Building Briefs - February 22nd

• First glimpse of ITI’s new Aberdeen base revealed at Moorfield Group’s Innovation Park

The systems integration specialist is expanding its Aberdeen operations having agreed terms in November 2019 for a 10-year lease on the 6,000 sq ft north wing at the modernised Crombie Lodge.

ITI has been an occupier on Aberdeen Energy & Innovation Parks for 25 years and is relocating from the Technology Centre. The move sees the company’s floorspace increase by around 50%.

In delivering this project, Moorfield and ITI worked closely with Aberdeen-based architect Cooper & MacGregor, a commercial fit-out specialist, to bring the vision to life.

The new facility has been custom-designed to ITI’s specification and incorporates 4,800 sq ft of office and meeting accommodation, with the remaining space being used for test areas and storage.

The programme of works on the entire two-floor building has been completed to Grade A standard and includes upgrades to the exterior, along with the reconfiguration of the complete interior, including reception and shared areas. The 12,000 sq ft development incorporates the highest achievable sustainability and environmental standards.

• Largs line landslip recovery works

ScotRail services are set to be extended to West Kilbride from Monday, February 22, as engineers make progress on clearing the landslip damaged Largs line.

The line has been closed between Ardrossan South Beach and Largs since Friday, February 5, after heavy rain caused a series of landslips near Ardrossan, West Kilbride and Fairlie.

Engineers have been working around-the-clock to remove debris and fix damaged embankments – including repairing a 10m-long landslip below the line near Ardrossan and clearing over 300 tonnes of debris from the railway near West Kilbride.

Those works on the section of line between Ardrossan and West Kilbride were on course to be completed last weekend.

Work will, however, continue beyond the weekend at Fairlie where a significant landslip outside the railway boundary has brought more than 4,000 tonnes of material onto the track, affecting a 100m stretch of line.

• Stonehaven-Montrose railway set to reopen

The railway between Stonehaven and Montrose will reopen for passenger and freight customers today following the successful completion of repair works on a damaged bridge between the towns.

The rail bridge – which dates from the 1840s and is located three miles north of Carmont – has been closed since January 15 after masonry fell from the sidewall (parapet) on the southbound side of the structure.

Network Rail engineers, and specialist contractors, have been working around-the-clock since to carry out full structural assessments of the bridge, complete parapet repairs and strengthen the structure.

These works have included installing additional concrete supports on the bridge deck to help retain and support the track and ballast; reconstructing the failed parapet wall; installing ties through the bridge to strengthen the overall structure and relaying new track and supporting ballast on the southbound side on the bridge.

The bridge was last inspected in October 2020 and also received a detailed examination in March 2018.

No significant deterioration in its structural condition was found during these inspections and investigations to establish the cause of the parapet’s failure are ongoing.

• Shepherd markets development land with prime development potential in Ardrossan

Shepherd Chartered Surveyors is marketing development land at an established commercial harbourside location in Ardrossan for lease or sale.

Offering prime development potential, the two separate plots of land are located at Ardrossan Harbour with the larger site extending to 5.61 acres and the smaller to 1.93 acres.

Situated to the south side of Princes Street and accessed off both Inches Road and Harbour Road, the sites lie both to the north and south of the Stagecoach Bus Depot close to the main retailing area within the town.

Princes Street is the main thoroughfare from which to access Ardrossan Town Railway Station and Ardrossan Ferry Terminal.

• Timber lodges planned at Dunkeld House Hotel 

A Perthshire hotel has lodged plans to add more accommodation for guests.

Managers of the Dunkeld House Hotel have applied to Perth and Kinross Council for permission to build 14 timber lodges in a small valley lined with trees behind the C-listed property, which is located about a mile west of the town on the banks of the River Tay.

Chartered surveyors acting for the four-star hotel have acknowledged the surrounding landscape’s historical and horticultural importance in supporting documents sent to the council.

Edinburgh-based GLM said the designed landscape around the hotel has existed for more than 250 years and plays “an important role in the surrounding scenery”.

The company also said the area was the site of one of the first larch plantations and has “an important collection of coniferous trees”.

GLM goes on to say in the statement the hotel’s managers intend to retain all the trees and other planting currently located within the area they want to build the lodges in.

• Cafe and leisure plan for large Merchant City shop unit

A mixed-use cafe/leisure proposal has been submitted for vacant retail premises in Glasgow’s Merchant City.

Change-of-use and listed building alteration applications have been lodged for ground floor space in a B-listed building on the corner of Bell Street and Walls Street.

Drawings submitted to planners show a deli counter, retail area, treatment room, cafe and booth seating, a ‘chill-out’ zone and studio.

• Gillespie Macandrew advises on landmark Waitrose deal

Gillespie Macandrew has advised on the purchase of two Waitrose stores in Glasgow for £23.2 million.

The firm’s commercial property specialists advised Wire Oast Limited, an SPV established by Avignon Capital, on the acquisition of the portfolio of two supermarkets in the West Retail Park in Milngavie and on Byres Road in the west end of Glasgow. The Byres Road property included a multi-storey car park and 24 residential flats and both sites were acquired on a freehold arrangement.

Other parties involved for Avignon were Savills, Grant Thornton and Westview Capital Advisors. Debt funding was provided by Barclays Bank.

• Consultation has started into Aberdeen’s city centre Conservation Area

A consultation has started into proposed updates to Aberdeen’s city centre Conservation Area including five boundary changes.

The online consultation, which is available at City Centre Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Regulation 11 Direction Public Consultation - Aberdeen City Council - Citizen Space and runs until April 2, would also give Aberdeen City Council more control over the type of large ‘To Let / For Sale’ signs in the area.

The five boundary proposed changes are include Marischal Square and the immediate area; include 41-43 Holburn Street (The Foundry), 16-18 Union Grove, and 28-38 Holburn Street and 4-14 Union Grove; include 8-14 Chapel Street; include 15-17 Gallowgate; and include 12-14 Virginia Street 22-24 Virginia Street.

The proposed Regulation 11 direction to remove deemed consent for large ‘To Let / For Sale’ signs would give the local authority more control over these signs as these can be unsightly at times and detract from the amenity and special character of the Conservation Area.

The last Conservation Area Appraisal for Union Street was written in 2007 and requires to be updated to take into account an updated policy and socio-economic context as well as recent developments.

A comprehensive review of the Conservation Area has taken place and it has been considered within the context of the City Centre Masterplan, Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), and the Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) and it will be a key document for informing decisions made regarding future development within the city centre, from small alterations to historic buildings to larger new developments.

At the end of the consultation, all comments will be summarised and reported back to a future meeting of the Planning Development Management Committee.