Building Briefs – January 19th

Perth City Hall redevelopment bids received

Perth & Kinross Council has received five proposals for the redevelopment of Perth City Hall. This follows a period of remarketing the city centre building, which currently lies empty, to prospective developers. The closing date for submitting applications was Friday 16 January.

The five proposals will now be evaluated by independent commercial property firm Jones Lang Lasalle which has been instructed by Perth & Kinross Council to establish whether any, or all, of the bids are compliant, setting out a credible and financially deliverable business case to undertake a redevelopment of Perth City Hall.

Engineering firm forecasts a turnover rise in year to come

Perthshire based civil engineer I&H Brown expects a 30 per cent jump in turnover this year as the recovery continues, but has warned of skill shortages in the industry.

The family-owned group has reported a threefold rise in operating profit for the year to August 2014 to £1.2 million on turnover up from £31.5m to £34.2m.

Pre-tax profit of £1.18m lagged the previous year’s £5.9m, but that previous figure was due to a £5.4m gain in 2012–13 from the sale of two farms near Kirkcaldy for Diageo’s new £46m bonded warehouse complex.

Edinburgh primary school conversion tabled

A disused annexe of Towerbank Primary School, Portobello, is to be converted into six homes under plans drawn up by the Holstead Lukas Partnership after the property was put on the market by Edinburgh City Council.

A planning application calls for retention of a stone built property fronting Bath Street to form four homes together with the demolition of an unsympathetic connecting block to the rear to make way for useable outdoor space – together with modifications to a secondary building in order to create two semi-detached homes.

Council planner advises against Mearns farm wind turbine project

A farm four kilometres north of Laurencekirk is seeking to install a 48-metre wind turbine.

Mains of Pittarrow Farm is proposing to construct a 100kW turbine with a rotor diameter of 23.6m and a hub height of 36.8m. The application also details the need for associated works, such as the formation of new road access, construction of an area of hardstanding and the construction of a substation building.

Seven properties lie within one kilometre of the proposed turbine location.

The plan has been recommended for refusal by Aberdeenshire Council’s director of infrastructure services, Stephen Archer.

The plan will be discussed at the council’s Kincardine and Mearns area committee on Tuesday.

Renewable Energy Association launches new solar and energy storage bodies

The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has this week announced the launch of two new trade bodies, following the decision last year to bring an end to its long-standing affiliation with the Solar Trade Association.

The REA confirmed the official launch of UK Solar, which will represent the trade body’s 130 existing solar members, and UK Energy Storage, which aims to establish itself as “the trade body for all storage technologies across the UK”.

Old Glasgow police HQ set to be demolished

Glasgow’s Pitt Street police headquarters is “almost certain” to be demolished, according to commercial property sources.

Hundreds of police staff will this week begin moving out of the 11,000sq ft office block – part 1930s brick, part 1970s concrete and glass – to a new base in the east end of the city.

Police Scotland, which inherited the complex from the old Strathclyde force, aims to strip the building ready for sale by the end of the quarter.

However, market experts believe the rabbit-warren of former admin offices and crime labs will be bought to be bulldozed to create a “hole in the ground” ripe for new build.

Merchant Homes starts 2015 with new premises, new jobs and new developments

2015 has already got off to a flying start for Scottish housebuilder Merchant Homes.

The property developer has just quadrupled the size of its Glasgow HQ after taking the keys on 9079 sq ft premises immediately opposite the city’s media village, Pacific Quay.

The Watermark Business Park is now the residence of Merchant Homes and its 14 head office staff. The company has plans to bolster the team with the appointment of 24 new recruits throughout the year.

Development plans for sites are well underway across Scotland with Merchant Homes leading on a major regeneration project in Whitfield in Dundee with affordable housing provider Home Scotland. The first phase of the project is expected to be finalised early Spring 2016 with the development of 38 homes expected to be completed by late Autumn 2016.

The Gantocks in Gourock is also charging ahead with another new phase of development as the former hotel is transformed into to a vibrant new community. Merchant Homes has already built 25 apartments on site with another 25 planned for the duration of the year.

Following the sell-out success of Philipshill Gate on the western edge of East Kilbride, the housebuilder is now creating a select number of luxury properties in partnership with award-wining architects Hypostyle. The properties have been exclusively crafted for instant kerb appeal whilst enhancing the existing streetscape and semi-rural setting of Philipshill. The development will comprise nine two bedroom apartments featuring ground floor apartments with private gardens and upper floor apartments with balconies. Floor space ranges from 800 – 1050 sq ft and all apartments feature private parking.

Lawrence McPherson Associates celebrates 21st birthday

Lawrence McPherson Associates is celebrating 21 years in business this month.

The Practice was founded in January 1994 by Euan Lawrence and Stuart McPherson to provide architectural and town planning services.

Starting from a single room office, the Practice has relocated twice since its humble beginnings and is currently located in the former Ayr Salvation Army Citadel which the Practice purchased and refurbished in 2003.

Over the years the Practice flourished, seeing many changes along the way. The partnership was expanded in 2006 when Steve McGhee became a partner.

Both founding partners have now retired from the business which continues to be led by Practice Principal, Steve McGhee.

To coincide with the 21st birthday celebrations, Lawrence McPherson Associates will change its name to lma | architects and planning consultants and will launch a re-brand.

Clydebank HA begins 30th year with new chief executive officer

Clydebank Housing Association has announced the appointment of Sharon Keenan as its new chief executive officer.

Sharon has almost 30 years’ service at CHA, with a combined 10 years as finance manager and depute director. She has taken over from Fiona Webster who left the organisation in December 2014 after 24 years’ service.

£1.8m investment for Perth Racecourse

Perth Racecourse is to be given a £1.8 million upgrade.

Work has begun to build a new and expanded stable block on site and a second phase of work will add a boutique hostel on the site.

The site’s owners are spending £400,000 creating an new stable for horses on race days.

The development will bring Perth into line with other Scottish racecourses, giving jockeys and owners the convenience and peace of mind that comes with having these facilities within the premises.

With the second phase of the development, jockeys, trainers and race staff will be able to stay on site in the new accommodation block.

The hostel will be available to members of the public during other times.

The contractual work associated with the build has been appointed to three Perthshire based businesses — Morris Leslie, Saltire Stables and Muirfield.

Work is expected to be complete for June with phase two, a boutique hostel, taking place over the summer.

Revamped Co-op store to be Blairgowrie ‘hub’

A Blairgowrie store is poised for a £300,000 expansion.

Co-operative bosses have unveiled plans for a major overhaul of their Coupar Angus Road outlet.

They want to transform the store into a “hub” for the local community.

The refurbishment is due to start next week and the shop will be closed for nearly a fortnight.

The Co-op has also lodged an application for planning permission to change the colour of the shopfront.

Tweedsmuir wind farm plans reduced in scale

Plans for a wind farm development in Tweedsmuir have been submitted to the Scottish Government.

The application includes a new bridge crossing the Tweed at Carlowse.

Greenock-based 2020 Renewables initially looked at erecting a total of 27 turbines on land south of Tweedsmuir at Whitelaw Brae.

However, following an Environmental Impact Assessment, it submitted a revised application for a reduced number of 14 turbines.

As well as the 133-metre high turbines, the developer wants to construct a new entrance to the site near Fruid Reservoir and also a new bridge over the Tweed to take traffic onto the A701.

Scottish Borders Council is amongst the statutory consultees for the application, but final say will lie with the Scottish Government.

Hotel or flats planned for old asylum

An abandoned asylum is set to be transformed into a hotel or luxury flats following the appointment of developers.

Property advisers GVA James Barr will draw up a masterplan on behalf of NHS Lothian for the future use of the Bangour Village Hospital site in West Lothian. The facility, near Dechmont, opened in 1906 and housed patients with mental health problems from across Central Scotland for almost 100 years.