Building Briefs – January 26th

New associate building surveyor at Hardies Aberdeen

Hardies Property and Construction Consultants has announced that it has appointed a new senior associate building surveyor.

Gareth Cordiner, 36, from Aberdeen, joins the firm to help develop Hardies Building surveying remit, as the firm expands in the North East of Scotland from covering valuation work to offer a full spectrum of services to the business and construction community.

The Aberdeen office doubled its turnover last year and is on course to double it again this year.

Work ‘progressing well’ on PRS development in Edinburgh

The awful weather conditions across Scotland over the winter period did little to slow down construction work at a development of 113 homes for the Private Rented Sector in Edinburgh.

CCG Scotland’s Lochrin Basin development will provide one, two and four bedroom apartments over six-storeys along the banks of the Grand Canal in the city centre.

The developer said the project will provide residents with high quality affordable housing as well as a series of high quality public spaces, including two rooftop gardens, and underground parking facilities.

CCG began the 78-week project in October 2015, undergoing extensive ground works including excavating the basement to allow for the installation of different forms of piling to create the substructure for the building as well as associated infrastructure works.

The project is expected to be completed in spring 2017.

Work begins on the next Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan

Work is underway on Argyll and Bute’s next local development plan, which will run from 2020 to 2025, with community engagement being a vital part of the process.

The key document for strategic development in Argyll and Bute, it will replace the current plan, which runs from 2015 to 2020, becoming the main consideration in determining planning applications and supporting the council as it works to unlock the area’s huge economic potential.

Outlined in the development plan scheme (DPS) agreed by members at last week’s council meeting is the timescale for delivering the next plan as well as the commitment to engage with as varied an audience as possible, developing the strategic vision for Argyll and Bute from the ground up.

Work starts on new homes at former Johnstone school site

Persimmon Homes West Scotland has begun work on a £13 million housing scheme at a former school site in Johnstone.

The housebuilder will deliver 144 new homes, including a mixture of two, three, four and five bedroom properties, at the former St Cuthbert’s High School site off Hallhill Road.

The new development will deliver a combination of terraced, semi and detached properties and is expected to support 350 jobs.

The 9.5 acre site was given the green light when planning approval was granted by Renfrewshire Council in November 2015.

Commercial property demand remains firm, says RICS

Occupier demand for commercial property in Scotland remained firm during the last quarter of 2015, according to the latest RICS Commercial Market Survey Q4 2015.

The office sector was particularly strong, with a net balance of 50 per cent more respondents reporting growth in demand, while the retail and industrial sectors also showed an increase, recording a net balance of 15 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

Demand for commercial space continued to outstrip availability, a pattern which has been evident in Scotland since December 2012. In the face of this imbalance, rent expectations for the next quarter are strongly positive across all sectors with 20 per cent more chartered surveyors projecting a rise in rents across all sectors.

Industrial space was again the strongest performer with 40 per cent more surveyors envisaging a further rise (rather than fall) in rents.

Tenants delighted with new energy efficient homes in Auldearn

Four new energy efficient single storey homes have been built for the Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust’s Rent to Buy scheme at Montrose Woods in Auldearn.

The houses build on the earlier and popular three house development nearby which have received excellent feedback on the extremely low running costs experienced by tenants.

To achieve these low costs, R.House have designed the houses to incorporate high levels of thermal insulation and air tightness. They are also fitted with the latest in Mechanical Heat Exchange Systems which works to keep the air in the house consistently refreshed and warm. The heating is provided by efficient mains gas central heating.

The open plan kitchen, dining and living area and the large, bright south facing windows and spacious central utility space make these houses extremely attractive to live in and are changing the way people live.

The houses form part of a larger development of private housing at Montrose Woods where 17 architect-designed, contemporary homes are being built for private purchase. R.House will have a Show Home open to the public in March of this year.

Call for affordable homes to be included at Aberdeen’s Broadford Works

A developer has defended its decision not to include affordable housing as part of a major redevelopment of the former Broadford Works in Aberdeen.

Ferness Investment Holdings (FIH) submitted a proposal to Aberdeen City Council, outlining plans to create 890 units at the site which do not include affordable housing.

Instead the project will incorporate Private Rental Sector apartments and student residential bed spaces as well as leisure, nursery, restaurant, café and bar facilities. Small office and retail space, concierge/management facilities will also be included.

There is no requirement for the reduced cost accommodation after Scottish ministers acknowledged the high cost of development and large amount of listed buildings on site when consent was given.

But local communities have urged FIH and the council to reconsider affordable housing in future proposals.

Chairman of Rosemount and Mile End Community Council, John Gray, said: “Clearly we are concerned about the lack of affordable housing.

“We are sympathetic to getting the site developed quickly but we want to make sure it’s a quality development.”

A spokesman for FIH added: “At the time Ferness Investment Holdings acquired Broadford Works, consent had already been given to develop the site without an allocation to affordable housing.”

Temporary closure of Brechin Bridge

Brechin Bridge will close today for seven weeks as part of the area’s ongoing multi-million pound Flood Prevention Scheme.

Angus Council and Morrison Construction will strive to minimise disruption during this essential programme of works and, weather permitting, Brechin Bridge is scheduled to re-open on Saturday 12 March.

Work was originally scheduled to begin on 19 January, but this was delayed by one week due to the recent severe weather.

While Brechin Bridge is closed the following work will be undertaken:

Ayr water mains improvements to take place next week

Scottish Water has announced water mains upgrade work will take place next week in Ayrshire.

It is understood Caledonia Water Alliance will upgrade around 55 metres of mains piping in the Viewfield Road area of Ayr.

Works will start on Monday, 01 February and will be completed in around two weeks.

Concrete in the Classroom

S3 pupils from Denny High School have almost completed their 5 lessons on Concrete Construction and Basic Concrete Technology as part of the CITB supported “Concrete in the Classroom” extended pilot, where 8 schools across Scotland are currently taking part in the Curriculum for Excellence initiative.

Concrete Scotland is delivering the hands on lessons that culminating in a site visit to a concrete manufacturing facility to raise the awareness of potential career opportunities within the concrete sector of the construction industry and how the transferable skills that they have been learning in class will increase their employability

Participating schools include Armadale Academy, Denny H.S, Drumchapel H.S, Larbert H.S, Royal H.S, Sanquhar Academy, St. Kentigerns Academy and St.Mungo’s H.S Falkirk.

Over 20 business partners are supporting the project.