Hillcrest Regeneration Project Helps Safeguard the Future of RRS Discovery

Hillcrest is proud to be involved with a significant conservation and heritage project, that will see materials from one Scottish landmark helping safeguard another, both of which hold immense historical significance.

Two of Dundee’s most famed historic industries are being intertwined, as timbers salvaged from an old jute store at Hillcrest’s Burnside regeneration project are set to be installed aboard Captain Scott’s ship, RRS Discovery, as part of a collaboration between multiple local charities and firms.

Beams of North American pitch pine taken from a Cox’s Mill store on Burnside Street, Lochee, are set to aid in the restoration of RRS Discovery at the city’s waterfront, thanks to a collaboration between Hillcrest Homes, Dundee Historic Environment Trust (DHET), Dundee Heritage Trust (DHT),  George Martin Limited (GMB), Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and JPS Restoration and Consultancy Ltd (JPS).

Rare timbers unearthed

The mill store is the final undeveloped building on what was once the vast Camperdown Works complex, the largest jute works in the world in its heyday. With planning consent to convert the warehouse to social housing secured, a funding application to DHET was approved to cover some of the costs of the external works, mainly to the roof. The owners appointed GMB – who is a specialist at regenerating historic buildings – as main contractors to carry out the extensive construction works on behalf of Hillcrest.

During a site visit to allow DHET trustees to see at first hand the scale of what was involved, more about the construction of the warehouse was revealed. It had been subdivided into about five rectangular bays, and within each bay there were four or five timber beams all located 6m above the ground floor, each spanning front to back over a distance of almost 13m. Only some had intermediate supports comprising timber columns of the same cross section of about 400 x 400mm.

Working in close collaboration with David Maxwell, the managing director of GMB, DHET approached both the HMS Unicorn and RRS Discovery to ask if they could make use of the 142-year-old timber, believed to be Douglas Fir, but neither could; Douglas Fir is incompatible for use on the RRS Discovery as part of its ongoing major works. However, on further inspection by Jim Mitchell of Industrial Heritage Consulting, it was revealed that the historic beams are in fact North American pitch pine, and thus ideally suited for use in the restoration of the Dundee-built ship. Prized within the boat building industry for its resistance to rot, North American pitch pine is a rare commodity in such quantities in the UK today; restrictions on its export to allow for the regeneration of the species in its homeland mean that opportunities to obtain such substantial pieces of this timber are limited.

The beams were successfully transported to Discovery Point in February 2026, and will be used extensively during the Phase Two works on RRS Discovery. JPS Restoration & Consultancy Ltd, carrying out the works, will identify suitable timbers throughout the project to support restoration and repair to the 125-year-old ship’s outer planking, bulwarks and deck shelves.

Safeguarding Dundee’s Heritage

Intertwining Dundee’s industrial past, the project acts as an example of how city-wide collaboration can continue to preserve tales from bygone Dundee and integrate them into the City of Discovery’s future, by making a connection between two historical structures that are embedded in the heritage of the city.

Dave Boyle, Chair of Hillcrest Homes, said: “As a community‑focused organisation, we are always eager to support projects that deliver long‑lasting benefits at ground level. We’re therefore delighted to be contributing to the preservation of the historic Scottish ship, RRS Discovery. The reclaimed wooden beams from our Burnside Mill regeneration in Dundee – an exciting development in its own right – will play an essential role in the ongoing restoration of this 125‑year‑old vessel. It’s a privilege to see materials from one Scottish landmark helping safeguard another, both of which hold immense historical significance.”

Ali Gellatly, Ship & Facilities Director at Dundee Heritage Trust said, “Pairing Dundee’s jute heritage and its maritime heritage in this way is truly special, and is symbolic of our mission here at the Trust; to preserve our city’s industrial past and spark curiosity. We’re grateful to all of the collaborators involved in this process, and pleased for the opportunity that it presents to continue preserving traditional shipbuilding skills along with RRS Discovery.”

Jason Struthers, Director at JPS Restoration and Consultancy Ltd said, “As a restoration company, projects such as this collaboration epitomise our conservation ethos. It is very rare for opportunities like this to come along to create a connection between two historic structures and to enable a part of Dundee’s history to become entwined with another. We were excited at the prospect of this unique opportunity and worked alongside George Martin Builders and Dundee Heritage Trust very successfully to remove the beams and bring them down to the RRS Discovery. They will be used extensively in the next two years after our team repurpose them for replication of rotted sections of matching material. A very satisfying project to be involved with for a restoration company.”

Douglas Binnie of Dundee Historic Environment Trust said, “Apart from funding some of the essential works to safeguard the future of the building, Dundee Historic Environment Trust is very pleased to have been instrumental in bringing together the various parties involved in salvaging the historic timbers and making the connection with those involved in the refurbishment of RRS Discovery. “This significant heritage project involved substantial advance planning and programming. It could not have been achieved without the cooperation and collaboration of various organisations who had the necessary skills and expertise, none more that the on-site main contactor George Martin (Builders) Limited and ship refurbishment specialists JPS Restoration and Consultancy Ltd.”