Building Briefs – December 22nd

DITT Construction appointed to new Lerwick housing developments

Hjaltland Housing Association has appointed DITT Construction to deliver two new housing projects in Lerwick on the Shetland Islands.

The first scheme will see DITT add 11 new homes to the Association’s ‘Hill Grind’ scheme.

The £1.4 million project, which is supported with a £1m grant from the Scottish Government, is due to begin in January 2017 and scheduled for completion in spring 2018.

Elsewhere, DITT will also deliver 27 new one-bedroom flats on a formerly run-down site on King Harald Street.

PJP Architects have recently submitted proposals for consideration by the local planning department and work has started on the detailed design for the building warrant. It is anticipated work will begin on site in the summer of 2017 with completion in 2019

Plans mooted for new active travel hub for at Haymarket Station

The City of Edinburgh Council has secured funding from Transport Scotland to explore the potential for an ‘active travel hub’ at the Capital’s Haymarket Station.

A £10,000 feasibility study, being carried out by consultants Capita Symonds, will examine the potential for Haymarket to become a ‘hub’ for active travel.

The council has been in discussion with a number of stakeholders, including Abellio ScotRail, Sustrans and Cycling Scotland, about the proposals and a survey is now live seeking people’s views - and especially users of Haymarket Station - on what features they would want to see in such a ‘hub’.

Facilities might include cycling and walking route-mapping information and advice, bike maintenance and/or bike/e-bike hire, depending on demand and the physical space potentially available within the station area for the service.

The active travel hub survey is open for comments until Friday 6 January 2017.

Similar active travel hubs are already in place in Stirling, Ayr and Kilmarnock.

Wilton Lodge Park café signed off ahead of busy 2017

Wilton Lodge Park’s new café will have a lasting local legacy thanks to Hawick’s primary schools.

Pupils signed a section of the structure of the building before it was covered in cladding in an alternative time capsule idea.

The café and bridge, being progressed by contractor ESH Border Construction, are due to open in 2017 alongside the new playpark which is being constructed by specialist firm Wicksteed.

One new job has been created through the café and bridge works by ESH, while the project has also seen a new apprentice employed through the supply chain.

Three work experience opportunities have also been offered, while over 130 pupils have been engaged with through two school visits.

The work on the bridge, café and playpark is taking place as part of the £3.64 million Wilton Lodge Park Regeneration project, which is funded by Scottish Borders Council (SBC) and Heritage Lottery Fund.

Cold War bunker project given £725,000 boost

Plans to convert a Cold War bunker into a museum have received a £725,000 boost.

The bunker in Gairloch, Wester Ross, served as an anti-aircraft operations centre during the Cold War before being converted into a council roads depot.

Gairloch Heritage Museum intends to move out of its current home in a former farm steading and into the depot by 2019.

The museum believes its plan will cost almost £2m in total, £725,600 of which will be paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Highland Council has agreed to sell the old road depot, which closed in 2011, for £1.

The bunker is one of only four of its kind in Scotland and the only one in a repairable condition.

Selkirk Wall repairs project to begin

Work is to begin on a £100,000 wall repair project in Selkirk.

Scottish Borders Council will start mending the retaining wall at Glen Hotel on Yarrow Terrace in January 2017. The scheme is expected to last 10 weeks.

The long-standing issue has resulted in a temporary one-way system being in place on the northbound lane of Yarrow Terrace since May 2013.

McTaggart celebrates successful year for community programme

McTaggart Construction has successfully facilitated the delivery of over 300 jobs, training and education support events during 2016.

Delivered as part of community benefit programme on behalf of Wheatley Group, Parkhead Housing Association and Link Housing, McTaggart Construction delivered 148 work placement and experience opportunities and created 80 new entrant jobs and 37 apprenticeships and traineeships.

The programme as supported 68 existing apprentices and delivered 29 school engagement events.

In addition to the Jobs and Training Programme, McTaggart Construction has made labour, material and financial donations to a value of £50,000.

McTaggart Construction has already lined up to significant community programmes for 2017 as the firm will be the corporate sponsor of the new Parkhead Veterans Garden as well as the education business partner of St Mungo High School Glasgow.