Building Briefs - April 6th

• New move west for Allanwater Homes

The firm is coming to the North Lanarkshire village of Chryston, with a 68 home development aimed at professionals, re-sizers, and families.

Just a few months ago, Allanwater Homes announced that it was to build an exclusive development of bungalows and linked villas in Haddington, East Lothian, another area in which it has established a new sales presence.

Allanwater Chryston will offer a selection of energy efficient, three, four, and five-bedroom villas. Constructed with the very latest energy efficient materials, and including solar panels across all home types, occupants of these new properties in Chryston can enjoy reduced running costs, as well as take advantage of numerous features and benefits which today’s buyers want to see in their new homes.

The development includes several new housetypes which have never been seen before, now making their debut in Chryston for the benefit of local homehunters throughout the area. These include a selection of impressive four bedroom detached villas, the Lewis, the Iona, and the Fintry, plus the hometype which has been chosen as the development’s first showhome, the Arisaig complete with a separate lounge kitchen/dining room, and an integral garage.

• Cambus O May suspension bridge reopens after major repair works

The iconic Cambus O May suspension bridge which was severely damaged by floods during Storm Frank at the end of 2015 has reopened following major repair works.

Forming part of the Cairngorms National Park’s core path network, the Edwardian structure over the River Dee has always been a popular spot for locals and visitors as it crosses the river at such an eye-catching spot.

The bridge was built in 1905 and was a gift to the public from Alexander Gordon some ten years after his death, along with the Polhollick Bridge and several other buildings in Ballater.

It is a Grade B listed structure, which had to be re-built in 1988 for safety purposes and was then re-opened by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

• Plan for resurfacing and pothole repair works in Aberdeen

• Free home draught proofing service for older or disabled Edinburgh residents

Care and Repair Edinburgh has launched a free home draught-proofing service for older or disabled Edinburgh residents.

The charity has been serving Edinburgh’s older and disabled community or over 30 years and completes around 4,000 jobs every year in homes across the city to enable older people remain safely and independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

This new free service which includes draught-proofing wooden doors and windows has been made possible due to generous funding from the Greenshoots Fund. Draught proofing can be an effective way to make homes warmer, save energy and reduce fuel bills. Care & Repair Edinburgh carry out this service in line with Covid safety measures.

• North Lanarkshire support teams thank Mears Group’s Safer Homes service

Maggie Burns

A team of tradespeople from Safer Homes, a community service for householders living in North Lanarkshire who need additional safety and security measures, has helped 137 families with essential repairs to their homes since the start of the pandemic.

Created in October 2012, the service sees dedicated tradespeople from Mears Group on behalf of North Lanarkshire Council perform emergency repairs and install additional safety and security equipment in the homes of those who need it. The service is free, unique and is not means-tested.

Since its inception, Mears’ Safer Homes has visited over 2,800 residences and installed over 12,400 personal safety items including window alarms, door chains, door bars and more.

Maggie Burns, customer success manager of Mears Group, said: “The concept of Safer Homes is to help people feel safe in their property. Some people who reach out to us are domestic abuse survivors or are older members of the community who need additional home security.

“Our work sees us install door viewers, window alarms, personal alarms etc. We do this because we have the resources and we care. North Lanarkshire Council provides the materials and we give our time and skills freely.

“It is not means-tested so no matter your living situation – whether you own your home, rent from the local authority or housing association or rent from a private landlord – Safer Homes is there for you.”

Several other community organisations that have recommended Mears Safer Homes to locals have praised Mears for the initiative.

• Dream home becomes reality for Edinburgh resident thanks to Golden Share

An Edinburgh resident’s dream of owning her own home has become a reality thanks to the Golden Share affordable housing scheme.

Backed by the City of Edinburgh Council, Golden Share allows first-time buyers and existing homeowners to purchase a new home at only 80% of its market value.

South Edinburgh mum Pauline, who dreamed of a new-build home after facing issues in older properties, the council’s Golden Share scheme was a chance to make it her reality. 

Pauline said: “My past experience in old houses made me turn a corner on what I was after. I was getting fed up of the upkeep, and always struggled to heat the other properties without it costing a fortune. I’d always loved the cleanliness and ease of new build properties, they always felt like they were ready to live in when you walked in the door.”

For Pauline, location was everything. The new home would have to be close to a school for her two sons, as well as being close to her workplace. Ample space and at least three bedrooms were also on her checklist. After scoping out her ideal locations, Pauline discovered Barratt Homes @ Heritage Grange provided everything she was looking for, at a price she could afford.

She said: “I didn’t know the area was there when I visited the sales office, I sort of found it by accident! In comparison to a lot of the other houses nearby, the matter of being a couple of minutes down the road also made quite a big price difference, despite the Barratt houses offering a lot more.

“It was exciting seeing it go through the different stages, Ross [the sales adviser] kept me updated throughout. Seeing it from its first initial shell, to then having everything finished for moving in, was a really positive journey. They allowed me to move in as soon as it was finished and the builders even took away all of the leftover cardboard and boxes after I had finished un-packing! It was a fantastic buying experience”. 

Pauline and her two sons moved into a three-bedroom, mid-terraced Bonnyton house-type.

Barratt @ Heritage Grange is a development of three and four-bedroom homes on the south side of the capital.