Building Briefs – January 21st

The latest information on the £220 million regeneration of Sighthill, as well as details on a project that local people will participate in and develop over the next five years, will be unveiled at an event in Glasgow next month.

Transforming Communities Glasgow - a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Housing Association and the Scottish Government - will host this community engagement day at the KATS centre in Sighthill for all those who live, work or have an interest in the area.

The event will run between 4 - 7pm on Wednesday 3 February, and those who attend will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions of some of the officers working on the transformation of Sighthill over the next five years, and also to speak to the contractors working on the next phase of the 50 hectare site. There will also be the opportunity to speak to members of Pidgin Perfect, a design studio who will work with Community Links Scotland and the community to develop the Sighthill mobile space project.

This project will create a mobile community space for local residents as the transformation of Sighthill continues over the next five years. The mobile space will have a permanent home within the heart of the community when the development is completed.

There will be similar and regular information sessions in the future to keep all in the Sighthill community informed on these changes to come.

Flood prevention works close Selkirk recycling centre

A recycling centre is to close for at least 16 weeks as part of £31 million flood prevention plans in Selkirk.

The closure will begin on 8 February to allow a diversion route to be extended through the site.

It will allow homes and businesses to be accessed while a new culvert is being installed and a section of the town’s Dunsdale Haugh is shut.

Scottish Borders Council said the work was being carried out after an “appraisal of all the options”.

The nearest alternative community recycling centres (CRCs) are about seven miles away in Galashiels or about 11 miles away in Hawick.

However, ongoing improvements at Hawick mean that facility may also see short-term closures.

The flood protection scheme works are now past the halfway stage and once completed will help protect nearly 600 properties.

Historic Stirling almshouse to be saved thanks to £2m lottery fund

A historic building in the middle of Stirling could be saved from terminal decline after supporters secured a £2m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Cowane’s Hospital is a former almshouse set up by famous Stirling philanthropist John Cowane in the 1630s.

It was built to provide shelter for impoverished merchants.

However, in recent years the property has fallen into a state of disrepair through decay and vandalism.

Due to lack of funds and rising costs the 17th century building was recently closed to the public.

The Cowane’s Hospital Maintenance Trust says an estimated £3m is needed to secure its future and the pledge from the Heritage Lottery Fund is the “best possible news”.

The Trust’s aim is to transform the property and its gardens into a national visitor attraction and community resource.

Before the Trust can access the £2m it has to develop the detail of the restoration works and the heritage activities. Another condition is that it must find the remaining £1m elsewhere.

If the Trust meets all the conditions, it is hoped work will start on the redevelopment in late 2017.

Green Infrastructure Fund open for applications

Scottish Natural Heritage has opened application to the Green Infrastructure Fund.

Forming part of the 2014 – 2020 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme, the initiative aims to improve Scotland’s urban environment, increasing and enhancing green space in towns and cities, especially close to areas of deprivation.

This will be delivered through a small number of high impact improvements to the quantity, quality and accessibility of green space and other green infrastructure in urban Scotland, targeted at our most deprived communities.

With a £15m ERDF contribution, the Green Infrastructure Strategic Intervention will deliver a total value of £37.5m of investment throughout the course of the programme.

The closing date for this application round is midnight on 1 April 2016.

Information on how to apply is available here.

Robertson hands over first new council homes in St Andrews for 17 years

Fife Council is nearing the end of the latest development in its Affordable Housing Programme which will deliver a total of 2,700 new affordable homes by 2017.

The 29 new properties, made up of 22 two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom homes, will be the first new council homes in St Andrews for 17 years.

The flats have been built by Robertson Partnership Homes and the final phase of homes will be handed over to Fife Council in March.

The £3.2m Abbey Walk development also received £29,000 of Scottish Government funding.

Dundee flood protection proposals consultation

A consultation has began on proposed flood protection measures for Dundee.

Under flood prevention scheme plans Dundee City Council intends to carry out work between City Quay and Dundee Airport as funding becomes available.

Proposed works include: adapting the height of the existing sea wall and infrastructure, construct new setback walls and install floodgates to allow access for maintenance along City Quay from Camperdown Dock gate to Tay Road Bridge; adapting the existing infrastructure, construct new setback walls and install floodgates to allow access for maintenance along Riverside Drive from Discovery Point to Bridge View Station Building; and construct new set back flood defence walls and install flood gates to allow access for maintenance between Bridge View Station Building and Dundee Airport.

Additional projects agreed for Dumfries and Galloway Strategic Housing Investment Plan

Councillors in Dumfries and Galloway have agreed to add a number of new projects to the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP).

Previously, members agreed to deliver more than 840 new homes from 2016-2021.

Since then, various opportunities have been identified and now the additional projects are a result of discussions between Dumfries and Galloway Council, Scottish Government, RSL partners and a private developer.

The proposed projects would supply housing at three locations:

• Annan Road, Dumfries – 14, houses with priority given to households registered on the Common Housing Register, first time buyers and those households with a local connection.

• Devorgilla House, Dumfries – Redevelopment of a large vacant town centre property into a mixture of one and two bedroomed flats.

• Mossvale Road, Lochmaben – A medium to long term project which will be rolled out in years three or four of the SHIP.

Highland care home to undergo £1m repair project

An elderly care home and day centre in the Highlands is to undergo a major refurbishment programme, the council has announced.

The Wade Centre in Kingussie will be upgraded by McGregor Construction, with works starting on 01 February.

Features of the £1 million project include improving electrical and heating systems, as well as upgrading residents’ en-suite bathrooms.

In addition, a new fire sprinkler safety system will be installed, along with the creation of a new bedroom.

The scheme will be carried out in phases to allow the centre to remain open during the refurbishment.

Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016.

Savills Edinburgh hosts Solar Trade Association Scotland Working Group meeting

Savills Edinburgh hosted the Solar Trade Association (STA) Scotland Working Group meeting on 13 January as 22 guests attended from across the solar industry, and John Forster of the Forster Group acted as chairman.

The group discussed developments in the Scottish solar industry, covering a range of relevant issues ranging from subsidy changes to planning policy and business rates. Question and answer sessions were arranged with a selection of energy professionals including Campbell Gerrard, Scottish Government Senior Planner.

Thomas McMillan, Savills energy director based in Edinburgh, said: “The event was very well attended and extremely productive. These meetings are valuable opportunities to explore issues affecting solar in Scotland and will no doubt benefit the industry going forward.”

Compulsory purchase orders possible for new Aberdeen road

Compulsory purchase orders could be used to make way for a new dual carriageway in Aberdeen.

Residents whose homes could be affected by the £22 million Berryden corridor work are being sent letters.

They outline steps being taken to establish ownership of the land along the route.

Berryden Road would be widened from Skene Square to Ashgrove Road, with a new road between Ashgrove Road and the St Machar Drive roundabout.

Resurfacing works to take place in Fife

Essential carriageway resurfacing work is due to take place next week in Fife.

Contractors will carry out works on the Coul Roundabout in Glenrothes.

The roadworks will take place from Monday 25 January to Friday 29 January.

Temporary traffic lights and diversions will be in place.

Former railway viaduct to close for repairs in Moray

A former railway viaduct in Moray is close next week for repairs.

The structure, which spans the River Spey at Garmouth, will close for six weeks from Monday 25 January.

Work will be carried out to replace the timbers on the viaduct.

Sustrans are funding the work through a £120,000 grant, while the council is providing an additional £20,000 from its lands and parks budgets.

Diversions for walkers and cyclists will be in place.