Building Briefs – February 12th

McCarthy & Stone’s Perth and Kinross retirement developments near completion

Two new McCarthy & Stone Retirement Living developments are well underway with the first apartments available for reservation in June.

Situated on Isla Road in Perth and The Muirs in Kinross, both developments will include a security entrance system, plus 24 hour emergency call points – for added peace of mind for both homeowners and their families.

Scotland and Northern Ireland outperform UK housing market

Scotland and Northern Ireland’s housing market outperformed the rest of the UK in January with more buyer enquiries, stronger price growth and higher confidence in the outlook, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

While nationally, the number of potential new buyer enquiries fell for the seventh consecutive month, Scotland saw the greatest buyer interest with several respondents suggesting the new Land and Building’s Transaction Tax (LBTT) will prompt more first time buyers to get on the property ladder.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s housing market witnessed the strongest price momentum for the fifth consecutive month, with 47 per cent more respondents reporting increases in prices.

However, the national results, which are based on England and Wales only, continue to signal a cooling market and price growth has all but levelled off with just 2 per cent more surveyors expecting prices to increase over the next three months (its slowest pace since May 2013).

Within England, London market conditions continue to deteriorate with prices, buyer enquiries and sales falling. The latest data shows 49 per cent more respondents saw prices in the capital decline and the short-term confidence outlook is negative, despite the longer terms sales outlook being more upbeat.

In the lettings market 19 per cent more respondents reported a further rise in tenant demand during the three months to January and while supply appears to be dipping once again, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that some new build rental properties are coming to market and surveyors’ rental growth expectations now stand at 4.6 per cent per annum over the course of the next five years.

Despite a month in which mortgage approvals fall to their one of their lowest levels, the number of agreed sales showed a slight increase in January (up from 19.1 to 19.7) and the 12 month member forecast is more optimistic around activity levels with 48 per cent of surveyors still expecting sales to rise.

Scottish Water commitment to improve Edinburgh’s roads

Utility company Scottish Water has pledged to commit extra resources to helping improve the condition of Edinburgh’s roads and streets.

Following discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council, the water and sewerage company has allocated additional manpower to properly reinstate apparatus, such as manhole covers, between now and the end of March.

Work will be carefully planned to minimise disruption to traffic and pedestrians in liaison with neighbourhood staff to limit disturbance to residents and target priority areas.

The programme of work will address more than 75 per cent of the city’s 901 items of defective manholes and other similar access covers, as well as repairing 172 defective repairs – 40 per cent of Edinburgh’s total defects for utilities.

Borders Railway track laying complete

The longest domestic railway to be built in the UK in more than 100 years has reached a significant milestone.

Track-laying has been completed for the new link between the Borders and Edinburgh.

The operation began at Shawfair station, south-east of the capital, in October.

Engineers have used a specialist rail installation machine to lay the track along the 30-mile route to Tweedbank.

The final phase of rail installation for the new Borders Railway route re-started last month following a break over the Christmas and New Year period.

Consultants appointed to Inverness Castle project

Jura Consultants have been appointed to identify proposals for the possible use of Inverness Castle to promote tourism in the city.

The appointment was made by Inverness Castle Working group High Life Highland, which was formed to consider the future use of Inverness Castle as a tourist attraction and maximise its iconic status in the heart of the city.

The project aims to identify and analyse the viability and sustainability of high quality use options for the castle complex that will promote tourism in the area and benefit the tourism economy.

Recent consultations on future plans for the City and consultation with tourism businesses on the development of tourism in Inverness has indicated that there is an overall consensus in the community and with stakeholders for the castle to be put to use in a way that benefits the public and visitors to Inverness.

The elevated position of Inverness Castle, above the banks of the River Ness, creates a visually appealing focal point for the city throughout the year, but particularly in the summer months, its prominent position attracts many visitors who visit the grounds to enjoy the castle, its views and the limited interpretation – all despite there being no specific visitor attraction at the castle at present.

The Jura Consultants study which is funded by the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Highland Council will review and assess the viability of all options for the castle that meet the aims of the working group, to determine what types of development/attraction will attract and retain the maximum audience in the future.

St Andrews student housing begins construction

Work to deliver a 241 bed student residential development in St Andrews is underway at the site of the former Memorial Hospital onAbbey Walk.

Ayton House has been designed by Oberlanders on behalf of Watkin Jones and Knightsbridge Student Housing. It will offer a range of one bed studios and shared apartments within a conservation area.

Completion is scheduled for the summer.

Taylor Wimpey to build over 600 Cambuslang homes

Taylor Wimpey has received planning permission to construct 612 homes in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire.

The properties will be delivered as part of the company’s masterplan vision for Newton Farm in the town, it has said.

The development will comprise of five phases, offering two-, three- and four-bedroom homes. The first phase of 122 homes are expected to be on sale from this spring, with the first homeowners moving in towards the end of the year.

The Newtown Farm initiative will aim to create varied streetscapes and spaces and include various focal points. Associated landscaping will also be undertaken and the delivery of social spaces will be made accessible for pedestrians and vehicles. A play area will also be created.

The housebuilder added that as part of the masterplan, it is also to provide a new primary school, with 3G sports pitch, retail space and infrastructure improvements such as new cycleways and off-site roadworks.

Councils increase rent to fund millions of housing improvements

Councillors in West Dunbartonshire have approved a 6.93 per cent rent rise for council tenants to help fund £29 million of housing improvements.

The additional income will fund £29m of investment over the next year on delivering improvements to the council’s housing stock, as well as continuing to develop the new house building programme.

Seventy-seven new homes will be built in Dumbarton and Clydebank at a total investment of £7.7m. The council will invest £300,000 in special needs adaptations, £100,000 in community safety projects and £130,000 on a programme to upgrade closes.

Council house rents in Angus will also increase by 3.6 per cent this year as the local authority spends over £11m completing the programme of work to ensure all its houses meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.

The money is being spent on external insulation, efficient heating systems and on new homes, such as the transformation of Newmonthill in Forfar, with 18 new high-quality townhouses.

The council is anticipating spending £7.6m on its housing capital programme in 2015/16, £13.9m in 2016/17 and £13.5m in 2017/18.

Flats plan for Dundee building approved

A historic Dundee building once home to an heir of the Keiller marmalade family is to be converted to flats.

Dundee City Council’s planning department has approved an application to create six properties in the B-listed building at 164 Nethergate.

Popinder Jassal has been given permission to go ahead with the proposals, subject to him agreeing to eight planning conditions to protect the character and appearance of the building.

The conditions include that work on all windows and doors is carried out in accordance with agreed details.

The council have also said external repairs to stonework must be carried out in accordance with Historic Scotland guidance.

Mr Jassal was previously refused permission to convert the building — most recently used by Dundee University as offices — into seven flats.

Granting approval, the council’s head of planning, Gregor Hamilton said a sufficient level of detail has been provided to demonstrate that the work could be carried out and still maintain the character and appearance.

Coastal Communities funding for North Queensferry

Local councillors have welcomed the Big Lottery Coastal Communities Fund award of £754,439 for harbour improvements in North Queensferry.

The funding, announced at the end of January by Treasury minister, Danny Alexander MP, will be used to install a pontoon landing berth at the harbour, giving visitors the option of accessing the scenic coastal village by boat.

The pontoon will take the form of a floating landing platform with associated walkway. It will be situated in the heart of the village and overlooked by the two landmark Forth Bridges. It will be able to accommodate passenger tour boats, cruise ship tenders and local pleasure craft. The pontoon is due to be in place by 2016, subject to securing all the necessary licences and consents.

The funding award will also be used to deliver a number of other environmental projects around the village including signage, beach improvements and the installation of a digital visitor information kiosk.