Building Briefs – August 21st

• Works begins on Castleview solar panel transformation

Plans to transform Stirling Council’s Castleview Park and Ride site into a sustainable transport and renewable energy hub has begun with the introduction of solar panels covering a 1,375m2 area and 32 new EV chargers.

Construction works began on August 3 and when complete the Castleview Solar Energy Hub will generate roughly 250,000kWh annually.

The solar canopies will cover 132 parking spaces, merging sustainable energy and sustainable transport to generate low cost, renewable electricity for on-site use, including buildings, street lighting, electric vehicle charging and electric bike charging.

This project has been successful in receiving match funding through Low Carbon Travel and Transport (LCTT) Challenge Fund, which is a joint Transport Scotland and European Regional Development Fund capital funding programme.

Local company FES are the successful contractors, following an open procurement process, and will design and build the Low Carbon Hub.

The project will also install integrated electric vehicle chargers which use the renewable energy from the solar canopies and battery storage to maximise use of the excess renewable energy generated.

• New A9 improvement at Berriedale opens today

A new improved section of the A9, north of Inverness, to open traffic later today.

The £9.6 million Berriedale Braes Improvement project supported over 50 jobs during construction at its peak.

The improved road alignment, which involved removing an existing hairpin bend, will improve journey times and enhance road safety by removing the need for vehicles to slow down or stop to negotiate the bend.

Contractor RJ McLeod will remain on site for a period of time to undertake necessary finishing and landscaping work. A temporary 30 mph speed restriction will be in place for around seven days after the road opening to allow the workforce to safely carry out landscaping and verge works adjacent to the road. 

• Community affordable housing project begins in Skye

A project is underway to build affordable houses in north east Skye to help quell depopulation.

The development at Stenscholl, Staffin, comes six years after a report highlighted the need for new homes to ensure the community’s sustainability, and 21 years since the last affordable houses were built.

The £1.6 million development includes six three-bedroom homes, a health centre and two business premises.

There have already been more than 10 expressions of interest in the new homes and six notes of interest in the business units.

Staffin Community Trust (SCT) developed the project after concerns about the lack of available accommodation, the falling roll at local school Bun Sgoil Stafainn and the declining population.

A recent economic report showed Staffin’s population had fallen by 6.6% between 2009 and 2013, from 608 people to 568, The Press and Journal reports.

• £1.2m secured for Spaces for People in the Borders

A total of £1.2 million has been secured by Scottish Borders Council for a series of ambitious temporary infrastructure trials to encourage safer active travel.

Support from the Spaces for People programme - which is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Sustrans Scotland - will be used to support a number of 18-month pilot projects which will aim to make it easier and safer for people to walk, cycle and wheel for every day journeys as the country moves out of lockdown.