A year in review: The most read stories on Scottish Construction Now in 2022

The news broke in August when McGill Facilities Management Limited initially submitted a notice of intent to appoint administrators with the Court of Session. Reports then emerged that some members of staff at McGill had not received their wages and also alleged that pension contributions deducted from some employees’ wages were not paid into the designated pension fund.

The company officially entered administration, for the second time in less than four years, on August 25 and just this month, the firm’s boss Graeme Carling said he personally lost some £2.2 million in his attempts to save the business.

Administrators were also appointed at Livingston-based contractor NRS UK (Noel Regan & Sons) after the firm succumbed to spiralling supply chain costs and fixed-price contract issues.

Founded in 2010, Scottish projects for the firm included the St Andrews Cross substation in Glasgow, Seagreen Offshore wind farm off the Angus coast, Hunterston substation, Sauchiehall Street civil engineering works and electricity substations in Wishaw and Glenlee.

Large projects also featured heavily with preparatory work for Perth’s largest-ever infrastructure project, the Cross Tay Link Road, beginning in January.

SCN editor Kieran Findlay visited the project in October to find out how detailed design development and changes to construction methodologies have helped BAM Nuttall reduce carbon output on the project by over 35,000 tonnes. The first foundation pile was installed for the new bridge last month.

Elsewhere, more than £300m has been invested in the renovation of Taymouth Castle in Perthshire, with work getting underway in July and further proposals pending before planning officials.

Restoration work at the castle, which was bought by US-headquartered Discovery Land Company in 2018, will continue for three to four years.

The worlds of construction and sport always seem inextricably linked and it was no different for SCN readers during the last 12 months.

Queen’s Park Football Club’s revised plans to demolish the “oldest football building in the world” to make way for a new stadium at Lesser Hampden were granted planning permission in February.

Initial plans for a 1,700-seater stadium were granted planning permission in December 2019 and included a new East Stand, with a capacity of 812, and extending the West Stand to accommodate 914 people. They also involved new home and away changing rooms, facilities for match officials and an extended clubhouse terrace for 48 people.

However, in new plans lodged late last year, the club pledged to deliver an even bigger and better stadium with new plans featuring “enhanced” facilities when compared to the original design.

Then in May, revised plans were formally submitted by Dundee Football Club for a 15,000-seater stadium near Camperdown Park. Situated on a site next to Camperdown Leisure Park near Dundee Ice Arena, the development also includes 210 homes, a 100-bedroom hotel, a crematorium and restaurants.

New animations for the club’s plans were shown in the above video.

And, of course, the much-anticipated opening of Topgolf’s state-of-the-art venue near Rutherglen was drawing the attention of readers way back in February.

Now open, Topgolf Glasgow features three stories with 72 climate-controlled outdoor hitting bays where players can experience point-scoring games.

Stewart Milne hit the headlines for various reasons throughout 2022. A mansion house created by the Stewart Milne Homes executive chairman and his partner Joanna Robertson was being marked by Savills for offers over £7.5 million in May.

Dalhebity House, which extends to over 30,000 square feet and includes a spa complex, swimming pool and staff accommodation, is surrounded by about 10 acres with trees and woodland, seven miles from Aberdeen International Airport.

In April, Stewart Milne Group put its housebuilding business up for sale after its founder and main shareholder decided to retire nearly half a century after founding the Aberdeen-based company. Mr Milne said the time was right to spend more time with family and friends following the “unprecedented” events of the pandemic.

Just last week, the cost-of-living crisis and unsettled market conditions led the group to pause its efforts to sell the business, despite a number of “fruitful discussions” with potential bidders.

Also recently, another housebuilder, Cala Homes (West), made a landmark move of its own, relocating from its Falkirk HQ to Glasgow.

The business has taken up residence in the renowned McLellan Works building on Sauchiehall Street, a move which the company said reaffirms its commitment to the city by bringing its operations and office team, made up of around 80 skilled roles, closer to its core Glasgow and West of Scotland market.

Rounding up the most read articles was the death of a man after an incident at a Glasgow building site in May. The 44-year-old sustained injuries on a building site on Stepford Road.