Building Briefs – February 10th

A project is under way to renovate the three main vacant buildings at the site of Burntisland’s former primary school into 25 affordable homes.

The old primary school buildings closed in 2014 when pupils moved to their nearby newly built school.

The development will be made up of 19 homes for council rent and six for mid-market rent (MMR).

The development will be made up of one, two and three-bed flats, two-bed wheelchair bungalows, a two-bed wheelchair flat, a three-bed house and a four-bed house. There will also be dedicated parking spaces for the housing development.

As well as a full strip out of the three buildings that will be retained, the old boiler house has already been demolished along with the rear single-storey extension and the old toilet block. Demolition of the classroom huts is almost complete too.

A few surprises have also been unearthed along the way. Survey work revealed that the Cromwell building had been previously destroyed by fire in 1913 and that the building as it stands has a basement. Local community engagement work also alerted site staff to the possibility of a time capsule from the 1960s on the site.

Improvement works for Stirling Sports Village

Work by Stirling Council is set to begin on the first stages of developments to extend facilities at Stirling Sports Village, expanding the city’s main base for sport and leisure.

Last year the council approved a long term plan for development of the site around The PEAK and Forthbank Stadium and discussions are currently ongoing about what other sports might be accommodated at the wider site, including a possible link to the National Cycle Network.

Proposals for additional ice-rink facilities at The PEAK are also currently being developed by the council and partners, to provide a resource for the local community and clubs as well as housing the National Performance Centre for Curling.

The first phase of work will concentrate on improving the current site – increasing parking space including space for disabled visitors and parents and children; improving traffic flow, bus drop-off facilities and pedestrian access; better lighting; and an improved sense of arrival at the site as a whole.

Work is due to start on site on Monday 22nd February and will last around 12 weeks, carried out on a phased basis to minimise disruption.

Peter Pan house in Dumfries reaches funding landmark

A house which helped inspire the Peter Pan story has secured the £5.3 million needed to allow its conversion to a national centre for children’s literature.

Author JM Barrie played in the gardens of Moat Brae in Dumfries as a child.

At one point it was facing demolition but finance has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Creative Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council.

It means work can now start on the literature and storytelling centre which should open in two years’ time.

The Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust (PPMBT), which is behind the scheme, hopes it can attract 40,000 visitors a year, contributing £1.3m to the local economy.

The renovated house has not been in use since 1997, will have an exhibition telling the story of Moat Brae and its links with J M Barrie. The garden will have a pirate ship, a Wendy house, and a performance space.

Further fundraising will now take place so the trust can develop a series of other features and projects at the site.

Two Page\Park projects shortlisted at RICS Awards 2016

Page\Park Architects has announced two of its projects have been shortlisted at the RICS Awards 2016.

The Scottish Opera Theatre Royal scheme in Glasgow has been nominated in the Community Benefits and Leisure and Tourism categories.

The extension involved demolition works, new foyers and selective improvements within the auditorium.

In addition, the Lauriestone Phase 1A project, also in Glasgow, has been put forward in the Residential category.

The scheme involved building over 200 ‘affordable’ housing units in the Gorbals area.

Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Edinburgh on Thursday, 14 April.

Link completes 65 affordable homes in Falkirk

Two new affordable housing developments in Falkirk have been officially opened by Falkirk Council’s convener for housing, Councillor Gerry Goldie.

The Link developments, at Hazel Road, Banknock and Falkirk Road, Bonnybridge, were both built by Cruden Building and Renewal Limited and consist of properties for social, intermediate and market rent.

The £3.4 million Hazel Road development of 30 homes for social rent attracted £1.9m funding from the Scottish Government and includes two bungalows designed to meet the needs of wheelchair users.

The £4m Falkirk Road development of 35 homes for social, intermediate and market rent secured £1.2m funding from the Scottish Government and is the first development within the Falkirk Council area that includes properties for Market Rent.

As part of the contract at Falkirk Road, Crudens also provided four work-experience placements, employed 10 existing apprentices on the project and created four new jobs as part of its Community Benefit commitment.

These new homes, plus Link’s development at Kinnaird Park, Bellsdyke, makes a total of 142 new homes for social, intermediate and market rent which Link has delivered in Falkirk during the past five years.

Project aims to transform Glasgow’s empty properties into homes again

A new partnership has been launched to tackle the problem of Glasgow’s empty homes.

The project between the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Housing Association, is set to launch this week to help bring some of the city’s 2,000 long-term privately owned empty homes back into use.

The project will see one full-time empty homes officer based at the council’s headquarters in Glasgow who will offer practical help and advice to members of the public and owners of empty properties.

Fresh investment in Milngavie

Fresh funding has been secured for the Milngavie area thanks to innovative efforts to improve the area for local residents, traders and visitors.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans has shortlisted five “exemplary” projects for potential funding as part of the Community Links Plus initiative.

The ‘top five’ includes a project in the Burnbrae area which could pave the way for a safer roundabout - inspired by a people-friendly design popular in the Netherlands.

The outline concept proposals also suggest a continuation of the Bears Way along arterial routes, including to Milngavie town centre precinct and the train station.

Being shortlisted secures additional funding for East Dunbartonshire Council to develop the preliminary proposals - which include public realm improvements in Milngavie - particularly Main Street and Woodburn Way.

There will then be full engagement with the community and stakeholders.

Perth and Kinross roadworks due to begin

Road maintenance works are due to begin next week in Perth and Kinross, the council has announced.

The scheme is to take place in the town centre of Aberfeldy at the crossroads of A827 Bank Street, Kenmore Street, Taybridge Road and Crieff Road.

A ten day project to lay new traffic signal cables will begin on Monday, 15 February. Further works will also be carried out from Monday, 29 February to Tuesday, 01 March.

In addition, the carriageway will be resurfaced from 8am Saturday to 6pm Sunday on the weekends of 27-28 February and 05-06 March.

Work begins on £3m water upgrade project in Cambuslang/Rutherglen

Scottish Water has announced it is investing £3 million to upgrade the waste water network in Cambuslang and Rutherglen.

The company’s alliance partner, aBV, is carrying out two projects along Glenside Drive and Dukes Road.

Works involve relaying the sewer network along Glenside Drive and upsizing the sewer network along Dukes Road to increase the capacity of the pipes while reducing the risk of pollution to the nearby Eastfield Burn.

In addition, large combined storm overflow (CSO) chambers will be built on the Dukes Road project to address historical flooding issues at Whyte Avenue.

A section of work is already complete on Fishescoates Avenue and involved developing a new CSO to replace an old CSO system.

The next section of the Glenside Drive project is due to begin on 10 February.

Next resurrects Dundee store plans

Next is planning a new £5.2 million store in Dundee that will bring 125 new jobs to the city – two years after a similar project was controversially rebuffed by the city council.

The fashion and homeware chain would vacate its current store at Gallagher Retail Park as part of the project.

The project is to a large extent a re-run of a bid Next made three years ago for a major £4.3m upgrade of its Kingway West unit.

That plan was rejected by the city council over concerns about the impact on city centre retailing of Next reducing its presence in central Dundee.

It would be in the vacant Harvey’s furniture unit which has lain empty for 18 months.

Next, whose representatives visited Dundee on February 8, intend to submit a formal planning application later this month.

Seminar on regenerating Dalkeith town centre

Councillors are to hear more about plans to regenerate Dalkeith town centre at a special seminar.

At a full council meeting on February 9, councillors agreed the seminar should take place as soon as possible.

Midlothian Council is considering options for future commercial, leisure and retail use, as well as for housing and civic buildings.

A consultation exercise started in 2015 as part of a detailed feasibility study.

The main aim of the study is to examine the potential for boosting economic activity, investment and job opportunities by providing new or refurbished shops, offices and other workplaces, leisure facilities, housing, and public spaces.

Options also include providing a new, more efficient and cost effective council headquarters, while freeing up older inefficient council-owned offices in various other locations. The possibility of building a modern replacement library and new arts centre, with the potential for flexible community use, will also be considered.