Building Briefs – July 14th

• Rocket engine test complex constructed in Fife

Skyrora’s engine test complex layout is fairly minimal, mainly consisting of a fuel and oxidiser loading system to put fuel into both tanks and a pressure supply system to feed the fuel to the engine in the test stand. Skyrora also built the actual test stand, the road to access the test site and the concrete slab for the test site to sit on. It took the team only a few weeks to build it, at a fraction of the estimated time and cost while making sure all measures followed health and safety guidelines.

Skyrora’s vision is to test all three engines used on its rocket suite in the one location: the seven-tonne engine for the first and second stage of the orbital Skyrora XL launch vehicle, the 3.5Kn engine for the third stage, and the three-tonne engine for the sub-orbital Skylark L launch vehicle.

The test site is estimated to help Skyrora create over 170 mainly technical jobs in manufacturing and operations ranging from mechanical engineering to electronics for avionics systems.

The launch vehicle manufacturing company aims to complete the inaugural launch of Skyrora XL from a UK spaceport by 2023. 

• Glasgow approves 24-hour drive-thru coffee shop

Planning permission has been given for a Costa drive-thru coffee shop in the south east Glasgow.

The proposal will be part of the redevelopment of land for the city’s first Sofology furniture store beside London Road, near junction 2A of the M74.

Permission had already been given for demolition of buildings at the site.

Access will be via a new entrance off Fullarton Lane.

• River Ness art project moves to next stage

Works to deliver the My Ness public artwork project is to resume this week.

The Highland Council has authorisation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, through a Licence issued under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (as amended) (CAR Licence), to undertake all works.

The next phase of the contract will involve the drilling of a maximum of three bore holes, to allow the completion of the structural calculations. The work to drill the bore holes is not expected to take more than 1 day. This is planned for today.

Once this preparatory work has been completed, work to install the art installation is programmed to commence on site August/September 2020. Work on site is expected to take 12 weeks to complete. The project remains compliant with all previously issued statutory consents.

• Coffee drive-thru planned for Dundee Asda site

Proposals have been submitted for a new coffee drive-thru in a Dundee supermarket car park.

The application has been submitted by Euro Garages, and would mean building on land currently occupied by Asda Milton of Craigie.

It is not known which coffee brand would be operating from the site at this stage.

Due to the surplus of parking spaces, particularly in light of the new Lidl across the other side of the Kingsway, the developer believes the parking spaces used for the drive-thru are no longer needed.

It is estimated that around 37 parking spaces would be taken over as land to build on, with a trolley shelter relocated.

• Aggregate Industries achieves international certification in health and safety

Construction and infrastructure firm Aggregate Industries has achieved international certification from the British Standards Institution (BSI), receiving the ISO 45001 Standard in Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, after demonstrating its company-wide commitment to proactively working to protect its employees.

ISO 45001 is the world’s first International Standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S), providing a framework to increase safety, reduce workplace risks and enhance health and wellbeing at work, enabling an organisation to proactively improve its OH&S performance.

This follows on from Aggregate Industries’ successful certification early this year from the BSI of ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems, after demonstrating its company-wide commitment to energy efficiency.