PETER Holland was a distinguished civil engineer who left his mark across Scotland, Europe and Asia - but especially in the lochside villages of Cove and Kilcreggan, where he lived for more than 25 years.

Sailors, anglers and scouts all benefited from advice, technical expertise and sheer hard work which would have cost them many thousands otherwise.

However his most dramatic achievement was twice taking on the council to save community buildings from closure.

Born on the Wirral in Cheshire before moving to Esher in Surrey and being educated at Kingston Grammar, he soon showed his characteristic combination of mischief and technical know-how; at the age of 13 he "acquired" ammunition from the school's cadet force with the aim of making a rocket to be fired at the nearby Metropolitan Police horse training ground during a parade.

Fortunately his mother found the ammunition, which had been stored up a chimney.

After qualifying as a civil engineer his first work was in London and from 1959 until 1986 he played a leading role in major projects across the UK, including areas of the London Underground, Glasgow's M8, the Kingston Bridge and early work at the Clyde Submarine Base, Faslane.

He was a director of Clugston Construction and of the joint venture between that firm and Balfour Beatty in building the M180 and the Humber Suspension Bridge slip roads, as well as being AMEC's chief engineer, southern region.

Work first brought him to Scotland in 1963 for a contract at Faslane, when he entertained the locals by asking for directions to "the CylinderHotel" - in fact he was looking for Clynder.

In 1979 he moved to Kilcreggan on being made chief estimator for Faircloughs in Paisley;

then he worked in Saudi Arabia, taking on projects including the design and planning for the pounds-500m Mount Mena Palace.

Seven years later he started his own company, Raith Consulting Partnership, working from home so that he could be near to his family. Pioneering the use of Apple Mac computer-aided design technology in his field, he took on major projects for clients including Norwest Holst, the dock gate entrance for the berthing of The Discovery in Dundee, British Gas (the pounds-25m Carnforth Gas Compressor Station) and Hawker Siddeley Power Engineering in construction work for the Trident submarine project. In the meantime he had joined Cove Sailing Club, where he was a long-serving committee member and played a key role in construction projects covering everything from the clubhouse roof to the construction of a jetty.

He was also a president of Cove and Kilcreggan Angling Club, helping with the maintenance of the dam at Lindowan Loch, and stepped in when the village scouts needed a new headquarters to be designed.

A colourful and passionate character, he was seen at his best when leading the fight to save both the villages' community buildings from the threat of closure by successive councils.

In 1991 he became the first chairman of the Rainbow Centre (formerly Kilcreggan's community centre) when villagers took over its running after Dumbarton District Council announced its closure. And several years later it was Peterwho stood up in a packed public meeting in Cove's historic Burgh Hall and told Argyll and Bute Council officials that their figures justifying its closure didn't add up - literally, because their maths was inaccurate.

After more than a year of negotiations, the Burgh Hall too was taken over by a local board of management chaired by Peter. Villagers put in an estimated 2500 man hours to transform it from a loss-making, damp and depressing building into a proudly maintained, profitable hub of the community.

Current hall chairman Richard Reeve paid tribute to Peter's drive and determination.

Peter died at home after a sudden stroke; he had been bravely fighting cancer for more than two years; despite everything he still managed to help people, in all manner of ways, as well as staying active socially - particularly with his renowned barbecues whatever the weather - and even go fishing.

Nothing was more important to Peter than his family. In 1967 he married Sandra, who died in 1993; later he married Agnes, who survives him. He also leaves daughters Fiona, Gillian and Julia, stepchildren Andrew and Helen and grandson Fraser.

Peter Everard Holland; born September 17, 1941, died January 20, 2005.