Building Briefs – December 1st

Historic Glasgow castle undergoes £9m hotel and venue transformation

A 14th Century castle in High Blantyre on the outskirts of Glasgow has been rescued from ruin and is set to open in spring next year as a luxury hotel, restaurant and event venue managed by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI).

Businessman Steve Timoney and his wife Alison Reid-Timoney bought Crossbasket Castle in 2011, a year after it was listed on Scotland’s Buildings At Risk Register. Over the last five years the couple have invested over £9 million restoring the building to its former glory as one of the area’s most beautiful historic homes.

They have also added a Grand Ballroom to the castle, which overlooks the stunning waterfalls on the River Calder and accommodating up to 250 event guests.

Leith Fort affordable housing work started

An ambitious project to build a new community of affordable homes in Leith is now underway.

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) and the City of Edinburgh Council have started work on the Leith Fort housing development, with the first homes due to complete in 2017.

A total of 94 new homes will be built on the former 18th century Leith Fort site, 62 of which will be owned by PoLHA and available for mid market rent and 32 units will be owned by the council for social rent.

The new properties have been modelled on the Edinburgh colonies concept and are a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom homes. A particular feature of this development is that all homes have access to private south west facing gardens. There is also parking provision within the site and a communal landscaped area.

The main contractor is CCG (Scotland) Ltd and the development is being funded by PoLHA, the council and the Scottish Government.

Grontmij appointed to oversee site investigation at two Lanarkshire wind farms

Engineering consultancy Grontmij has been appointed by Banks Renewables to oversee the pre-construction work at two important South Lanarkshire wind farm projects.

Grontmij has been awarded ‘first major supplier contracts’ for both Middle Muir and Kype Muir Wind Farms to undertake data analysis to provide information for the civil engineers to be able to plan the installation of the wind turbines and electricity sub-stations.

A factor which worked in Grontmij’s favour was the number of people it employs locally in South Lanarkshire and the level of local knowledge and understanding which was demonstrated in the procurement process.

The combined construction costs of both sites are expected to reach £150 million – with the use of local contracting firms to be prioritised wherever possible.

The contract between Grontmij and Hamilton based developer, Banks Renewables also guarantees the use of local sub-contractors plus a work placement for a local school-leaver – a direct result of the innovative Connect2Renewables charter, which outlines an unprecedented commitment to the local area surrounding the two wind farm projects.

Connect2Renewables, which was officially launched last year, sees Banks Renewables team up with the communities and its delivery partner, South Lanarkshire Council, committing a minimum of £69 million to the local economy and communities in the area.

The charter also ensures the creation of a dedicated job fund - set to support around 457 local unemployed people back into work, training or further education, during the construction, operational life and decommission of the Kype Muir and Middle Muir Wind Farm projects.

Decision on subsidy rates critical to building affordable homes, says GWSF

Capacity to help deliver the Scottish Government’s new target of 50,000 social and affordable homes over between 2016 and 2020 will depend on what ministers decide to do with new build subsidy rates, according to the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations (GWSF).

In summer, the Scottish Government’s Subsidy Working Group, which included representatives from GWSF, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO), recommended to ministers a subsidy rate increase in the region of 20 per cent for social and mid market rent.

GWSF has written to finance secretary John Swinney urging him to accept the Working Group’s recommendations in full, as he considers the Scottish budget ahead of presenting it to Parliament on 16 December.

GWSF’s letter to Mr Swinney says that the expanded investment programme should lead to a greater chance of bringing poor tenement housing in the private sector into use as social and affordable housing.

It also implores the Scottish Government to maximise regeneration funding – such as the People and Communities Fund – which goes directly to community based housing associations and other community anchor bodies.

New homes bring boost to Aberdeenshire village community

A housing project which brought 12 families to an Aberdeenshire village has been praised by residents new and old.

Thrilled tenants are delighted with the dozen affordable properties in School Park, Strichen.

Sanctuary Scotland worked with Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Government to create the village’s first new homes for rent in years.

The £1.9 million School Park project is in the heart of Strichen, next to the village school. The ten houses and two flats are available for social rent, increasing the availability of affordable homes in Aberdeenshire. A Scottish Government grant of £800,000 and Aberdeenshire Council grant of £145,000 made the project possible. The homes are managed by housing provider Tenants First, a member of Sanctuary Group.

Greenlaw mansion conversion plans unveiled

Plans have been unveiled to convert a Scottish Borders mansion into a venue for corporate functions and parties.

The Thomas Gibson-designed Marchmont House, near Greenlaw, was a private residence for over 230 years.

It was sold in the 1980s to Sue Ryder Care, and remained a nursing home for 30 years before being sold back to a private owner.

Marchmont Farms Ltd have carried out extensive internal work and have now applied for a change of use.

It would allow 10 en-suite bedrooms and adjoining lounges to be let out for functions.

Scottish Borders Council will consider the application.

Forster Roofing Skills Academy creates 12 apprenticeships

Forster Roofing was joined by Margo Williamson, strategic director at Angus Council, to welcome six new apprentices to its Skills Academy in Brechin.

The apprentices have begun their first year of the newly created Modern Apprenticeship (NVQ) qualification in roofing, designed specifically for new-build housing.

Faced with a reducing level of talent in the industry, Forster Roofing launched its own in-house Skills Academy that takes training into its own hands. Pioneered by Maureen Douglas, Group HR director, the two year integrated training programme combines on the job structured learning with contextualised off-site training at Forster’s purpose built training centre.

This year Forster Roofing has taken on a total of 12 Modern Apprentices through the newly built Academy that launched in May 2015. By the end of 2016 Forster Roofing Skills Academy aims to have taken on 24 apprentices, to ensure that the business continues to develop talent with the right skills and attitudes for the construction industry.

Edinburgh leisure centre gym shut for revamp

A popular gym in Edinburgh has closed for refurbishment.

Craiglockhart Leisure Centre gym shut its doors amid a £1 million investment drive by Edinburgh Leisure aimed at purchasing new equipment for five of the group’s 15 public fitness venues.

It will re-open on December 21.

Dunbar Primary School pupils build a giant tetrahedron

Pupils at Dunbar Primary School in East Lothian recently took on the challenge to build a giant tetrahedron.

It was all part of a joint visit to the school by Clark Contracts, currently on site building a two storey, four classroom extension to the school and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

The school’s primary 7 classes were given an introduction to construction by working together in this hands on session to complete the four metre high tetrahedron, sometimes known as a ‘triangular pyramid’.

This enjoyable fun learning session develops teamwork, communications skills, analytical and reasoning skills, as well as developing knowledge of structures and basic geometry.

Clark Contracts is scheduled to complete the extension to Dunbar Primary School in April 2016.