Building Briefs – August 22nd

Young adults from the Easterhouse area of Glasgow have been given more employment opportunities thanks to a partnership between Wellhouse Housing Association and Saltire Facilities Management Ltd.

A national provider of central heating and electrical services, Saltire won a tender exercise to become the gas engineers and servicing firm for Wellhouse in April and almost immediately promoted local employment initiatives.

A recruitment programme, supported by Wellhouse Housing Association, was run throughout the summer. Apprentice Adam Robertson from Wellhouse started work with Saltire in August.

Work to repair historic Govan building creates apprentice jobs at local company

A heritage project in Govan has led to the local company working on the scheme taking on new apprentices.

The project - the £4.1million Govan Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) - aims to help the wider regeneration of Govan by repairing, restoring and preserving the area’s main heritage features and historic buildings.

The first building repair project to be carried out under the Govan Cross THI is at the B-Listed Govan & Linthouse Parish Church ancillary building and bell tower at Govan Cross. The building will undergo comprehensive repair including re-slating and leadwork to the roof, masonry repair, replacement cast-iron rainwater goods, and sash and case window repair.

The contractor carrying out the works to the G & L ancillary building is John Fulton (Plumbers) Ltd who are based in Govan, and carry out traditional leadwork repair across the country. The contractor recently worked with the THI’s Jobs Match Group to provide apprenticeship opportunities in leadwork.

Four apprentices were recruited through the THI’s pilot Govan Jobs Match Group with two of the apprentices being local to Govan. The apprentices receive training at the contractor’s premises on Harmony Row, as well as working on site on varied jobs.

New affordable homes planned for Badenoch and Strathspey

A total of 238 affordable homes are planned for Badenoch and Strathspey over the next five years, the Highland Council has announced.

Highland’s Local Housing Strategy sets the targets for affordable housing, and the Highland’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan sets out how resources will be used over five years (2017-2022) to deliver these affordable housing priorities with a target of around 500 units per year. 70% of the overall programme should be for affordable rent, either through the council or housing association, with the remainder being alternative tenures such as Low Cost Home Ownership or mid-market rent.

It is planned that around 10% of the affordable housing units should be provided within Badenoch and Strathspey, delivering some 238 affordable homes over the next five years.

Some of the first to be completed include 23 units at Beachan Court in Grantown-on-Spey. Fifteen council properties and eight mid-market rent properties will shortly be available for local families.

Housing minister visit marks new Highland Council homes milestone

Minister for local government, housing and planning, Kevin Stewart, visited a housing development in Inverness on Monday to mark the completion of the 750th new council home built in the Highlands since the re-introduction of the Council House Build Programme in 2010.

The Kirk Brae development in Inverness is made up of 27 new 2 and 1 bedroom flats, built on a gap site above the Smithton and Culloden Free Church. The development, commissioned by the Highland Council’s development and infrastructure service, was designed by Bracewell Stirling Architects and local company Compass Building and Construction carried out the construction works. A total of 21 of the properties are for rent, helping the council reach the 750 milestone and six are for the low-cost initiative for first time buyers (LIFT)

Over £30 million of Scottish Government funding has been invested into Highland Council housing developments, to reach this milestone and the visit was a chance for the minister to see some of the properties and meet some of the staff delivering projects and tenants who are benefiting from these schemes.

The Highland Council has invested over £100m in delivering these new council homes and is committed to providing high quality, energy efficient affordable homes so people can live and work in their communities and all ages, from the younger generations to older residents with specific housing needs.

Transformation complete on old Inverclyde primary school

A £3.8 million project has been completed to transform Lady Alice Primary School in Greenock into a new modern build.

Built in 1937, the original exterior of the building has been retained while the inside has been completely reworked and modernised and a new reception area added.

A lift has been installed alongside the latest classroom teaching technology while the school boasts a hi-tech audio and lighting system in the assembly hall.

Pupils have returned to the campus after spending the past year in temporary accommodation.

The project was delivered by Clark Contracts.

Lady Alice is the latest school to undergo a complete refurbishment as part of Inverclyde Council’s £270m investment in its school estate.

Scottish Water to host consultation on £3.9bn investment programme

Scottish Water is to host its Annual Consultative Meeting next week in Glasgow.

The event will detail the progression of Scottish Water’s current six-year £3.9 billion investment programme.

Members of its Board will be on hand to meet customers and answer questions as the public utility reviews its performance in the past year.

It will take place at The Studio conference centre, Hope Street, on 28 August from 5.30pm until 7pm.

Public opinion welcomed on Great Glen Way proposals

Community feedback is being sought on plans to divert a section of the Great Glen Way to allow a water main installation to take place.

A new water main is to be installed to connect Fort Augustus and Invermoriston.

An open event to present detailed plans and seek feedback is being held at Fort Augustus Village Hall on Wednesday 29 August between 1pm and 7pm.

The Scottish Water work forms part of a major planned investment in the future of the public water supply for both communities, centred on a new Water Treatment Works south of Invermoriston, drawing water from Loch Ness.

The project would provide an improved water supply for both communities, with greater resilience and capacity to support future growth.

The first phase of Scottish Water’s project is due to start next month in Fort Augustus with installation, via directional drilling, of a new water main crossing beneath the Caledonian Canal and the River Oich.