VolkerStevin, together with client Glasgow City Council, designer Halcrow and joint contractor Carillion, have been highly commended at the prestigious Saltire Awards 2011 for the White Cart Water Flood Prevention Scheme, Glasgow.

This major civil engineering and environmental project has provided protection to 1,750 properties and businesses that are at the risk of flooding in the south of Glasgow.

The scheme received a project commendation from judges, who commented that they recognised the manner in which all parties proactively contributed to the successful delivery of a holistic solution to flooding through all stages of design and construction. Judges were also impressed by the natural appearance of the end product which fitted well with the surrounding areas.

The project team planted 6843 new trees and created 22 acres of new wetlands which have welcomed dozens of species of birds to the area.

Steve Garrigan, VolkerStevin project manager at the White Cart Water Project, said: "It is a fantastic achievement for the project to have been recognised by the Saltire Society. One of the challenges on the scheme was the management of environmental impact and stakeholder concerns; however significant consultation with the local community took place to ensure all requirements were satisfied and that the works were considerate to the local environment. We are delighted that all our hard work has been recognised."

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "The commendation for the White Cart scheme is a brilliant achievement. I would like to commend the hard work and commitment of everyone who was involved in this engineering project. This scheme will make a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of people and businesses in Glasgow and remove the fear of their properties being damaged by flooding."

The Saltire Society Civil Engineering Award was established in 1981. The Award is made jointly with the Scottish Association of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and is intended to encourage the highest standards in the design, conservation, environmentally sustainable construction and construction of civil engineering projects in Scotland.

The 2011 awards are supported by Transport Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Scotland), the Building and Civil Engineering Benefit Schemes, the Association of Consulting Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and the Construction Skills Certification Scheme.