Building Briefs – February 2nd

Donation helps riding for the disabled group purchase new horse

A popular Midlothian riding school for the disabled will be able to buy a new horse as it is nominated a Community Champion by a local business.

Persimmon Homes East Scotland has handed over a cheque for £1,000 to Thornton Rose RDA – to help fund a new horse.

Run entirely by volunteers the group provides access for disabled youngsters to ride horses and learn stable management skills and was in need of funding as two of its horses neared retirement.

The organisation had raised half the amount needed to purchase a horse and with help from Persimmon will now be able to buy a horse to help cater for the 36 disabled children that use the stables, along with a further 28 on the waiting list.

The group are the latest to receive funding from the housebuilder. In total £24,000 will be donated by Persimmon Homes’ East Scotland region by March 2016. It is a slice of £750,000 that is being given away by the company nationally.

Thornton Rose RDA, established in 1981, is a member of the Riding for the Disabled Association with 75 volunteers that help to run the service.

Stirling insulation firm appoints new director

Superglass, the Stirling-based insulation manufacturer, has appointed Swedish non-executive director Jan Holmstrom to its board.

Mr Holmstrom, 63, will represent Superglass’s majority shareholder and Swedish activist investor Peter Gyllenhammar, who owns 38.3 per cent of the shares after investing £3 million in the business in 2014.

The company, which employs 150 staff and is the UK’s only independent manufacturer of glass wool insulation, said Mr Holmstrom was an internationally experienced director, having spent 30 years of his career in the financial markets in Stockholm, Hong Kong and London.

Volume of residential sales up 14.5 per cent

The volume of residential sales in Scotland rose 14.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2015-16 compared to the same period in the previous year, according to official statistics published today by Registers of Scotland (RoS).

A total of 28,779 properties were submitted for registration between October and December, the highest volume of sales for any quarter since quarter one of 2008-09.

The highest percentage rise in volume of sales was recorded in Midlothian, with an annual increase of 30.2 per cent to 539 residential sales compared with the same quarter last year. The City of Edinburgh recorded the highest volume of sales at 3,532, up 21.4 per cent, while the largest percentage drop in volumes was in Aberdeen City, which showed a fall of 12 per cent to 1,274 residential sales.

In terms of price, the highest percentage rise was in Inverclyde, where prices climbed 13.1 per cent to £132,382. The City of Edinburgh held the highest average at £233,255, a rise of 3.2 per cent on the previous year. The largest percentage fall was in Dumfries and Galloway, which showed a drop of 9.9 per cent to an average price of £130,275.

The total value of sales across Scotland registered between October and December increased by 16.3 per cent to just under £4.83 billion. This represents the highest value of sale for any quarter since quarter one of 2008-09.

The City of Edinburgh remained the largest market with sales of just under £824 million for the quarter, an increase of 25.3 per cent on the previous year. East Ayrshire recorded the highest increase in value with sales of over £66 million, up 33.9 per cent. Aberdeen City had the largest decrease in overall market value, down 13.6 to over £273 million on last year.

All property types showed an increase in sales volumes, with flats showing the biggest increase at 18.4 per cent. In terms of prices, flats were the only property type to show an increase in average house prices, up 0.6 per cent to £130,679. Detached, semi-detached and terraced properties all saw decreases in average prices, of 0.3 per cent, 1.4 per cent, and 3.5 per cent respectively.

Carriageway resurfacing works to take place in Fife

Essential carriageway resurfacing work is due to take place this weekend in Fife, it has been announced.

Roadwork teams will carry out improvement works on Pitcoudie Roundabout in Glenrothes from Friday, 05 February.

It is understood the scheme will last until Friday, 12 February.

Road closures and temporary traffic lighting will be in place.

Water mains upgrades due to begin in Ayr

Water mains upgrade work is due to begin later this month in Ayr, Scottish Water has announced.

It is understood Caledonia Water Alliance will carry out improvement works to around 50 metres of water mains in the Whitletts area.

Works are due to begin on Monday, 15 February and will be completed in around two weeks.

A stretch of Burnett Terrace from its junction with Hawkhill Avenue Lane to its junction with Whitletts Road will be closed for around five days from 15 February.

Perthshire’s newest school officially opens

Staff and pupils have celebrated the official opening of the £12 million Crieff Primary School.

The project is part of Perth and Kinross Council’s ongoing £60m programme of upgrades and improvements to the school estate to deliver a “modern, high-quality learning and teaching environment for pupils and staff”.

Work began on the Broich Road site in March 2014 and was completed on time and on budget by June 2015.

The new Crieff Primary School is one of the first to be delivered by the council, in partnership with East Central Hub, as part of a design and build contract. Holmes Miller Architects designed the school and BAM Construction undertook the building works.

The new primary and nursery facilities which are close to the Strathearn Community Campus also include a gymnasium, sports pitches, multi-use games area and playground.

Fun palace plans for former Dundee market

A businessman has unveiled plans to turn a disused Dundee market into a £1.5 million leisure attraction with 10-pin bowling and kids’ play areas.

Chris Airlie wants to convert the former Dens Road Market to include trampolines, a mini-golf course, a bowling alley, children’s play areas and bumper cars, as well as space for eating and hosting parties.

He acquired the building, which closed in 2013, alongside the adjoining snooker club, Rack and Cue, on Dundonald Street.

The 52-year-old says he was given the idea by his kids and hopes the venture could create around 40 full and part-time jobs.

Comic writer backs bid for £4m Montrose cinema

A best-selling comic book writer and hit movie maker has given his backing to plans for a new Scottish cinema.

Mark Miller, the brains behind Kick-Ass and other top Marvel creations, has become the patron of the plan to transform an old swimming pool into a high-tech cinema in Montrose.

The comic book genius has given his full backing to the project, which needs to raise £4.2 million to demolish the pool and create the new four screen cinema.