Building Briefs – January 25th

RIBA chief executive, Harry Rich, has announced that he plans to move on from the organisation.

Effective from February 1, Alan Vallance, interim director of finance & operations, will assume chief executive responsibilities.

Harry Rich said: “I have had the privilege of being chief executive of this wonderful and unique organisation for six years. During that time RIBA staff and members together have delivered so much and have innovated and changed what we do and how we do it to make us fit for the future. This feels like a good moment to hand over executive leadership as we are about to embark on our next five-year strategy.”

Jane Duncan, RIBA President, added: “Harry has worked with dedication and passion to steer the RIBA successfully through a difficult recession. After six years of significant change and innovation he has created a lasting legacy. I know we will all miss him, but the Board has accepted his resignation and I wish him all the very best for his future endeavours.”

Approval granted for primary school extension in West Lothian

Councillors have given approval for extension works to go ahead at a primary school in West Lothian.

Proposals for Torphichen Primary School include increasing the facility to support additional pupil numbers.

The £1 million project involves adding two new classrooms along with various other improvements to the school building.

These are likely to include upgrades to the buildings general fabric, mechanical and electrical installations and general decoration.

The council will also looks into improving the current dining facilities at the school.

The project is expected to be completed in April 2017.

A726/A725 roundabout resurfacing works

Almost £127,000 will be invested in essential road improvements on the A725/A726 road between the Murray and Whitemoss roundabouts this weekend.

The resurfacing works will be carried out by Scotland TranServ, on behalf of Transport Scotland.

A total road closure of the eastbound carriageway will be implemented on Sunday 31 January from 6.00am and removed at 6.00am on Monday 1 February before peak time traffic.

Labour housebuilding plan ‘would sustain almost 50,000 jobs a year’

Scottish Labour’s pledge to build 60,000 new affordable homes over the course of the next parliament would support almost 50,000 jobs a year and help thousands of first-time buyers, the party has claimed.

Revealed earlier this month, Labour has promised to build a minimum of 12,000 affordable properties per year over five years, 45,000 of which would be for social rent either through councils or housing associations, if it wins power in May’s Holyrood election.

Now the party has highlighted analysis based on a Homes for Scotland estimate that 4.1 jobs are supported for every home built, which has been verified by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), that about 49,200 jobs annually would be sustained by the plan.

The announcement was made during a national day of campaigning on housing policy by the party over the weekend at 42 events held across Scotland.

Growth in construction products sales starts to slow

Sales of construction products have now been rising for 11 consecutive quarter, but the growth rate has now begun to slow down.

The Construction Product Association’s latest state of trade survey reports a slowdown in growth for the fourth quarter of 2015 but finds manufacturers still optimistic for 2016.

A positive balance of 5 per cent of heavy side firms and 38 per cent of light side firms reported that sales rose during the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to respective balances of 13 per cent and 29 per cent in the third quarter.

Some 29 per cent of heavy side firms and 23 per cent of light side firms reported an annual increase in sales, while 43 per cent of heavy side product manufacturers and 42 per cent of light side product manufacturers reported that they anticipate a rise in sales over the next 12 months.

Manufacturers reported a decrease in fuel, energy and exchange rate costs, but wages and salaries were reported higher for 90 per cent of heavy side firms and 77 per cent of light side firms.

Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan proposed

The Highland Council has launched a proposed template for growth in the Caithness and Sutherland areas over the next 20 years and beyond.

The public is being encouraged to have their say on the Caithness and Sutherland Proposed Local Development Plan, also known as CaSPlan, which sets out the council’s view on how and where the Caithness and Sutherland area should grow in the future.

The Proposed Plan focuses growth on larger settlements, with organic growth of smaller settlements to help strengthen those communities and support sustainable rural growth. Once adopted, the Plan will replace the existing local plans for Caithness and Sutherland.

An 8 week public consultation runs until 18 March 2016.