Building Briefs – January 11th

Restoration work starts on Oban homes

One of Oban’s most familiar buildings is to get a comprehensive facelift thanks to Argyll Community Housing Association.

Works to the tenement at 52 Soroba Road, which provides 6 homes, will include a new roof, re-rendering, wall insulation, external painting and new fascias, soffits, downpipes and guttering.

The 10 week contract coordinated by Argyll Community Housing Association to a value of £133,000 has been awarded to Turner Facilities Management Limited.

Construction salaries rose 10 per cent in 2015

Salaries offered by the construction industry rose 10.2 per cent in 2015, which is far more than any other industrial sector, according to a jobs website.

The average annual salary for construction jobs posted on the CV-Library site rose from £40,496.08 in 2014 to £44,628.46 in 2015.

There was also a 39 per cent increase in the number of jobs posted on the site, compared to 2014.

The sector with the second biggest salary growth on the site was retail, at 5.9 per cent. The pay on offer for jobs in manufacturing, by contrast, was up jus 2.4 per cent in 2015.

Quarry plans address Ewieside hill fort concerns

Plans to expand a Borders quarry have been recommended for approval after concerns over its impact on a nearby hill fort site were addressed.

The archaeological officer at Scottish Borders Council and Historic Scotland originally opposed the extension to Glenfin Quarry near Cockburnspath.

Amendments to the Kinegar Quarries scheme have now seen them withdraw their opposition.

Planning officers have recommended approval with a string of conditions.

The proposals would increase the size of the current quarry by more than 50 per cent to more than 34 hectares.

Scottish Borders Council is being advised to give the scheme the green light but with 29 separate conditions attached.

Hill forts are one of the most prominent types of prehistoric monument across many parts the UK and mainly date back to the Iron Age.

Falkirk East Premier Inn extension completes

Construction works have completed on extension to the Premier Inn at Falkirk East.

The 22 bed extension will take the total number of bedrooms to 60 and was designed lma | architects.

The construction works carried out by Ogilvie Construction.

Construction works also began last week on the extension to Livingston Bathgate Premier Inn. The 42 bed extension will bring the total number of bedrooms to 116. The construction works are being carried out by Key Property Services.

M8 St James’ Interchange landslip repairs

Plans to repair the damage caused by a landslip on the road embankment at St James’ Interchange in Paisley are being drawn up by Scotland TranServ who are supporting Renfrewshire Council.

The slip occurred during the festive period following record rainfall across December. To prevent further damage Scotland TranServ put in place emergency measures to divert the flow of water away from the embankment. Despite these measures and to ensure public safety it has been necessary to install temporary traffic management, including an offside lane closure.

Scotland TranServ, on behalf of Transport Scotland will carry out a series of detailed inspections to the carriageway, barrier and drainage system which also cover the local authority road to determine the scale of the landslip and the necessary repairs. Every effort will be made to carry out these inspections as quickly as possible.

Design solution for damaged Borders school hall

Scottish Borders Council is progressing with plans to repair a primary school hall after recent storms caused structural damage.

The assembly hall of Howdenburn Primary School in Jedburgh was badly damaged during Storm Desmond in December.

Work is now underway to come up with a design solution for the repairs.

The council is also using the opportunity to review the hall structure at the same time as undertaking the wall replacement.

It is understood an architectural and structural solution will be in place by the end of January, with works to begin at the earliest opportunity.

Independent structural engineers are also undertaking a structural survey of the entire school.

Repair work to begin on burst water main in Inverclyde

Work to repair a burst water main in Inverclyde is due to get underway.

Scottish Water engineers will carry out repairs to the burst pipe on Kempock Street in Gourock from 12 January.

The company said it estimates works to fix the fault will be finished on the same day.

A stretch of the north-bound lane of Kempock Street will be closed from 9am on 12 January to allow repairs to take place.

Labour unveils plans to build 60,000 affordable homes

Scottish Labour has pledged to build 60,000 affordable homes if it wins power in May’s Holyrood election.

The party is also considering setting a separate target for social housing, in a move senior MSPs believe would highlight failings by the SNP government.

Confirming the plan Ken Macintosh, Scottish Labour’s communities spokesman, said Labour would deliver the 12,000 affordable homes per year that a consortium of organisations, including Shelter, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Chartered Institute of Housing, says is required to ease the country’s housing crisis.

Last week Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, unveiled a plan to hand first time buyers up to £3,000 to help them get on the housing ladder.

Consultation opens into Dundee development plan

Residents, businesses and landowners in Dundee will soon get the chance to have their say on the shape of future development in the city.

A seven week consultation on the Main Issues Report, a key planning document that will help shape the next Dundee Local Development Plan, launches today.

The document will guide development of housing, business land, the city centre and district centres as well as the natural and built environment across the city up to 2024.

The report highlights 12 main issues for discussion that the next Local Development Plan will have to address 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.

As well as commenting on the main issues the consultation also gives people the chance to comment on existing planning policies and proposals, and to give views on any other land use planning issues.

Help shape the vision for Balloch’s future

The public is being invited to get involved in LIVEinBalloch, a new initiative which will help shape the future of Balloch.

Funding has been secured from Scottish Government for West Dunbartonshire Council and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, working with Scottish Enterprise, to run a design charrette which is an intensive workshop that engages local people in the design of their community.

Three key sites have been identified in the Park’s Local Development Plan which will play a crucial part in the future of Balloch and will form the basis for discussion at the charrette, as well as how we ensure joined up thinking between these physical developments over design, transport, car parking amongst other issues.

Consideration will also be given to improving connections within Balloch and the wider Vale of Leven, and to how important gateways such as the bus and railway station can be improved.