Building Briefs – April 14th

Major works at Queen Street station in Glasgow are entering the next phase, ScotRail has said.

This week engineers have begun to break up and remove ageing tracks in the tunnel to allow for new tracks to be laid.

In total, over 10,000 tonnes of the old tracks will be removed throughout the 900m tunnel. These will be replaced by 4000m of new rails and 1800m of concrete slab.

Junctions to the north of the tunnel near Cowlairs are also being renewed and platforms in the station will be lengthened as part of the project.

The work, which began on March 20, is said to be proceeding on pace and the station is scheduled to be fully re-opened by August 8.

Plans to supply affordable heat to over 200 homes in Perth

An innovative renewable heating project which could help to reduce fuel poverty in the north of Perth is to be discussed by councillors next week.

Members of Perth and Kinross Council’s strategic policy & resources committee will hear how the River Tay Heat Pump and District Heating project aims to use water heat exchange pumps to capture renewable energy from the River Tay without harming wildlife.

The resulting District Heating Network will supply affordable heat to 211 rented houses, four serviced sites and manufacturing units at Perth Food & Drink Park, North Muirton Primary School and possibly other public buildings in the first phase.

A business case for the project has successfully secured £2 million from the Scottish Government-funded Local Energy Challenge Fund towards the heat pipe network costs. The scheme will be one of the largest demonstrator projects of its type in the UK.

Individual households which are linked to the scheme should benefit from reduced total fuel bills by £200 per year from electric heating and £100 per year from gas heating. The project will also reduce carbon emission by 450 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Councillors will also be told how businesses at the Perth Food & Drink Park can benefit from a new solar farm.

Completed on land at the Food & Drink Park, the solar farm of 300 panels at 75KW will produce electricity which will be distributed through a private network. The farm will work jointly with the heat pump project and it is estimated that it could generate income of around £10,000 a year over 20 years to support the maintenance and operational costs of the park.

Both projects are part of the council’s ambitious Tay EcoValley project to grow the economy in a resource-efficient and sustainable way.

Demolition of former Dundee factory to begin soon

Work to demolish a dilapidated Dundee factory and build hundreds of new homes on the site could start within weeks.

Avant Homes, formerly known as Bett, wants to create 131 homes on the site of the former Keiller factory on Mains Loan and submitted a planning application last year.

Although Dundee City Council approved plans for the homes last August, Avant has still not concluded purchase of the land from its current owners.

But now a company spokesman has said the deal should be completed by the end of May, with construction work due to start soon after.

An Avant Homes spokesperson said: “Negotiations around the purchase of this site are ongoing between Avant Homes and the current landowners.

“We hope to conclude the deal in the next four to six weeks and for construction to begin shortly thereafter.”

Scottish Water to begin £1.4m mains replacement project

Work is due to begin on building a new water main for the island of Iona.

The £1.4 million project aims to improve water supply for both residents and holidaymakers on the island.

The work will provide a newer alternative to the ageing existing main, with a new 0.8 mile long plastic pipeline main housed in metal casing under the Sound of Iona linking with the network on Mull.

The project is scheduled to begin next week and will last for around six weeks.

Pathway repair works begin in Perthshire

Work is underway to repair a pathway in Perthshire.

Resurfacing of around 400 metres of path in the Birks of Aberfeldy began on Monday, 11 April.

Repairs will also be carried out on a number of drains and culverts.

The project is scheduled to last for two weeks.

Scottish Water completes East Ayrshire project

Scottish Water has completed a water mains upgrade project in East Ayrshire.

Engineers replaced around 5.3 miles of water mains with new plastic piping in Cumnock.

The scheme was carried out by Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA) and will improve the security of water supply to customers in the region.

£1.3m Spittal of Glenshee plan to transform fire-hit hotel site

A former Perthshire hotel could rise from the ashes as a £1.3 million “gateway to the Cairngorms”.

An activity hub, including a reconstructed Pictish longhouse and café, is planned for the site of the Spittal of Glenshee Hotel, lost in a devastating fire in 2014.

A retail area and exhibition would also be created.

A business plan commissioned by the Spittal of Glenshee Community Steering Group states the new development could attract around 50,000 visitors a year, generating an estimated £1.9m for the Scottish economy.

Demand rises modestly in Scottish housing market with prices continuing to grow

Demand for Scottish residential properties grew marginally last month as the number of properties coming on to the market continued to fall, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey.

Activity in the Scottish housing market picked up in March, with a net balance of 26 per cent of respondents reporting an increase in newly agreed sales.

Demand for residential property also grew, although modestly, and continued to outpace new supply coming on to the market, pushing price expectations higher. A net balance of 23 per cent more chartered surveyors expect Scottish house prices to rise over the next three months.

Across the UK, while expectations around the number of new houses sales peaked following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, this trend has reversed with 2 per cent more respondents expecting to see the number of sales fall rather that rise over the coming months.

Confidence around house price inflation has also dampened across the UK, with 17 per cent of respondents (net balance) expecting to see prices rise over the next three months, compared to 44 per cent (net balance) in December.

In the letting market, despite the increased rates of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax now expected to be paid by prospective landlords, rents– while expected to increase – are not predicted to rise any faster than it has in previous months.

Council rejects proposals for windfarm at Parks of Keillour

A bid to build four turbines on the outskirts of Perth has been rejected.

Norwich-based businessman Mike Stamford had hoped to install 410ft masts over nearly 13 acres of farmland at Parks of Keillour, near Methven.

The project attracted more than 100 objections from local groups and residents.

Planners said the scheme would have “unacceptable” and “adverse” effects on the local landscape.

New chief executive appointment at Muirhouse

Muirhouse Housing Association has announced the appointment of Stevie McAvoy as its new chief executive.

Stevie has over 30 years experience in housing and a hugely successful track record of success and achievement over that period of time with a variety of housing organisations.