Building Briefs – February 15th

Work has begun on the extension to the golf centre at Carnoustie links.

Ogilvie Construction Ltd has started the first stage of the demolition work by removing the exterior stone cladding, the outer walls and roof.

The original sand coloured stone cladding will be recycled onto the external walls of the new extension, to blend in with the striking links scenery.

The new building will provide a state-of-the-art golf practice and training facility along with a new bar and restaurant overlooking the golf course.

The project, which met local opposition, is due to be completed by December.

Aberdeen Harbour development opportunities highlighted

Opportunities for Aberdeen organisations to get involved in the £350 million expansion of Aberdeen Harbour will be highlighted at a Meet the Buyer event later this month.

The event, hosted by Aberdeen City Council for the Aberdeen Harbour expansion project principal contractor Dragados UK, is the third in a successful series designed to showcase a range of future business opportunities as the expansion plans progress.

The project will create new harbour facilities and associated infrastructure at Nigg Bay, to the south of the existing harbour.

The event will take place in the Town House on 27 February.

Local organisations specialising in the following disciplines are invited to attend: piling; precast concrete; photography; waste management; traffic management; reinforcement suppliers; cranage; noise and environmental monitoring.

Dragados UK will give a presentation on the scope of the work being undertaken and outline opportunities to join its supply chain lists. A question and answer session will be included in the programme. One-to-one meetings with some of the company’s category managers will be available of a first-come first-served basis at the event in Aberdeen Town House on 27 February. Registration is at 1.30pm, with the presentation at 2pm.

To register, visit https://meet-the-buyer-dragados.eventbrite.co.uk and for further information contact Karen Robertson on 01224 523903 or email karenrobertson@aberdeencity.gov.uk

New Arbroath primaries proposals

Plans have been unveiled to build two new primary schools in Arbroath.

Under the proposals, Hayshead Primary and Muirfield Primary would be replaced with new schools at the site of the old buildings.

Councillors on Angus Council’s development standards committee were told a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has been submitted in respect of the plan.

The replacement educational facilities would include a primary school, early years centre, community facility, energy centre, parking and associated playground areas.

The new facilities would be built at the site of the existing schools and will go out to community consultation once the full application is lodged.

The proposed development site at the existing Hayshead Primary School at St Abbs Road measures 2.7 hectares.

The proposed development site at Muirfield Primary School measures 2.23 hectares and currently consists of the site of the existing primary school.

At this time confirmation was also given that neither planning application could be submitted prior to March 22 which is 12 weeks from the submission of the PAN.

RGU architecture graduate exhibiting at RSA

A recent Robert Gordon University (RGU) graduate has been selected to have his work exhibited at the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture (RSA).

Daniel Cardno studied the Masters of Architecture at RGU’s Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment and graduated with distinction in summer 2016.

The exhibition, named RSA New Contemporaries, runs from February 18 to March 15 and represents the RSA’s commitment to promoting contemporary art in Scotland.

Daniel was approached for the RSA exhibit after winning the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) silver medal.

His project focuses on the Marine Research Centre, which is located in a proposed sustainable settlement within the Eidsvag bay, Norway.

Network Rail to begin South Lanarkshire road bridge refurb

Network Rail is to begin a road bridge refurbishment project in South Lanarkshire.

Engineers will start carrying out maintenance work to the railway bridge on Cambuslang Road in Rutherglen from February 20.

The 14-week scheme will see work to repair and strengthen the structure over the A724 as part of a rolling programme of maintenance work.

Features include strengthening the main girders and concrete bridge deck, blast cleaning and repairing the metalwork, applying corrosion protection to steelwork, painting the entire bridge, repairing masonry and clearing adjacent vegetation.

New green recycling centre to transform council waste in South Ayrshire

South Ayrshire Council is continuing work to develop a new pilot green waste recycling centre in Prestwick.

The new Glenburn Green Waste Recycling Centre will be used to transform local authority waste such as grass and leaves into usable products like mulch and top dressing soil.

If successful, the end products will be rolled out to public places, reducing the need to purchase these materials in the future.

Overall, the council’s ground maintenance team will be able to use the composted material in parks and golf courses helping to save £42,324 a year on disposal costs.

Glasgow flood alleviation scheme work begins

Work is underway on a £3.6 million flood alleviation project in Glasgow.

The scheme aims to reduce the risk of sewer flooding for 30 properties in the Nelson Street area of Ballieston.

Scottish Water’s delivery partners, amey Black & Veatch (aBV), will build a large 1,200m2 storage tank on a grassed area adjacent to Baillieston Health Centre car park and replace existing pipework along South Scott Street and Nelson Street. The installation of the extra storage in the sewer network will alleviate the surcharging of the system.

The project is expected to be completed in a year’s times.

The project is part of a £250 million, five-year programme of work by Scottish Water to improve river water quality and the natural environment of the River Clyde, enable the Greater Glasgow area to grow and develop, alleviate sewer flooding and deal with the effects of increased rainfall from climate change.

Quarry plans for Battle of Bannockburn site dismissed

Plans to quarry for stone on the site of the Battle of Bannockburn have been thrown out by a Scottish Government reporter.

Gillies Hill at Cambusbarron, near Stirling, played a decisive role in the 1314 battle, but much of the hill has already been quarried.

Operations ceased 20 years ago, but Patersons Quarries, of Coatbridge, wanted to resume.

After a public inquiry Reporter Richard Dent refused planning permission.

He said he had taken into account the “economic benefits” offered by the proposal but believed they were outweighed by its adverse impacts.

£180m oil and gas technology centre opens in Aberdeen

A new £180 million Oil and Gas Technology Centre has been opened in Aberdeen.

The facility, which is a key part of the £250m Aberdeen City Region Deal (ACRD), is focused on becoming a hub for oil and gas technology in the UK and around the globe.

Working with a wide range of partners to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that improve efficiency and increase productivity, the Centre will help unlock the full potential of the UK North Sea, anchor the high-value supply chain in the North-East of Scotland and make the region a great place to live, work and invest for future decades.

Initial projects will help to halve the cost of drilling wells, reduce maintenance costs by up to 50%, and unlock up to three billion barrels of oil currently stranded in small discoveries marginal fields. Digital and decommissioning are also important early themes.

Castle Group Scotland to deliver West Lothian footbridge

Castle Group Scotland has started building a new £43,000 footbridge in West Lothian.

The new bridge will replace the existing five-span timber structure over the south end of Dedridge Pond, next to the Dragon Fly.

The new footbridge, which is being supplied by Dodson Macrae Ltd of Auchterarder, will be of hardwood timber construction and should be more durable and substantial than the existing bridge.

The parapets will have vertical infill panels rather than horizontal rails and the deck will have anti-slip material applied to the planks. Plans for the bridge have been discussed with the Dedridge Environment Ecology Project (DEEP).

Valentine’s bus calls in at CGC

Paisley’s bid to become UK City of Culture got a “heart” felt Valentine’s welcome from City Gate Construction (CGC) this week.

The campaign sent its ‘Culture Bus’ out onto the streets making a special stop at CGC’s offices in the town’s MacDowall Street.

Staff were on hand to welcome the bus with representatives from the bid and Renfrewshire Council on board

CGC also welcomed Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce’s President Tom Johnston and chief executive Bob Grant.

CGC have also been appointed Ambassadors for the bid after the company threw its considerable weight behind the effort.

Sixty CGC vans are now on the road featuring the Paisley 2021 distinctive logo and the firm has also placed a giant sign on a building at its Fulbar Road structural steel fabrication division in the town.