Building Briefs – August 18th

The first sheltered housing project to be delivered by construction and infrastructure-focused partnership hub South West on behalf of North Ayrshire Council is set to get under way following a ground-breaking ceremony.

The £6 million project will deliver 36 new dwellings on the site of the former Canal Court complex in Saltcoats.

Designed specifically to meet the needs of the older population in North Ayrshire, the new unit will provide one and two bedroom wheelchair accessible flats and a social services hub designed to allow older people to live independently in their own homes. The complex includes a range of communal areas including a lounge, dining room, private courtyard and a ‘visiting services’ room.

The development will produce modern, high quality, affordable homes which encourage independent living, promote energy efficiency and also ensure that the long-term needs of its residents are not only met, but exceeded.

Provost Ian Clarkson and Councillor Jim Montgomerie, cabinet member for place at North Ayrshire Council, marked the beginning of the construction phase at a ground-breaking ceremony earlier this month.

The contractor is local construction business Ashleigh Building Ltd and handover of the project to North Ayrshire Council is scheduled to be July 31 next year.

An innovative works-only form of contract has been developed by hub South West with solicitors Pinsent Masons which enables North Ayrshire Council to retain its in-house design team, thereby maintaining consistency with the designs it utilise across its estate and which is also supported by technical and buildability input from Ashleigh Building Ltd.

hub South West has previously partnered alongside North Ayrshire Council in delivering successful projects including Arran’s Montrose House, the new Garnock Community Campus and North Ayrshire’s Professional Learning Academy.

Councillors to consider £5.5m contribution to Aberdeen Harbour expansion plans

Aberdeenshire Council could make a financial contribution to the expansion of Aberdeen Harbour as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal, if councillors agree next week.

To accommodate existing and future demands for harbour services in the region, including support for decommissioning, offshore renewables, large cruise liners and a bigger Northern Isles ferry, Aberdeen Harbour Board is expanding into the Bay of Nigg, south of the existing harbour.

Already a key commercial port supporting the economy of the whole of the north east of Scotland, the expansion project has both regional and national significance with potential to generate £0.8 billion GVA to the regional economy per year.

Land-based construction, road strengthening and breakwater construction work began earlier this year and the project’s target completion date is June 2020.

The overall cost of the core harbour project, including major road improvements, is expected to be around £350 million, which will mostly be privately funded.

A key project of the Aberdeen City Region Deal, the Aberdeen Harbour expansion includes a commitment of up to £11m of funding in total from Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City councils to fund supporting infrastructure. It is anticipated that return on total public sector investment would be £42.53 per £1 invested.

Members of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee will next week be asked to approve a £5.5m contribution and the Aberdeen Harbour Business Case.

The Business Case sets out the strategic, commercial and economic case for the project and the need for the funding to support port infrastructure.

If councillors agree, the contribution is expected to be matched by Aberdeen City Council and the £11m used for supporting infrastructure.

Highland Council agrees Planning Performance Framework

The Highland Council’s Planning Performance Framework has been agreed for submission to the Scottish Government.

All Planning Authorities in Scotland are required to submit an annual Planning Performance Framework to the Scottish Government, setting out how they have performed over the previous financial year.

The report presents some of the projects and developments that the planning service has helped to deliver and where it has worked closely with communities, developers and partner organisations and groups to deliver improvements to the services it provides.

CCG completes Govanhill window replacement contract

Glasgow-based construction firm CCG has completed a window replacement contract to 86 properties in the south of the city on behalf of Govanhill Housing Association.

Works were undertaken to properties along Langside Road and involved the installation of the CCG-manufactured Dual Turn Timber Window as well as the repair and upgrade of stonework on the building façade.

Manufactured across a semi-automated production line in the bespoke, zero-waste CCG Manufacturing facility located at the company’s Cambuslang headquarters, the windows were delivered to site fully finished to ensure a swift and easy installation that was delivered by the company’s expert building renewals division, CCG Specialist Building Services.

AWPR - changes to road layout on A90 Stonehaven

The contraflow currently in place on the A90 at Stonehaven is expected to move over to the new A90 southbound carriageway, weather permitting, during the week commencing Monday 21 August, as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project.

Following the overnight move to the southbound carriageway, which will enable the contractor to demolish and reconstruct the A90 northbound carriageway section of the bridge, the contraflow will continue with two lanes of traffic heading northbound and one lane of traffic heading southbound.

However, it is anticipated that during the demolition of the northbound carriageway section of the existing bridge, which is expected to take place over one weekend in the coming weeks, there will be one lane for northbound traffic and one lane for southbound traffic.

The existing northbound A90 slip roads to and from the B979 and the new southbound slip road to the A90 from the B979 will remain open, although will be subject to periodic closures.

Prince’s Trust placements given royal welcome by Dundee maintenance companies

Twelve young people were given work placements with local trades employers, including Hillcrest Maintenance Services (HMS), as part of a Prince’s Trust Scotland initiative in Dundee earlier this month.

The Dundee young people shadowed electricians for a week’s hands on training.

In partnership with Barnardos in Dundee, HMS has provided work experience opportunities for two young people and has been working with Braeview Academy to engage with school pupils as they start to think about what career path to take.