Building Briefs – February 28th

• CGC and Dimension welcome Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Construction firm CGC and sister company Dimension between them employ 20 apprentices.

This year the theme of the national celebration of apprentices is ‘Talent Without Limits’. It seeks to celebrate the diversity which work-based learning delivers for individuals, employers and the economy.

Late last year CGC was given a ringing endorsement of its commitment to young workers when it won a keenly-contested award for developing a young workforce.

CGC beat off stiff competition to capture the Award in the 2019 ROCCO Awards run by Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce.

CGC triumphed in the category of “Developing the Young Workforce” for its commitment to helping young people find a pathway into work.

CGC also launched its “Bright Futures” initiative which, for the first time, brought together all of its support for young staff including apprentices under one banner.

A feature of this is the training of quantity surveyors – essential in any construction business with the first being Adam Heron.

Adam (19) is currently working four days a week with CGC and studying at college for the other day. The two year course will eventually lead to qualification.

Then he will go to University for to obtain a degree before joining the Company as a fully-qualified quantity surveyor.

CGC is meeting the cost of his college and university fees while also paying him a salary. It represents the highest level of engagement the business has ever had with a young prospective employee.

A second trainee quantity surveyor is to be taken on shortly under the same arrangement.

• Residential super prime market expands in Scotland

New residential research from Savills has revealed the growing strength of the super prime market in Scotland.

Edinburgh saw its highest ever number of residential transactions at £1 million and above from January to December 2019 with 196 sales, 35% more than the previous high of 145 in 2007 and a rise of 53% compared to 2018. There were 287 sales at this level across Scotland, just three less than the all-time record of 2007.

There were 15 transactions at £2m and above last year across Scotland, including eight over £3m. This compares with six at £2m and above in 2018 when there were none over £3m. At £3.65m, Kincairney House in Perthshire was the most expensive Scottish sale last year.

Savills research reveals an increase in the number of Scottish buyers, but also in the numbers buying from outside Scotland, including all over the UK, Australia, Japan and the USA.

Savills own sales led the super prime market in Scotland last year.

• £25m more funding for community regeneration

People from disadvantaged and remote rural communities will benefit from £25 million in regeneration funding.

The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund will support 25 development projects to tackle inequalities and deliver inclusive growth in some of the most deprived and remote communities in Scotland.

These are anticipated to support or create 1,700 jobs, refurbish and bring 38 buildings back into use, including some historic and landmark properties, as well as creating a further 68,000 sqm of business space.