Building Briefs – January 19th

Castlemilk and Bridge of Allan community projects win Stewart Milne campaign

The play equipment of a disability resource centre in Castlemilk in Glasgow and in a park in Bridge of Allan is set to be upgraded after winning support from Stewart Milne Group’s RUBY campaign as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.

The Castlemilk centre, operated by Caring Operations Joint Action Council (COJAC), emerged as the winner from four shortlisted schemes in a public vote on social media over the past week. The project received more than 1,300 votes. Stewart Milne Group will now support the centre as it upgrades its play area, which is frequently used by children from the centre and local community.

Following a high level of public support and votes, Stewart Milne Group has also pledged to provide support to the Bridge of Allan project which came second in the public vote. This project will see the play park at Fountain Road Park being improved to include equipment for younger children.

In September, Stewart Milne Group launched its RUBY (Regenerating Urban Back Yards) campaign to improve run-down community spaces across Scotland and north-west England.

New homes created in Stirling

Five new properties for Stirling Council tenants have been completed as part of a new housing development in Cambusbarron.

The three two-bedroom terraced houses and two two-bedroom flats form part of a new housing development at the former Polmaise Farm in the village that also includes 12 flats to be made available by the council at “mid market” rent levels.

Built by Ogilvie Homes, the properties were secured as part of planning permission for the site.

Stirling Council’s own in-house building team also recently completed construction of 10 new bungalows in Cowie, while a former shop unit in Stirling’s Top of the Town has been converted into a one-bedroom flat.

Since 2012 the council has built or purchased more than 100 homes for social rent.

Letting flats at mid market rents - higher than regular council rent, but lower than rates for similar sized properties in the private sector – can help people get on to the property ladder by making it easier for them to save for a mortgage deposit.

The major new development at Goosecroft Road opposite Stirling railway station includes 53 flats that will also be offered on the same mid-market basis.

That development is being created as a partnership between the council, Stirling Development Agency and joint venture company Steadfast Homes and is due to be completed soon.

Changes to A96 Nairn Bypass scheme to go on public display

Locals and road users are to be given the chance to view proposed changes to the A96 Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) dualling scheme.

A series of drop-in sessions are being held in early February in Culloden and Nairn when the public will be able to view and comment on the proposed changes to the preferred option for the scheme which was announced in October 2014.

The ongoing design work along with the public consultation process have resulted in a number of changes to the scheme.

Along with the proposed changes, communities will be able to see our developing proposals for non-motorised users, including cyclists.

‪As the Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) scheme is further progressed, individuals, communities and businesses affected by the work will be kept fully informed and their vital feedback taken into account.

Work to begin on new junction in North Lanarkshire

Work is to begin on a new motorway junction in North Lanarkshire, Transport Scotland has announced.

The North Road in Bellshill on approach to and from the A725 Shawhead Junction with the A8 is due to close for three weeks from 10pm on Sunday, 24 January.

This will allow for the construction of a temporary ‘T’ junction onto the newly built A725, which will retain access to and from North Road during the next phase of works.

The closure is also part of the construction of the new Shawhead Junction for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

The works will be carried out by the schemes main contractor Scottish Road Partnership (SRP).

Signed diversions, traffic management and a shuttle bus service will be implemented during the closure.

Affordable housing funding boost for Aberdeenshire

Work to increase Aberdeenshire Council’s supply of affordable housing has received an extra boost with an allocation of £3.2 million from council reserves, and over £200,000 from developer contributions.

The funding, agreed by councillors on the policy & resources committee, will contribute towards a £39m package of funding coming from Scottish Government and private finance to support with a range of housing initiatives.

The funding will support the supply of housing through a range of partners, including housing associations and Create Homes, the new initiative set up to provide mid-market rented housing in Aberdeenshire.

The funding will contribute to housing developments in Inverurie, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Marykirk, Turriff, Huntly, Kemnay, Fraserburgh, Westhill and Portlethen. Developers’ cash contributions will be used to support affordable housing projects in Methlick and Kincardine O’Neil.

Create Homes Aberdeenshire purchased 12 mid-market rental properties in Westhill in 2015 which have all been leased and a further 12 have recently been acquired. This programme will be further enhanced with plans for a further 15 homes in Ellon and 12 in Stonehaven during 2016.

Plans to be displayed for £10m luxury tourist destination

Plans have been unveiled to convert a disused quarry in Ross-shire into a £10 million tourist destination.

Natural Retreats wants to build about 40 luxury, self catering lodges at Logie Quarry on the Balnagown Estate.

The luxury accommodation provider wants to build a mixture of two, three and four bedroom properties within the 225acre site. A small cafe will also be incorporated into the project.

It is anticipated that up to 20 jobs will be created at the retreat, which hopes to offer guests and members of the public access to local outdoor facilities such as fishing, walking and mountain biking.

Natural Retreats aims to submit plans by the start of Summer 2016 and, subject to the length of the planning process, start building in early 2017 with a view to opening in 2018.

Public drop-in sessions will take place in the Clan Ross room in the Royal Hotel, Tain, on Tuesday, January 19 from 1pm-7pm and on Wednesday, January 20 from 11am-4pm.

Comic Relief commits £70,000 to help communities affected by flooding

Flood-hit communities in Scotland will receive a £70,000 boost from Comic Relief.

Roads were swept away and dozens of people were forced to leave their homes in the north-east earlier this month.

A £50,000 fund created to help families in Cumbria following flooding in December was expanded by £200,000 in response.

Scotland will receive the largest share of the money, with victims in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and Perth and Kinross set to benefit.

Foundation Scotland, the charitable body in charge of distributing the money, hopes to raise a total of £1m for victims.

People can apply for funding on the Foundation Scotland website.

Council redevelops play park in East Dunbartonshire

A project to redevelop a play park in East Dunbartonshire is now complete.

A £41,000 cash boost from the council enabled works to be carried out at the park in Campsie Drive, Milngavie.

The community facility was upgraded as part of the council’s ten-year Capital Play Programme and its Open Space Strategy.

One hundred nearby households were consulted over the design of the new play park, with the most popular design being built over the last few months.