Building Briefs - March 2nd

• New £1.2m regeneration project to boost Bannockburn businesses

Stirling Council is investing in the refurbishment of two prominent Bannockburn buildings, the former RBS branch at Quakerfield and Bannockburn Library, for the benefit of the local community.

Following extensive engagement with the local community on what it wanted to see delivered, the project will include a new businesses and support hub in the former RBS unit and refurbishment of Bannockburn Library including the development of Stirling’s first Makerspace facility.

Work is scheduled to begin in April, with new facilities ready for use later this year.

Development of the former RBS branch will create an affordable and practical working space in the centre of Bannockburn.

The facility will support local start-ups and help established businesses continue to grow, while providing a valuable learning and advice resource for local schools and the local community.

The refurbishment of Bannockburn Library will meanwhile introduce Stirling’s first-ever Makerspace, offering tools and resources to help residents explore new technologies, get creative and bring their ideas to life.

Stirling Council has secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Fund, as well as contributing funds from their own capital budget, to facilitate the project.

• H&M commits long term future to St. Enoch Centre

Sovereign Centros has signed a new ten-year deal with leading fashion retailer H&M for its 32,000 sq ft store at the St. Enoch Centre in Glasgow.

H&M is the latest in a long line of tenants to show confidence in the city’s retail recovery; Sovereign Centros has renewed a total of 25 leases over the last 12 months.

Most notably Superdry has also extended its lease for a further two years. The St. Enoch Centre store is one of the brand’s largest in Europe.

Graeme Jones, at Sovereign Centros, asset and development managers for St. Enoch Centre, said: “Glasgow is known for being one of the leading shopping capitals in the UK and despite recent challenges, we are confident that this show of commitment and investment from our existing retailers, in tandem with our ongoing expansion and improvements, will ensure that St. Enoch’s remains as popular a destination as ever.

“H&M has chosen this store to represent their brand in a city which is undergoing exciting change and development. A key part of this is the centre’s new £40 million East End leisure redevelopment, which will open its doors this Spring and bring an additional 100,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space to the city, including a nine-screen VUE cinema.

“This investment is helping to both retain existing retailers and attract some really exciting new brands. We are looking forward to showcasing the full and expanded retail and leisure offer at the centre and welcoming shoppers back in full over the coming weeks.”

• Construction of new section of Elgin footpath begins

Wor on a new section of footpath at The Wards in Elgin is under way.

Pedestrian safety will be improved through the project, which will link two existing footpaths by providing a pavement where there currently isn’t one.

The work, which has been funded through the Scottish Government’s Cycling Walking Safer Routes grant, involves the demolition of a wall and shed at a nearby property, construction of around 50 metres of new footpath – which will take two to three weeks – then a new boundary fence and gates installed.

Traffic restrictions are in place, with a one-way system and a prohibition of waiting order in operation until March 28.

• Consultations over school catchment changes for Livingston and Bathgate

Views are wanted over plans to change school catchment areas for potential development sites in Livingston and Bathgate

Former council sites at Eagle Brae in Livingston and Guildiehaugh in Bathgate are due to be redeveloped after they were no longer required for service delivery.

However, the non-denominational primary schools they are currently zoned for, Harrysmuir and Simpson respectively, are full, or close to full.

To enable the sites to be redeveloped, the council is looking for views on changing the catchments to Toronto and Boghall primaries respectively.

For more information, please visit https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/schoolconsultations.

• New show apartment launched at top of the class development

A development that is breathing new life into one of Edinburgh’s most prized former school buildings now boasts a second show apartment.

House-hunters visiting Boroughmuir by CALA Homes (East) can now experience contrasting interior styles to help them to envisage their lives within the 4.5m enhanced height and mezzanine spaces.

The new show apartment, by Glasgow-based Get Fully Furnished is designed to generate a calming atmosphere, with a colour scheme of Farrow and Ball’s Skimming Stone throughout, plus burnt orange and gold touches.

While each home in Boroughmuir is subtly different, owing to the careful refurbishment of former classrooms into modern homes, the new show apartment showcases a “Type 2A” apartment – the predominant style that will feature most in upcoming releases to market.

• New release of homes at fast-selling development offer ‘WFH’ havens

Dedicated offices and full-fibre broadband combine to provide a perfect work-from-home environment at an independent developer’s fastest-selling site.

Dundas Estates’ Pace Hill development in Milnathort, near Kinross, has launched three new three-bed homes at the sought-after development, which has seen demand soar as buyers increasingly seek space and solace.

The three-bedroom terraced villas from the Livingston-based firm’s Elliot house type are now on the market, offering value and flexibility over three stories.

Dundas Estates has sold over a third of the Pace Hill development in less than a year.

The Elliot offers buyers two double bedrooms and an en-suite, as well as an extensive office space/third bedroom.

The terraced homes also provide a large lounge area, and a sizeable kitchen/dining room with garden space.

• Aberdeen Harbour launches £30,000 community support programme

Aberdeen Harbour Board has  launched a £30,000 community support programme for charities and groups undertaking work local to the port.

This year, the programme – which has been named ‘supPORT-all’ – will benefit four organisations through financial donations, volunteer and resource commitments, and a marketing support package delivered in partnership with award-winning video production company Signal.

Two financial awards of £10,000 and two awards of £5,000 will be donated by the Harbour throughout the year.

Charities and community groups interested in applying to supPORT-all should visit the Aberdeen Harbour website or contact ahep-info@aberdeen-harbour.co.uk. The deadline for applications is March 19 and recipients will be announced on April 5.