Building Briefs – August 17th

Construction works have begun on extensions to Premier Inns in Falkirk, Edinburgh and Dundee.

The three extensions at Falkirk East Newcraighall and Dundee West have been designed by Lawrence McPherson Associates with the construction works are being carried out by Ogilvie Construction.

The construction works for the three projects are expected to complete early next year.

The 22 bed extension at Falkirk will take the total number of bedrooms to 60. The 24 bed extension at Newcraighall will take the total number of rooms to 66 and the 22 bed extension at Dundee West will increase the total number of bedrooms to 84.

New car park at Glasgow Fort

Glasgow Fort is building a 600 space car park which it says will create 12 new construction jobs.

McLaughlin & Harvey is the main contractor on the project and customers are expected to be able to use the additional space from spring next year.

The development, between the Smyths Toys store and the Vue Cinema, will boost parking at the retail site by 25 per cent.

Govanhill’s £9.3m plans to tackle poor housing conditions move forward

Govanhill Housing Association has taken the next steps in its £9.3 million plans to buy and repair poor quality private housing in Glasgow.

Last week, the Association sent around 600 letters to all property owners in a target area of four tenement blocks in south-west Govanhill. The letters include information about the plans and contact details for those interested in selling their properties.

Meanwhile, the first of two meetings was held with owners in the blocks. Around 50 owners and private landlords have expressed an interest in selling to the Association as part of the South-West Govanhill Property Acquisition and Repair Programme.

The initiative will initially involve the Association buying, repairing, letting and then managing up to 80 properties from private owners and landlords in four tenement blocks between Annette Street, Dixon Avenue, Westmoreland Street and Calder Street. It will also take on factoring where it has majority ownership.

The Scottish Government has provided a grant of £4.3m to purchase and improve the properties for social letting. Glasgow City Council will supplement the funding with £5m from its affordable homes and property repairs budgets, and will be working in partnership with the Association in using its statutory powers to support change.

The Association currently owns around 40 properties in the target area. It provides factoring services in five tenements, and expects to factor more.

Plans for new Galashiels primary school unveiled

Detailed plans for the new Langlee Primary in Galashiels have been unveiled.

A modern three-storey structure will replace the current 1960s school at the 1.9 hectare site at Melrose Road.

The new school will cater for the increased roll.

As well as classrooms, a games hall, a grass playing field, an early years centre and car parking facilities the plans for the school site also feature an orchard.

Revamp for one of Perth’s oldest buildings

The new face of Perth’s oldest inhabited building has been unveiled after a painstaking restoration process.

Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust has received the sum of £750,000 from Historic Scotland to spend on historic buildings over the whole of Perth City Centre and Bridgend from 2015-18.

Originally the home of town clerk Robert Graham, the elaborate door surround has the date 1699 and the initials of Graham and his wife, Elspeth Cunningham, carved into the pediment.

The old name for the entry to the building was Kings Arms Close, a reference to the public house that was situated behind the house until the end of the 19th Century.

Renovations included conservation of the structure, repairs to the roof, sash and case windows and shop fronts and the masonry. The building housed the Conservative Club at one time and Victorian shop fronts were added at street level before time took its toll.

One of the biggest changes to the building’s appearance has been the removal of the failing cement render.

It has been replaced with a traditional lime harl and finished with a bright ochre limewash, which was a conventional finish and colour for buildings of this period.

A725 resurfacing works

Over £230K of resurfacing works is being carried out on the southbound A725 between Whirlies Roundabout and Whitemoss Roundabout which will improve the road surface for those using the route.

The works will see Scotland Transerv, on behalf of Transport Scotland, resurface the route over the weekend of August 21st.

Social housing completions ‘up almost 20 per cent’ under SNP

More social sector homes for rent have been completed during the last seven years of the SNP government than over the same period under the former Labour-LibDem administration, according to new statistics.

New figures obtained by a Parliamentary Question answered by housing minister Margaret Burgess show that 28,988 homes for social rent were completed in the last seven years of the Labour-LibDem administration (2000-01 to 2006-07). In the last seven years of the SNP government 34,633 social rent homes have been completed – 19.5 per cent more than in the last seven years of the Labour-led executive.

The Scottish Government has pledged to deliver 30,000 affordable homes by the end of this Parliament and said back in June that it is on target to deliver with 26,972 affordable homes already built since 2011-12 (90 per cent of its target). This includes 18,670 homes for social rent – 93 per cent of the Scottish Government’s social rent target.

Housebuilder launches £10k community bursary

CALA Homes (North) has announced a £10,000 community bursary scheme as part of celebrations to mark its 140th anniversary in Aberdeen.

The housebuilder is making the money available to north-east charities, community groups and organisations who are looking to help to fund projects which make a difference in their area.

The scheme follows a number of charitable donations from the business over the first half of 2015. These have included £750 for the Stonehaven Bowling Club to buy new equipment and redecorate its club house, and £550 to Cults Primary School for a new audio system.

Members of staff also completed the Colour Me Rad 5k fun run in June and raised almost £2,250 for Northsound Cash for Kids.

A total of £10,000 is available, and CALA Homes (North) is aiming to support as many worthy causes as possible with the funds.

Applications can be requested by emailing sbrand@cala.co.uk and stating the amount they would like to secure and what it will be used for, before the closing date on September 14.