Building Briefs – August 17th

Turnberry Homes is planning to redevelop a site in the Faifley district of Clydebank into new private housing.

The approximately 1.36 acres site, at the corner of Faifley Road and Milldam Road is currently occupied by the Doublet public house. The proposal is for a mix of flats, semi-detached and terraced housing.

Graeme Todd, a partner in DM Hall, which sold the site on behalf of Hawthorn Leisure Group, said: “The various regeneration initiatives which have occurred in Faifley have transformed the area leading to this commitment to develop by the private sector.”

Jim Clark museum plans submitted for Duns development

Plans have been submitted for a museum in the Borders celebrating the achievements of two-time Formula One world champion Jim Clark.

A total project cost of about £1.65 million has been attached to the scheme.

It would see the existing Jim Clark Room in Duns expanded and enhanced to let cars and trophies go on display.

A design statement accompanying the planning application describes it as an “exciting opportunity” to raise the profile of the Scottish sporting hero.

Scottish Borders Council has already committed almost £620,000 to the scheme with a similar sum being sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

A minimum of £300,000 has been set as a target for community fundraising.

It is hoped the development could be completed by 2018 - the 50th anniversary of Clark’s death at Hockenheim in Germany, aged just 32.

Highland green home owners open doors to public

The owners of one of Scotland’s most inspirational green homes will open their doors to neighbours this weekend as part of a series of ‘Green Designs’ events.

Cromarty homeowners Peter and Fran Tilbrook will allow visitors to look around, chat about their experiences, and get specialist advice about energy efficiency and renewable technology for their own property from Home Energy Scotland.

The event is part of a series showcasing a selection of properties on the Green Homes Network, managed by the Energy Saving Trust.

The homes taking part across Scotland this year include sustainable new builds, unique eco-homes and historic properties that have been modernised with green technology.

And the Tilbrooks’ aspirational self-build home, featuring stunning Douglas Fir beams and Larch cladding sourced from the Highlands, as well as a host of complementary technologies, definitely has the ‘wow factor’. Their journey started in 2010 when they decided to build a new, more efficient home in the garden of their 170 year-old sandstone house.

The property will be open to visitors on 20 August 2016 from 10am to 3pm. For more information or to find details on other events visit www.greenhomesopendays.org.uk.

Galashiels and Kelso primary school schedule amended

An updated schedule for delivering two new primary schools in the Borders costing more than £20 million has seen their completion dates change.

The project involves Langlee Primary in Galashiels and Broomlands Primary in Kelso.

A report to Scottish Borders Council said planning consent for both projects was achieved last year.

However, the order of completion of the schools has now been reversed with the Galashiels site due to be ready first.

The original schedule would have seen a new Broomlands Primary built by March 2017 and the new Langlee Primary by December 2017.

It has now been proposed that the Galashiels project - as the more expensive of the two schemes - should be completed first.

It would now be built by May next year with the Kelso development finished by October or November.

Portobello care home work begins

Work has begun on a £5.6 million new care home in Portobello.

The project by Care UK and Metnor Construction Ltd will create a home in Inchview Terrace with 60 en-suite bedrooms providing residential care, specialist dementia care, nursing and short-term respite care in the city.

The purpose-built three-storey home is expected to welcome its first residents in October 2017, and will feature a cinema, coffee shop and hair-dressing salon.

New cycle and footpath to link housing development with Inverurie town centre

Work to build a new path in Inverurie which will open up an area of the town for the creation of a riverside park and link a housing development with the town centre will start in the coming weeks.

A tender has been awarded to local construction company MTM to build the path, which will connect the existing bridge at Uryside, known locally as “the bridge to nowhere”, to the town centre via existing shared cycle/footways.

This path is the first in a network proposed to span a 60-hectare riverside park and will be constructed at a cost of around £230,000.

As the area is a floodplain, the design of the new public park will work with the forces of nature and it is accepted that there will be times when the area will flood. The path will be constructed to withstand flood water and will have solar-powered way markers along its 650-metre length.

Proposal unveiled for almost 50 homes in Aberdeenshire village

A pre-planning application for almost 50 homes in Cairnbulg has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council.

Claymore Homes are proposing a 49 house development and will hold a public consultation in the village and meet with the community council before submitting a full planning application by October.

As part of the proposed development to the north side of Rathen Road Claymore Homes will also hand over land to be used by the church.

Apprentices benefit with tools from plastic bag levy

Apprentices at a charitable organisation in Paisley have got their hands on a quality range of new tools thanks to Toolstation, and the carrier bag charge.

A total of £1,112.50 was given by Toolstation to Kibble Education and Care Centre, which they decided to put towards new tools and equipment that will help support young people learning a variety of trades.

Kibble offers a range of services to the communities of Renfrewshire with young people getting the chance to learn skills in construction, mechanics, hospitality, landscaping and much more. Kibble works with young people from five through to twenty-five, offering integrated services including education, training and youth employment.

The money was raised from the carrier bag charge that customers pay at Toolstation’s thirteen branches across Scotland and donated to Kibble as part of Toolstation’s programme of support to organisations that provide training for young people learning a trade.

The 5p per bag levy became mandatory in Scotland in 2014 and has been credited with reducing the use of plastic bags by 80 per cent as well as raising millions of pounds for charities, according to figures published by the Scottish government on the anniversary of the introduction of the levy.

Govan pipe band hits the high notes with CCG funding

More budding musicians in Govan will be given the opportunity to learn a traditional Scottish instrument, thanks to new funding from CCG (Scotland) Ltd.

The Glasgow-based business has donated £3,000 to the Govan Schools Pipes and Drums Association (GSPDA) – a not-for-profit organisation which works with more than 100 children from six state schools throughout Govan to teach them the bagpipes and drums.

The grant will be used by the Association to purchase new instruments. It will also enable the group to extend its free-of-charge music tuition to a greater number of young people in the Govan area.

The GSPDA was set up in 2014 to ensure more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds get the opportunity to learn traditional Scottish instruments. The Association works with 9-16 year olds from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures in the following Govan schools: Pirie Park Primary, St Constantine’s, Govan High School, Riverside Primary School, St Saviours Primary School and Lourdes Secondary School.