Building Briefs – August 25th

Funding secured for 48 new affordable homes in Possilpark

Hawthorn Housing Co-operative is to build 48 new homes in Possilpark after securing a £2 million funding package from Bank of Scotland.

The affordable social housing units are to be built on land in Ashfield Street, which was formerly a mix of council housing and industrial units but has laid bare since the 1980’s.

The land was bought by Hawthorn Housing Co-operative in 2015, which has now announced its plans for the site.

They include 48 two, three and four bedroom properties which will be a mix of cottage flats, terraced housing and four specially-designed homes for wheelchair users.

The £5.7m project is being supported by £2m funding from Bank of Scotland and a £3.7m grant from the Scottish Government.

Ayrshire-based McTaggart Construction has been contracted to build the homes, which are due to be completed in September, 2018.

Craigsfarm community hub topping out ceremony

Yesterday marked a significant milestone for Craigsfarm Community Development Project (CFCDP) and their mission to safeguard the long term future of Craigsfarm.

A topping out ceremony took place as the last beam was put in place on Craigsfarm’s new modern community hub. Members of CFCDP Board, staff, local community, funders, partners and design team will meet on site to acknowledge this by signing a column, which will remain in place within the hub for generations to come.

Craigsfarm is Craigshill’s oldest building and has been at the heart of community life in Craigshill for nearly five decades, providing a wide range of community services as well as office and activity space for local community groups and charities.

This milestone is the culmination of six years of community consultation, planning and fundraising and is enabled by financial support from the Big Lottery Fund, the Scottish Government, West Lothian Council, the Robertson Trust and the Garfield Weston Foundation.

The build is scheduled to conclude at the end of January next year and thereafter the new hub will open its doors to the community once again. The new hub will expand services and projects for local people including a larger community café including children’s play area, improved meeting and office space, flexible community activity space and outdoor community space.

The revitalised Craigsfarm will be under the control of the community of Craigshill after a successful asset transfer from West Lothian Council in 2016.

The Community Hub project will support regeneration of the social, economic and environmental fabric of Craigshill (Livingston) through £1.6million+ of investment. The project will safeguard 3 jobs and create another 5.5 FTE and on a yearly basis provide up to 30 volunteering placements; enabled through the creation of 585 sqm of new community facilities and developing 132 sqm of outdoor community space.

CFCDP has started the process of recruiting new staff and volunteers to support the delivery of services from the building which will include bespoke projects to support those facing loneliness and social isolation, those with poor mental health and those looking to enhance their employability. It is estimated that such projects will support up to 2900 and support a number of third sector organisations deliver essential services.

Work starts on Stonehaven renal dialysis satellite unit

Work to deliver a local renal dialysis unit in Stonehaven got underway this week after five years of action to raise £1 million.

Dr Ann Humphrey, associate specialist in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s dialysis unit and lead fundraiser for the campaign said it was thrilling to now see construction begin.

The new unit will be able to treat 24 patients a week if working on a full-time basis. Initially, the unit would operate on a three-day week pattern.

The building contractor for the project is CHAP.

New council homes officially opened in Irvine

A £4.575 million development to create 34 homes on the site of a former primary school in Irvine was officially opened this week.

The opening ceremony of Cheviot Gardens at Fencedyke Primary School in Bourtreehill means North Ayrshire Council has taken another step towards fulfilling its commitment to build 750 new social houses by 2021.

Provost Ian Clarkson was joined by council leader Joe Cullinane, cabinet member for Place Jim Montgomerie, MSP Ruth Maguire, MP Philippa Whitford and other dignitaries for the official opening.

Cheviot Gardens comprises 34 high quality affordable homes for the residents of North Ayrshire.

This includes 23 general needs homes, nine amenity homes that promote independent living for the older population and two wheelchair accessible homes catering for families with specific needs.

With a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom properties as well as one five-bedroom property, this development has been built to cater for the needs of the local population.

One house was built specifically for a family who required a bespoke property due to their care needs. The family were involved from the early design stages to ensure the particular needs of each family member were met within their new bungalow.

The project also meets its environmental commitments by incorporating a number of sustainable technologies such as solar PV panels and water butts. These features ensured that the Scottish Government’s ‘Greener Standard’ was met and it is hoped that the development will also achieve an Eco Homes ‘Very Good’ rating for sustainability.

The project was delivered with a budget of £4.575m, including the support of over £2m from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

Cruden Building & Renewals, the contractor for this development, entered into a Community Benefits agreement which saw three local apprentices employed in various roles during the development, from joinery to brick laying and plumbing.

Knight Property Group supports ARCHIE Foundation’s family accommodation redevelopment

The Barrack Charitable Trust, funded by commercial property developer Knight Property Group, has donated £40,000 to The ARCHIE Foundation’s Family Accommodation Centre.

Recognised as Aberdeen’s Sick Kids hospital charity, The ARCHIE Foundation make a difference to around 175,000 sick kids around the region by providing highly trained specialist staff, advanced medical equipment, specialist paediatric facilities, and emergency grants to support families when their child is ill.

The Family Accommodation Centre project was launched by The ARCHIE Foundation with the intentions of improving the facilities for the hospital patient’s family and is estimated to cost the charity a total of £265,000.

The money donated by The Barrack Charitable Trust will fund the redevelopment of four new en suite bedrooms to the facilities which will increase the amount of free accommodation available to patient’s families.

The redevelopment of the ARCHIE Family Centre has been split into three phases. With phase one already complete and targets almost met for phase two, The ARCHIE foundation are still looking for donations to support the third and final stage of the project.

Property professionals lay foundations for running Scottish capital

Property professionals from all over the UK will come under starters orders from Scottish rugby legend Gavin Hastings when they make tracks for Edinburgh to run in a charity race.

More than 250 property experts are due to pull on their running shoes to compete in the 5k raising funds for the Wooden Spoon charity of which Hastings is Honorary President in Scotland.

Race organisers from Aberdeen Standard Investments property team are pinning their hopes on the fun run smashing £10,000, pushing the collective total raised over the race’s three-year history through the £30,000 barrier.

Aberdeen Standard Investments colleagues Laura Hughes and Elaine McCann organise the race in their home city, bringing staff from more than 40 different companies together in friendly rivalry, and adding to the charity pot of £19,000 raised from the past two races for the charity that funds life-changing projects to support disadvantaged and disabled children across the UK and Ireland.

The race takes place on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 6 and is exclusively for property professionals. Once again competitors are being encouraged to run in fancy dress and among the most hotly contested prizes are those for the best fancy dress team and individual. There are also awards for the fastest male, female, fastest over 45 and first team of four.

After the race, there will be an awards ceremony when prizes will be presented by Hastings while Wooden Spoon Scotland chairman Charlie Bryden will speak about the latest work of the charity which raises funds to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people across the country.

For further details about the event including information on how to sign up please visit here.