Building Briefs – January 13th

Hebridean Housing Partnership begins next phase of house building programme

Hebridean Housing Partnership has begun the next phase of its housing development programme with work starting on 34 houses across three sites in Lewis.

The developments comprising 24 houses at Mackenzie Lane, Stornoway, six at Barvas and four at Habost, Ness are being delivered in partnership with Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar and the Scottish Government.

Mackenzie Lane is the latest phase of the ongoing development of Melbost Farm and includes houses for sale through the Shared Equity Scheme. This will see the number of houses provided by HHP in the area rise to 81 by May 2017.

The site at Barvas was provided by the Comhairle and involves the demolition of the old school, the new scheme will be known as Cearnag na Sgoile and is due to be completed in February 2017. The Habost site was also made available by the Comhairle and will be known as Slighe nan Caimbeil in memory of local families who served in the First World War.

Completion is planned for June 2016.

Approval sought for Inverness developments

Highland councillors will be asked to give the go-ahead to several major planning applications next week.

They include Hercules Unit Trust’s plan to open three restaurants - a Frankie and Benny’s, TGI Fridays and Nandos - at the Inverness Shopping Park.

Tulloch Homes have a proposal for 60 new homes on the site of the city’s former Glebe Street swimming pool.

Tuesday’s south planning applications committee will also be asked to approve student flats at Rose Street.

Another major scheme councillors will be asked to give the go-head is the 13-turbine Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm near Dava Moor and Lochindorb Castle.

New e-Planning portal goes live

The new online planning portal programme, which is refreshing the ePlanning service across Scotland, has been launched today.

All agents and applicants are now encouraged to submit their planning applications on the new ePlanning.scot portal that will be launched on 13 January 2016.

The Council is a partner in the eDevelopment.scot programme, which is refreshing the ePlanning service across Scotland. The new portal replaces the current ePlanning portal that was introduced in 2009 and provides a facility for submitting planning applications to any Scottish Planning Authority.

The ePlanning service is free to use and managed by the Scottish Government in partnership with all Scottish planning authorities.

There will be a period of time when both the current ePlanning portal and the new portal will run in parallel. This means that applications which have been partly completed on the old ePlanning portal can still be submitted until 31st March 2016.

All new proposals and application forms will need to be started on the ePlanning.scot portal.

Coming next in the eDevelopment.scot programme is the ability to submit building warrant applications online through the eBuildingstandards.scot portal which will be available from summer 2016.

More information on how the changes will affect existing ePlanning users and eBuilding Standards is available on the Scottish Government eDevelopment website.

Work complete on £7.5m substation in Argyll

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission has completed a new £7.5 million renewable electricity substation in Argyll.

The facility allows for the connection of 43MW of renewable power to the A’Cruach wind farm.

The new 132/33kV substation was built at Crarae, near Minard.

The 15 month project was carried out by a 150-strong workforce and allows for alternative distribution routes north and south of the substation, reinforcing the Argyll and Bute network.

Works herald £1m investment in traffic-free cycle route

Work has now started on a £1 million project to help complete route 74 of the National Cycle Network.

The new section will help cyclists to travel between Glasgow and Gretna and beyond by constructing a completely traffic-free dedicated path from Lesmahagow to Happendon.

As a result temporary traffic management – involving lane closures and contraflow management - will be in place on the B7078 between Lesmahagow and Happendon, until the end of March.

This is to allow the current north-bound carriageway to be converted to two way traffic, following which the current south-bound carriageway will become the cycle path.

Work will also involve junction alterations at Balgray Road and at junction 11 of the M74, as well as alterations of signing and road markings along the route.

The £1m funding package has been secured from Sustrans Scotland, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Transport Scotland, with the project designed and delivered by the council.

Renfrewshire community facilities to receive £3m boost

A £3 million investment is to be made in community facilities across Renfrewshire, the council has announced.

The funding boost was approved at a council meeting on Thursday, 17 December.

In addition, support will be provided for a local development trust and community-managed halls.

Around £2.5m is to be provided for improvement works to Cargill Hall in Bridge of Weir; Johnstone Castle Community Centre; and the Foxbar, Gallowhill, Glenburn and Ralston community centres in Paisley.

In addition, £250,000 will be added to £50,000 already pledged to support the Linwood Community Development Trust in redeveloping playing fields at the Clippens School site.

A further £200,000 has been pledged community-managed halls.

Information events to be held for Argyll and Bute contractors

Argyll and Bute Council has announced a series of information events for local contractors.

The exhibitions will allow local businesses to stay informed of available opportunities when tendering for council services contracts.

The local authority has launched a new approach towards tendering capital works contracts, with estimated individual values between £25,000 and a new upper limit of £500,000.

Types of contracts available include re-roofing, fire alarm installations and upgrades along with replacements of heating systems, building refurbishment, electrical works, coastal protection and bridge strengthening, parking machines installation and traffic management works.

The exhibitions will take place from 10:30am – 12:30 pm at Lochgilphead on 27 Jan, Dunoon on 03 February, Oban on 16 February, Rothesay on 03 March, Campbeltown on 23 March and Helensburgh on 30 March.

North Lanarkshire Council invites public to drop-in event

North Lanarkshire Council is inviting residents to attend a public consultation on future development in the region.

The public will be given the chance to submit their views on a Draft Strategic Development Framework for the South Cumbernauld Community Growth Area (CGA).

In 2006, the CGA was identified as one of three areas where new housing and community facilities could be built to meet increasing demand.

It is understood up to 2,000 new homes and supporting local facilities could be created by 2025.

The council has produced a Draft Strategic Development Framework as a blueprint for the type and scale of development that would be allowed.

Developers are required to submit individual proposals for each of the two CGA sites at Palacerigg and Mid Forest.

The drop-in events will take place at:

• Abronhill Community Facility, from 2pm to 9pm on 19 January and 10am to 4pm on 23 January.

• Greenfaulds Community Centre, from 2pm to 9pm on 28 January.

• The Link Community Facility, from 10am to 4pm on 30 January.

Concrete in the Classroom initiative launches

An initiative has been launched to give basic concrete technology and hands on concrete practice to pupils in secondary schools across Scotland.

The CITB funded extended Concrete in the Classroom pilot is being delivered as a 5 lesson program at 8 schools across the country by Concrete Scotland. It will also highlight the career opportunities available within this sector of the construction industry.

Each of the programs culminate in a site visit to a concrete factory or similar manufacturing facility.

Over 20 industry partners have supported the initiative and it is hoped that the program will encourage school leavers to consider the concrete industry and the wider construction industry as an informed career route of choice.

The eight secondary schools signed up for Concrete in the Classroom are: Armadale; Denny; Drumchapel; Larbert; Royal High; Sanquhar; St. Kentigerns; and St. Mungo’s.