Building Briefs - April 14th

• Summers-Inman to cost-manage £30m Berwick hospital build

Working for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the appointment will see Summers-Inman acting in a cost advisory role on the new Berwick hospital, to be delivered using the NEC3 Contract. The consultancy is well versed in developing strategic partnerships with NHS Trust organisations. 

The new hospital will be built on the site of the current Berwick Infirmary, after Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee granted planning permission in December last year, giving the project the green light to go ahead. 

• Kilmartin Museum revamp contract awarded

TSL Contractors Ltd of Oban and Mull has been appointed as the main contractor for the redevelopment of Kilmartin Museum.

Covid-19 has caused some delays to the project, and the new museum is now expected to open in spring 2023. Additional funding to cover cost increases caused by the delay has been secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund, (part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund).

Although the museum will be closed until 2023, there will be a pop-up café and Kilmartin Glen Archaeology information point on site. As soon as it is safe to do so, guided walks will resume and the education team will be delivering a programme of activities for schools throughout Argyll and the islands. Online learning about the area’s archaeology will be via online talks, recordings and blogs so that although the museum is closed, it can still inspire people about the amazing archaeology in the glen and its artefact collection.

• Video: Caledonia doubles its presence in Arbroath

Caledonia Housing Association welcomed the final phase of tenants to their new homes on Monday in a development just off Montrose Road in Arbroath.

The development is a part of Stewart Milne’s Monarch’s Rise development and has created 61 new affordable homes; 47 for affordable rent and 14 for low-cost home ownership via the Scottish’s Government’s shared equity scheme.

The Montrose Road development provides much needed modern high quality affordable housing for Arbroath and doubled Caledonia Housing Association’s properties in Arbroath adding to the association’s developments at the Herald Building, Convent Street, Barbers Croft and Stuart Street.

Work began on the homes for Caledonia Housing Association in July 2019 and was due to be completed in March 2021 meaning they were delayed by only one month despite the construction shut down during early COVID lockdown restrictions. 

The development includes a mixture of one and two-bedroom cottage flats, two-bedroom bungalows and two and three-bedroom houses all for affordable rent. Moving into their one-bedroom cottage flat yesterday new tenants Wendy Torbet and John Cameron were overjoyed with their spacious new home. Wendy and John have had a difficult year after John’s recent open heart surgery.

When getting the keys, Wendy commented: “With John and my own health conditions this new home is a ray of sunshine and good news for us. It is so spacious, and lovely looking out on our own wee garden. It will make such a difference to our health to be settled and closer to family. We feel like a big weight has been lifted today.”

• Aberdeen starts consultation into travel options for Wellington Road

A public consultation has opened into the next phase of improving travel options for Wellington Road in Aberdeen.

People were asked for their opinion in November 2020 on road, public transport and active travel options identified and this final stage requires detailed appraisal of the options against a range of criteria.

A key focus of the study is walking, cycling and public transport improvements in accordance with the Scottish Government’s ‘Sustainable Travel Hierarchy’ and ACC’s net zero carbon and air quality obligations. However, as Wellington Road is a priority route in the revised North East Scotland Roads Hierarchy, any changes also need to support the efficient movement of road traffic, including freight vehicles travelling to and from the harbour areas.

People are being asked to consider three option packages - an Active Travel Package, a Public Transport Package, and a Multi-Modal Travel and Transport Package.

The consultation is available at https://consultation.aberdeencity.gov.uk/planning/wellington-road-stag2.

• Plans lodged for third drive-through restaurant at Aberdeen retail park

Plans have been submitted for a third drive-through restaurant at an Aberdeen retail park.

Architects Coogan and Co have submitted the application for the site at the Haudagain Retail Park on behalf of developer Kirk Bryson (Northern) Limited.

The plans would involve the demolition of the unit which formerly housed the video rental store Blockbuster, with only the existing tower remaining.

• Fife incinerator construction set to start this year

Brockwell Energy is to begin the development of a ground-mounted solar project supported by batteries at the Westfield site near Kinglassie after receiving planning permission from Fife Council.

The consent permits the development of up to 30MW of solar generation linked to up to 20MW of battery storage. The combination of the battery and solar capacity allows the a proportion of renewable energy produced by the solar to be stored and exported when most required by the grid.

The proposed solar development is consistent with the approved masterplan for the former surface mining site and will contribute towards the strategy of developing Westfield as a green industrial park. The development and regeneration of the site will be enhanced and supported by the availability of on-site renewable energy.