Building Briefs – September 21st

New homes open on banks of Clyde Canal

A new development of 54 modern, spacious, energy-efficient homes has just opened at Beardmore Place, Dalmuir, on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal.

The homes were built as part of a strategic partnership between Cube Housing Association and its parent organisation Wheatley Group with West Dunbartonshire Council.

These are the first homes to be built by Cube since 2011, and come after the housing association joined Wheatley Group in 2012.

Joining Wheatley has allowed Cube to bring forward plans which will see hundreds more homes built in its communities - including 300 in West Dunbartonshire.

The 54 homes in Beardmore Place are a mixture of one and two bedrooms. Nine of the flats have been specially adapted for disabled tenants.

The £5.5 million development, built by contractor CCG, includes £2.8m grant support from the Scottish Government.

The strategic partnership between West Dunbartonshire Council, Cube and Wheatley Group has already seen 33 homes built at ‘The Scholars’ in Clydebank.

Cube also recently announced plans for a further 31 homes in Dumbarton and 50 in Bonhill.

Plans to be submitted for high school in West Lothian

Plans for a new high school in West Lothian are expected to be submitted this month.

The council has been advised of the West Calder High School project’s timescales and milestones.

In addition, the council has proposed a further consultation as the project progresses due to the outcome of the statutory education and communication discussion.

Earlier this year, the Education Executive approved proposals to locate the new high schools building on the site adjacent to Parkhead Primary School.

The new school is being designed with pupils experience as the focus of its design and will provide facilities which the community can also access.

Access to the site will be via a new rail overbridge and access road from the A71.

Kitchen maker JTC sees profits improvement follow restructure

Dundee based JTC Furniture Group has seen sales and profits increase despite a severely challenged marketplace.

New accounts posted at Companies House show the firm returned a pre-tax profit of £440,075 in the year to December 31 2014 from sales of £24.33 million.

The profits figure was a significant improvement on the previous year when the business produced a pre-tax profit of £14,572 on revenues of £23.94m.

The accounts state that a major restructuring of the firm’s manufacturing subsidiary – Joinery and Timber Creations (65) Limited – was instituted in 2013 and continued throughout the year.

They also note that having taken the action, the results for the full-year 2015 were expected to show an improvement.

West Dunbartonshire library to undergo £500,000 regeneration

Clydebank Library is in line for a major renovation aiming to modernise the 102-year-old building and improve access for less able members of the community.

West Dunbartonshire Council has pledged £500,000 to rejuvenate the historic building, and the project is expected to go out to tender later this year. Structural work ‒ including on the roof, heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrics ‒ will be carried out, as well as interior refurbishment work and action to make the building more accessible.

Funding agreed for replacement Peterhead pitches

Funding of £726,000 has been agreed for the replacement of the all-weather pitch and grass football pitch at Peterhead’s Catto Park.

Aberdeenshire Council approved the funding last week.

The works will progress while discussions continue on the wider redevelopment of the Catto Park area in conjunction with Peterhead Football Club.

Last year, the council agreed to supporting, in principle, the intention to redevelop the Catto Park area of Peterhead. Since then a feasibility study has been undertaken and a business case developed.

Further discussions are now underway on the scale of the wider project and potential sources of funding.

A tender will now be prepared for the replacement pitch, and a report will come back to committee on the longer-term options for Catto Park.

Resurfacing works to begin in the Highlands

Resurfacing works are due to commence in the Highlands today.

A 700m stretch of the Strathpeffer Road in Dingwall will be resurfaced between the level crossing and the speed restrictions at the Industrial Estate.

The works are estimated to finish by Tuesday, 29 September.

GAP adds two more award nominations to its collection

GAP Hire Solutions has been shortlisted in two categories at this year’s Scottish Business Awards, bringing the total number of awards the company has been shortlisted in this year to 16.

GAP’s nominations in the PwC Commitment to Company Values and Family Business of the Year categories follow its win in the Growth Strategy of the Year category at last year’s event.

Making the shortlist for these awards comes after a successful year of award nominations and wins for the national equipment hire company, including scooping the Apprenticeship Award at this year’s s1 Recruitment Awards, a highly commended recommendation at the Hire Awards of Excellence and Best Lighting Company at the Event Production Awards.

The company are also shortlisted for two Lloyd’s Bank National Business Awards and three Glasgow Business Awards.

South Ayrshire Council extends deadline to name new leisure centre

South Ayrshire Council has extended the deadline to name a new £5m leisure and community centre.

The deadline is 5pm on Friday, 09 October.

The new Girvan and South Carrick leisure facility is planned to open at Girvan Harbour in 2016/17.

It will include a swimming pool, soft play area, gym, studio and a café.

Entrants to the competition are asked not only to name the facility but to design a logo that will be used alongside the new name.

A judging panel, made up of representatives from South Carrick Community Leisure and South Ayrshire Council, will select a shortlist of entries.

To enter the competition, visit here.