Building Briefs – January 30th

New affordable homes unveiled in Ratho

A new £2.5 million affordable housing development was unveiled in Edinburgh yesterday.

Developed by Link Group, ‘The Mooring’ was officially opened by the City of Edinburgh Council’s vice convener of health, social care and housing, Councillor Cammy Day.

Located in Ratho, The Mooring consists of 19 modern, energy efficient properties that will soon be available for social and intermediate rent. A mixture of one and two-bedroom flats, three-bedroom maisonettes and cottage flats, the homes will accommodate individuals, couples and families. An additional two-bedroom flat specifically designed to meet the needs of wheelchair users also forms part of the development.

The properties, which are the first affordable homes to be built in Ratho for a decade, will also be managed Link Group as Registered Social Landlords. Built by CALA Management Ltd, each property has gas central heating and hot water systems, high thermal insulation and double glazing to create warm, comfortable and economical homes.

The Mooring is next to the Union Canal within the Ratho Conservation Area and is close to a marina and open public space.

The development has also achieved Police Scotland’s Secured by Design approval.

The development was funded by private finance and a Scottish Government grant allocated by the City of Edinburgh Council. It was made possible through the council’s Affordable Housing Policy, which aims to meet the growing demand for deliver more properties available for social rent.

Inverclyde Council leader calls for replacement prison

Inverclyde Council leader Councillor Stephen McCabe has called on the cabinet secretary for justice to press ahead with a replacement for HMP Greenock prison now that the plans for a women’s prison have been scrapped.

In a letter to justice secretary Michael Matheson Mr McCabe said the council appreciates the underpinning rationale for the decision not to proceed with plans to build a new female prison in Inverclyde but asked that the original proposal of a replacement prison for HMP Greenock should go ahead instead.

The original proposal locally was to replace the existing prison, HMP Greenock. This was expected to be on the same site which was more recently being cleared for the women’s prison.

Wrekin Products adds Scottish expertise

Richard Stewart is heading up the Scottish expansion for Wrekin Products in a newly created role of regional sales & operations manager.

With 14 years’ experience in civil engineering, Richard comes with an impressive level of knowledge and understanding of the market.

Glasgow primary rebuild plans submitted

Glasgow City Council has submitted plans to replace the 1950s era Broomhill Primary School, Hyndland, with a £5m new build property on Edgehill Road – part of a city wide commitment to overhaul all primary schools.

Providing 18 classrooms the school will offer a hall, gymnasium and drama studio for shared community use with interior spaces arranged around a central atrium.

Major improvements for Cambuslang junction

Major improvements at a road junction in Cambuslang get underway next week.

The £275,000 works will include the construction of a new dedicated left turn lane from Western Road onto the A749 East Kilbride Road.

The works will take place from Monday 2 February and are scheduled to last until Friday 13 March.

Work begins on £33m Forfar school campus

Work is under way on the £33 million Forfar community campus.

The campus will replace Forfar Academy with a 1,270-pupil secondary school on the north-east side of the existing school grounds.

A swimming pool and sports facilities for the wider community are also included in the plan.

Early works are focusing on the north-east corner of the academy, and access to the development will be taken from the A926 Kirriemuir road.

A pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained from Taylor Street.

Angus Council is working in partnership with the East Central Territory hubco, which has been established to cover the Tayside, Fife and Central areas.

The campus building will be constructed before the existing school is demolished and car parking and a synthetic sports pitch are provided.

Work on the campus building is to begin in April and will be ready to receive pupils by August 2016.

The project is due to be completed by early 2017.

Third Grantshouse wind farm bid unveiled

Plans to build a third wind farm near the village of Grantshouse in the Scottish Borders have been unveiled.

Livos Energy wants to locate eight turbines on land at Howpark Farm - about two miles away.

The site is adjacent to the already operating Drone Hill wind farm and sits to the south of Penmanshiel, which has consent for a new wind farm.

Livos Energy has submitted a scoping request to Scottish Borders Council for the site between the A1 and A1107.