Building Briefs – February 17th

Mactaggart & Mickel to sponsor British Paralympian swimmer

Andrew Mullen, one of the UK’s leading Paralympic swimmers, has signed a sponsorship deal with family housebuilding firm Mactaggart & Mickel Group.

As an eight time European Champion and seven time World Champion, with two Paralympic Games under his belt, Andrew (18) is hotly tipped to be a medal hopeful in the qualifying trials for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Andrew, who is originally from Glasgow, said he is honoured to have the backing the Scottish housebuilder.

Mactaggart & Mickel Group has a long history of supporting young talent, from local teams, schools and groups to its sponsorship of Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games hopeful, swimmer Jordan Hughes. It was also part of the City Legacy consortium which constructed the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village.

Plans to revamp Glasgow’s Garnethill underway

Plans are under to help breathe new life into the Garnethill area of Glasgow.

The Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) is looking for artists, teachers, gardeners, social workers, students, residents and members of the public to share their views on the area.

Project leaders are particularly keen to speak to people who live and work in the area.

All idea, discoveries and suggestions will be shared with the public on a dedicated website.

The project - titled Botanic Concrete - will continue with a period of networking, planning, talks and presentations before the findings are shared with the public.

Botanic Concrete will be launched in The Project Cafe, on Renfrew Street tonight at 6.30pm with a free community dinner.

Plans to transform Glenrothes town centre with demolition of key buildings

Glenrothes town centre is to be transformed following the removal of two key buildings.

Plans are being drawn up to redevelop the east end of the Kingdom Shopping Centre, a move that will be made possible by the demolition of the former Co-Op department store.

Having sat empty for several years, the asbestos-riddled building is to be removed to make way for new retail and leisure units, with hopes now high of establishing a night time economy in the heart of the town.

Meanwhile, councillors are today expected to pass plans for a new shopping development at North Street after the CISWO social club agreed to move its premises.

The complex is expected to create hundreds of jobs and bring names such as Marks and Spencer and KFC to the town.

Council to reopen Helensburgh shopfront upgrade scheme

Councillors have agreed to reopen a shopfront enhancement scheme in Argyll and Bute.

In partnership with Drum Development, £140,000 has been made available to redevelop shopfronts within Helensburgh’s town centre.

To date, £75,000 has been set aside to upgrade the frontage of 20 businesses.

The second phase of works will open from 01 March to 30 June.

The enhancement scheme originally opened in 2014.

Scottish Conservatives issue call to build 100,000 new homes by 2021

The Scottish Government should strive to ensure 100,000 new homes are built in Scotland over the course of the next parliament, according to the Scottish Conservatives.

Party leader Ruth Davidson said that getting on the housing ladder “shouldn’t be the preserve of the rich, or only for those who can tap the Bank of Mum and Dad”.

Ms Davidson said the Scottish Government must make it easier for houses of all types to be built so that people can find a home for them, and ordinary working families can get on.

The party wants to see a 10 per cent year on year increase which would increase house building from just over 16,000 to more than 26,000 by 2021, adding 109,000 new properties by the end of 2021.

To do so, the party is calling for reforms to restrictive planning laws which deter development, and more government support for infrastructure such as transport links and broadband, which can incentivise new supply of housing.

Name confirmed for Garnock’s new school

The new school and leisure complex currently being built in Kilbirnie will be called the Garnock Community Campus.

North Ayrshire Council rubber-stamped the decision at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Councillors were given a choice of four possible names – Garnock Community Campus, Garnock Campus, Garnock Valley Campus and Lochshore Community Campus – following a lengthy and comprehensive consultation undertaken by pupils and the school community.

The £40 million joint school, community and leisure campus will serve the Garnock Valley’s three main towns - Kilbirnie, Beith and Dalry - and bring together pupils who currently attend Garnock Academy, Glengarnock Primary School and Glengarnock Early Years Centre.

The new state-of-the-art campus is due to be completed by December 2016 and partners KA Leisure will run a high quality six- lane swimming pool leisure facility to replace Garnock Pool and a synthetic pitch suitable for rugby and football.

SSE welcomes Highland wind farm extension decision

A decision by the Highland Council not to object to a proposed wind farm extension has been welcomed by SSE.

The scheme at Gordonbush Wind Farm involves adding 15 turbines to the 35-turbine site in East Sutherland.

Since its commissioning in 2012, the development has delivered around £20 million in procurement during construction and more than £1mfor local projects through its Community Fund.

It also generates enough power for around 60,000 homes each year.

Discussions continue on shaping Dundee’s future of development

Discussions to shape the future of development in Dundee are progressing well, the council has said.

Over 250 residents, businesses, landowners and individuals have been taking part through a series of workshops and presentations.

Interested parties have been commenting on the Main Issues Report, which will help shape the next Dundee Local Development Plan.

A total of 12 main issues will be addressed in the next Local Development Plan under four headings: supporting business and employment, enabling the delivery of new homes, supporting the city and district centres and enhancing natural and built areas.

Fife girls get geared up for Modern Apprenticeships at Forth Bridge

As Scotland gets set to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (29 February), ambitious young women from schools across Fife are set to take part in a hands-on event to encourage them to pursue a career in construction or engineering, at the Forth Crossing Contact and Education Centre, on Friday 19 February.

Over 40 female school pupils from Auchmuty High School, Woodmill High School and Inverkeithing High School will take part in a range of practical and interactive activities at the Queensferry Crossing, enabling them to try their hand at engineering and construction tasks.

Organised by Equate Scotland in partnership with Fife Council, Fife College, the Institute of Physics, Shell’s Girls in Energy programme and Fife schools and employers, the event for S4 to S6 girls is set to encourage them to take up STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) related careers.

It will give the pupils an opportunity to see a real working site at the iconic Forth Bridge and participate in a range of hands-on STEM activities. Role models will also highlight the many exciting career opportunities the engineering and construction sectors can offer, and talk about the benefits of Modern Apprenticeships, as well as answering any questions.

STEM Modern Apprenticeships bring real benefits to employers and to apprentices themselves, and are helping break down barriers to women taking up traditionally male dominated careers.