one of our Directors below or email [email protected]

WWe believe in looking after our staff to ensure that they can deliver the best possible, high-quality work for our clients. That means market-leading benefits, high-spec offices and the best Company Away Days you could imagine – we’ve just returned from an unforgettable trip to Paris with over 100 of our team!

We brought together staff from all 9 of our offices across the UK, giving them time together to explore Paris, meet colleagues in person and take time to relax and have fun. We don’t bring our laptops, encourage everyone to get off their phones to allow them to take a well-deserved break and fully immerse themselves in the experience.

Our Board and Management teams headed out early in the week to explore Paris and attend a Management Conference (we did do some work!) looking at efficiency and productivity improvements we can make across the business. Our wider staff team joined on the Wednesday to enjoy time in Paris, doing photo challenges and basking in the sunshine on the Seine boat-buses or the gardens of the Eiffel Tower.

We all came together on the Thursday at our fantastic venue, Golf de la Boulie near Versailles, to attend a staff briefing with our Managing Director, Allan McGill where we discussed the year’s successes, news and updates across the company. This was followed by a lively Q&A hosted by Andy Chan, Principal Sustainability Consultant and Personality Hire, who put Allan on the spot with questions such as ‘If you could pick one of our graduates or trainees to replace you tomorrow, who would it be?’ and ‘Who is your favourite child? Mechanical, Electrical, Public Health, ESG or Sustainability?’ – we’re unable to provide his responses externally…

This was followed by a BBQ in the sunshine and our traditional bonding activity of staff games. We donned our branded AWWay Day Paris t-shirts and got into teams for some competitive challenges, including gladiator-style battles, bug-eating and problem solving. Congrats to the winning team on the day – it was worth the sunburn!

In the evening, we mixed our groups up again, treating staff to a beautiful dinner in the evening sunshine. Glasses were clinked, toasts were made, WW temporary tattoos tattooed and we danced the night away in the beautiful surroundings of the golf club.

Feedback from the event has been overwhelmingly positive, affirming the value of this time away from our desks to relax and build relationships across offices and departments. At Wallace Whittle, we are committed to being market-leading for our people, which includes investing in our employee’s well-being and fostering their professional growth. Our initiatives include opportunities for learning and continuing professional development through our Academy, access to healthcare and well-being support services, an annual allowance for branded clothing and accessories and support for hybrid working.

Check out the video of our trip below:

Want to be part of our next AWWay Days? Check out our available roles and join the team – www.wallacewhittle.com/careers