Building Briefs – December 1st
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Virgin Media and Scottish Property Federation partner to deliver ultrafast broadband
Virgin Media and the Scottish Property Federation have today announced a partnership to increase the delivery of ultrafast broadband services to new homes and businesses across Scotland.
This will enable members to build homes and commercial properties with the fastest widely-available broadband speeds and interactive TV with more than 230 channels. It follows a similar partnership between Virgin Media and the Home Builders Federation to increase delivery of ultrafast broadband services to new homes.
Virgin Media announced earlier this month that Scotland will benefit from the first large scale rollout of ultrafast fibre broadband connected directly to homes and businesses, known as FTTP. In what will be a major boost to the economy, Virgin Media is committing to connect at least two thirds of the 360,000 additional homes and businesses being added to its ultrafast broadband network in Scotland.
This announcement comes on the back of concern about the quality of broadband in new build homes. A recent investigation by broadband advice site Cable.co.uk revealed that thousands of homebuyers in new developments are finding that broadband provision is either slow or non-existent.
Virgin Media will also offer exclusive discounts for new build homeowners moving into properties under the scheme.
To help homebuilders, Virgin Media has launched a dedicated new portal including essential technical guidance and a simple new site request form, with Virgin Media carrying out all initial new site assessments free of charge.
FES FM wins maintenance contract with Aberdeenshire Council
Forth Electrical Services (FES FM) has won a new contract to carry out property and facilities maintenance services for Aberdeenshire Council.
The company will become the local authority’s maintenance partner over the next five years from April 2017. The deal also has a further two-year extension option.
Under the contract, FES FM will carry out response, compliance and life cycle maintenance for all council properties and elements of maintenance in social housing and sheltered housing.
In addition, the deal was awarded with a strong community focus, with FES FM committing to developing training opportunities, apprenticeships and skills development. The contract will also focus on supplementary benefits such as supporting a digital skills initiative, developing a community projects fund and promoting the use of electric or hybrid vehicles.
There are also opportunities for local SMEs to benefit through the deal by being part of the supply chain under the single provider approach.
Project Management and Construction Ltd celebrates new job awards
Project Management and Construction Ltd has just started on the first phase of the conversion of Campbell Meyer’s existing distillery storage facility in East Kilbride.
This 32 week project comprises of the internal alterations and sub division of the existing storage facilities. The project will be undertaking in phases with the facility remaining live throughout.
Refurbishment works at Henry’s Honda showroom in Glasgow is also well underway and will be completed on programme, within the second week in December.
The work being carried out consists of the internal refurbishment of the existing showroom on Titwood Road as well as refreshing the external elevation.
The facilities will remain open throughout the duration of the works with consideration been given to maintaining safe access to customers and staff and maintaining business continuity.
The contractor has completed work on site at Bishopshall Boarding House at St Leonards School in St Andrews.
The works consisted of the full internal refurbishment of the existing boarding house to provide 47 modern bedrooms as well as communal areas. Externally the firm carried out external fabric repairs including the overhaul of the existing windows.
Work has also been completed at the Glasgow City Hotel on time and on budget.
The project focused on the replacement of the existing windows and curtain walling as well as external repairs to the building fabric, concrete repairs to the existing car park and the installation of new roof coverings to the kitchen and ballroom.
The hotel remained open for the duration of the project, and it was essential that safe access for guests and staff was maintained throughout.
Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency appoints new CEO
The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) has announced the appointment of Nigel Donohue as its new CEO after a competitive recruitment process.
As the new CEO, Nigel is tasked with delivering outstanding customer service, focussed on improving the experience of consumers contacting the organisation and streamlining the customer journey to ensure effective enquiry handling and liaison with industry installers.
Nigel was previously the CEO at West Anglia Training Association, a group training association that delivers engineering, manufacturing, specialist construction, warehousing and logistics, and health and safety training to member companies and customers.
Nigel has also occupied senior management positions in the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and within government.
As the CEO he will continue to be supported by the current board, including the Consumer Champion and the three new independent non-executive representatives who were appointed in May 2016. He will build on the significant work already undertaken to transform CIGA’s approach to customer services.
Low carbon industries worth almost £11bn
Low carbon industries in Scotland generated £10.7 billion in turnover and supported 43,500 jobs in 2014 - according to the first ever ONS figures to include direct and indirect jobs.
This accounts for 12.9 per cent of the total UK turnover, and 9.7 per cent of the total employment, in the sector – both higher than Scotland’s share of the population, reinforcing the importance of the low carbon industries to the Scottish economy.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures on the low carbon and renewable energy economy in the UK for 2014, the latest year that figures are available, show:
GHA’s £20m transformation in Knightswood taking shape
More than 50 new affordable homes are taking shape as part of a £20 million regeneration project in Glasgow’s north-west.
The £7 million development by GHA will see 54 ‘amenity’ flats available for social rent for older people at Lincoln Avenue in Knightswood.
Amenity housing provides residents with communal areas where they can socialise and has special features such as wet floor showers and more accessible electric sockets. The fully accessible apartments will also feature communal gardens.
The latest new homes – a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments aimed at older people – are being built by Cruden and are due to be finished in mid-2017. The Scottish Government has contributed £2.6m of grant funding to the project.
It is the latest phase in plans to transform the popular neighbourhood which have seen two multi-storey blocks demolished and the remaining four improved in a £13m improvement project.
Tenants living in the four existing blocks have benefited from kitchen upgrades, new storage heating, roof repairs and external cladding.
New controlled entry systems and CCTV were installed to improve safety and security, while new lifts will be installed in all blocks by March 2017.
Work begins on Lewis on Beatrice offshore turbines
Work is under way at a fabrication yard on the Isle of Lewis to construct parts for the £2.6bn Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited (Bowl) project.
Fife-based BiFab has a contract to construct 28 jackets and eight piles for the turbines needed for the scheme.
Much of this construction work is being done at BiFab’s yard at Arnish, near Stornoway on Lewis.
The contract also involves the company’s sites at Burntisland and Methil in Fife.
Bowl involves the installation of 84 turbines in the Moray Firth.
Ten of the structures are to be delivered next year and 16 in 2018.
Bowl, which involves energy giant SSE, will also mean work for Wick Harbour in Caithness and the Nigg Energy Park on the Cromarty Firth.
Construction of the wind farm is expected to start next year.
Approval granted for groundbreaking Fife cycle track
Fife will be home to Scotland first closed circuit cycle track now planning permission has been granted.
The six metre wide loop is part of a multi-million-pound investment by Fife Council in the sport, to encourage people to become more active.
Situated between Lochgelly High and Glencraig it will not offer elite athletes a bespoke training facility and will also be available to the public.
Minister sees how Greenock’s district heating system is tackling fuel poverty
Paul Wheelhouse MSP, minister for business, innovation and energy, has visited Broomhill in Greenock to hear how its new £7 million district heating system is resulting in warmer, more energy efficient homes with dramatically reduced energy bills.
Social housing provider River Clyde Homes is investing £26m in improving Broomhill in what is one of the biggest regeneration projects of its kind ever to be undertaken in Scotland. As well as the new biomass and gas district heating system, which became operational in September 2016, the project will also see over 600 properties refurbished with external wall insulation, brand new kitchens and bathrooms, double glazed windows, and hi-tech security features.
The district heating system, which was funded by British Gas under the ECO scheme, has a large central boiler within a localised energy centre that supplies hot water directly to 555 homes within the Broomhill apartment blocks via a system of underground, pre-insulated pipes. The water is delivered directly to a heat exchanger within each building. This provides residents with heat and hot water on demand without the need for individual boilers. This results in dramatically cheaper fuel bills for residents and a reduced carbon footprint.
As part of its commitment to tackling fuel poverty, the Scottish Government aims to have 40,000 homes connected to district or communal heating systems by 2020.
Plans lodged to turn former Muthill Museum back into a house
A museum which was at the centre of repeated battles to keep it open could be turned into a house.
Plans have been submitted to transform the former Muthill Museum building into a four-bedroomed home.
The building, which backs onto Muthill Old Church and Tower, was closed in 2015 despite a campaign to retain it.
The Category C listed building dates from around 1760 and was used as a house until being turned into the museum in 1980.
The facility faced closure in 2011 but was saved following the election of a new committee.
The committee folded in November 2014 and the museum closed its doors in January the following year.
According to documents lodged with Perth and Kinross Council, the single storey extension to the side of the building would be raised to two storeys.
The downstairs display area would be transformed into a living room, with a kitchen in the extension, while the second storey would house two bedrooms and a bathroom. Two further bedrooms would be put on the third floor.
Dundee coffee shop and flat development wins approval
Proposals to create a new coffee shop and residential flats in Dundee’s Seagate have been given the green light.
The property at 124 Seagate is currently home to several nightclubs which are to close on Hogmanay.
A planning application was submitted to Dundee City Council in August for a ground floor coffee shop and eight, three-bedroom flats.
The proposals have now been validated by Dundee City Council planning chiefs.
A spokesman for property owner Euroscot Property Limited said the firm believe the plan can add to the regeneration of Dundee.
Falkirk Council failing to ‘grasp nettle’ of budget challenges
The Accounts Commission has criticised Falkirk Council for being “slow in grasping the nettle” of tackling major financial challenges ahead.
In a report out today the local authority watchdog says it is “disappointed” at the amount of progress at Falkirk since last August.
At that time it voiced significant concerns over the council’s approach to making £46 million of savings over three years to protect the delivery and improvement of service priorities. That figure has now grown to £61m.
The report says while there has been activity at the council there has been limited progress in addressing the underlying need for better coordinated and more radical change.
Falkirk urgently needs to identify and agree its key priorities supported by a more robust approach to financial planning and improvement showing how substantial change can be achieved.
In its findings the Commission said it was encouraged by better working between councillors. Scrutiny had also improved although this could be more open and transparent.
The Commission has asked for another update on Falkirk Council by the end of next year.
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