Building Briefs – April 15th

• 2000th heating milestone achieved at DGHP

Jean Anderson, known as Doris, lives in Eastriggs and welcomed representatives of DGHP and contractors in to her home to celebrate the successful installation of the 2000th boiler in the ongoing investment programme. 

The new heating system was installed as part of DGHP’s multi-million pound heating upgrade programme.

The new gas boiler heating system was installed as part of a four-year, £12.5 million heating upgrade programme to replace 2,845 older, less efficient back boilers with gas and air source heating pump systems. The programme started in 2016 with British Gas and its subcontractors.

Over the next year around £3.2m will be spent on upgrading the remaining 800 properties. Where possible, gas heating is installed as part of the programme, but if this is not available it is usually air source heating or electric wet heating.

The new gas combi-boiler central heating system was fitted following the removal of the old system – all in less than a day.

The programme has been designed by DGHP, in partnership with British Gas, to help tenants have warmer, more energy efficient homes. The new systems and measures being introduced are working towards all DGHP properties meeting the 2020 Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) guidelines. Tenants should see savings on their fuel bills annually as a result of the DGHP funded programme.

• GAP Hire MD to compete for prestigious Scottish business award

GAP Hire Solutions’ joint managing director, Iain Anderson, has secured a nomination for a prestigious Scottish business award.

Celebrating his 35th year with GAP, Mr Anderson will compete to win The Institute of Directors (IOD) ‘Director of the Year’ award in the Family Business category.

Four finalists are shortlisted in the Family Business award category. The winner will be announced at the IoD Scotland Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on May 23.

The winners of the Scottish award categories will also progress to the prestigious UK Director of the Year Awards, which take place in London, in October.

• Retail park planned for edge of Blairgowrie

Plans have been lodged for a retail development on the edge of Perthshire’s biggest town. Discount chains Lidl and Home Bargains are eyeing up land next to Blairgowrie.

The project will be part of the huge Westpark expansion, which includes designs for hundreds of new homes across 70 acres of fields and woodlands.

Councillors backed a masterplan for the site earlier this year.

The Westpark Partnership has now submitted its planning application for the first phase of the project.

Among the paperwork is a retail impact assessment, which claims there will be minimal effect on shops in Blairgowrie town centre.

• New Highlands medical centre opens

A new medical centre has been opened in Fort Augustus, four years on since a fire destroyed the former facility.

The Highland Council agreed funding of £50,000 from its Capital Discretionary Fund back in 2016 towards the cost of rebuilding the former Cill Chuimein Medical Centre.

Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company was tasked with purchasing land and building a new replacement centre.

Council leader Councillor Davidson opened the new facility earlier this month.

NHS Highland also contributed £10,000 towards the project.

• Scottish Water moves forward with multi-million pound Glasgow scheme

Scottish Water is moving forward with a multi-million pound investment in Glasgow’s West End.

The utility will now launch an archaeological dig on the walkway at a historic site on the River Kelvin as part of the £15 million project to improve both the environment and water quality in the river.

A key part of the preparatory works has included taking measures to ensure that during the archaeological dig anything of historical importance which may lie beneath the ground will be protected. Initial investigations already carried out revealed the work is likely to expose the foundations to an old Flour Mill.

The dig will get underway today and is expected to last two weeks.

During the works the Kelvin Walkway will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists with a short diversion route in place during the dig. This will remain in place until the main project is completed, expected to be in January 2020.

The investment project is set to commence in summer and will last until January 2020. It will involve the upgrade work at 11 locations along or near the River Kelvin.