Building Briefs – December 15th

Aberdeen Harbour has appointed Pinsent Masons as legal adviser for its proposed Harbour Expansion Project.

Pinsent Masons will advise on procurement, construction, funding, planning, environmental and property issues relating to the £410 million proposed project located south of the existing Aberdeen Harbour.

The Nigg Bay facility is included in the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) and would meet future demand for deep berthing space for oil and gas and renewables sector vessels and could attract larger cruise ships to Aberdeen.

The Pinsent Masons team will be led by infrastructure specialist Drysdale Graham, supported by the firm’s Aberdeen head of office Roger Connon, construction law expert Michael Allan and Stuart Cairns, who is the firm’s UK lead on public procurement.

Proposals on a new home for Ayr Grammar Primary School

Ayr Grammar could find a new home as South Ayrshire Council investigates the continued use of Ayr Academy when the building becomes vacant.

The secondary school students and staff are set to move to a new build school at Craigie in August 2017.

The primary school could benefit by moving into the iconic building when it’s empty, ensuring that this important structure in the heart of Ayr town centre continues to be a centre of learning.

The move would mean bigger PE and dining facilities, more social space for the children and accessible upper floors. The site at Ayr Academy would be transformed providing an abundance of indoor and outdoor space for the school and the community.

Architects have been working on creative and inspirational ideas for the building which include innovative indoor and outdoor space and a multi-use games facility. There could also be a new nursery class and areas for community arts including a gallery that could be accessed throughout the day.

Initial discussions have taken place between the council and Ayr Grammar Primary School’s Parent Council and sketches have been drawn up to show how the building could be completely refurbished to facilitate the move. Letters have also been sent out to parents outlining the proposals and encouraging their feedback.

If the project were to go ahead after Ayr Academy staff and pupils move out, it has been estimated that Ayr Grammar could move in by early 2019.

Waverley Station to get new mezzanine level

A major redevelopment of Waverley Station has been announced with a new mezzanine level to free space for more platforms has been proposed by owner Network Rail.

It said the move could be needed to cope with passenger numbers more than doubling over the next 30 years.

The plan is contained in a wide-ranging blueprint for expanding Scotland’s railways, which also includes electrifying the Edinburgh to Perth and Dundee lines.

The Scotland Route Study said a mezzanine at Waverley would be for “safe and easy station navigation and relocated retail/passenger facilities, to allow more platform capacity for trains”.

It said the existing station layout would become “increasingly sub-optimal” because of the forecast passenger growth, with commuter numbers alone expected to rise by 114 per cent between 2012 and 2043.

Highland Council submits proposals for new crossing at visitors centre

An application to develop an all-abilities crossing over the River Nevis at a visitors centre has been submitted by the Highland Council.

The crossing at the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre is being funded by the Highland Council (£135,000) and Heritage Lottery (£121,000).

The project will replace the existing bridge and forms the first phase of a wider £500,000 Nevis Landscape Partnership project.

Consulting engineers Wallace Stone have been working with both the council and stakeholders to develop designs for the new structure.

The bridge will be built close to the visitor centre with an increased carrying capacity.

In addition, £35,000 is being provided by the council to refurbish the visitor centre being undertaken by HighLife Highland.

Works are due to begin next year.

Programme funds £2.1m in projects along Aberdeenshire coast

Projects totalling £2.1 million have been delivered in Aberdeenshire’s coastal communities, the council has announced.

Over £650,000 of economic development has helped to develop the schemes, which have created 27 jobs.

The 2012-2015 Aberdeenshire European Fisheries Fund (AEFF) officially closed at the start of this month.

The programme was financed by the European Commission and was administered locally by the Aberdeenshire Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) partnership.

Applicants were awarded over £650,000 in Axis 4 EFF grants, helping to deliver the £2.1m worth of projects.

A total of 24 schemes received funding, which included economic diversification both within and outwith the fishing industry; building capacity in communities, creating training and job opportunities and revitalising fisheries areas.

It is understood a new AEFF fund will be launched in January 2016.

Work continues on £1.8m sewer upgrade in West Dunbartonshire

Work is continuing on a £1.8 million sewer network capacity upgrade project in West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Water has announced.

Contractors Amey and Black & Veatch are progressing with work to improve the network’s capacity in the Old Street area of Clydebank.

In addition, the work will tackle flooding problems which has affected a number of properties.

The project involves building a new underground storage tank and associated pipe work at and near the junction of Old Street, Dumbarton Road and Morrison Street.

The network will enable the network to hold more waste water during times of heavy rainfall and reduce the risk of flooding.

The scheme is part of Scottish Water’s 2015 to 2021 Business Plan.

M&K MacLeod rescues Argyll affordable housing build

An Inveraray building site that was abandoned after the contractor went bust should have the homes completed within four months.

The £1.7 million social housing contract at Barn Park, was awarded by Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) to Stewart McNee (Dunoon) Ltd in July 2014.

When the building firm called in the administrators a year later, the eco-friendly development - comprising four one-bedroom flats, four two-bedroom flats and four three-bedroom houses was abandoned, leaving building materials where they lay.

The project was supported by funding from the Scottish Government, Argyll and Bute Council and from ACHA itself.

ACHA chief executive, Alastair MacGregor said this week that housebuilder M&K MacLeod from Lochgilphead was appointed on December 3 following a process to re-tender the works.

He added: “None of the properties have been pre-allocated and we anticipate that the work will be completed by April 2016.”

Plans for 3.75 per cent annual council rent increase to build Aberdeenshire homes

Aberdeenshire councillors are being asked to back a plan to increase rents on council houses to tackle a major waiting list for council homes in the area.

In plans going before Aberdeenshire Council’s social work and housing committee next week, councillors are being asked to back a plan to increase rents on council houses by 3.75 per cent every year until 2019.

The local authority is arguing that this is the only way to fund the construction of further homes and tackle its huge demand for council properties.

It comes as the committee reviews its housing revenue account (HRA) business plan, which is examined every three years.

Some 14,000 people are on the waiting list for a council house. Officers are arguing that the increases would give them £5 million to spend on delivering 53 new council houses in the next three years.

Council apprentice named runner up at awards ceremony

A Dumfires & Galloway Council apprentice has been selected as runner-up in the Apprentice of the Year awards.

Warren Hill, a third-year apprentice joiner with DGFirst’s Building and Maintenance Services, was selected as a finalist from a list of applicants across the UK.