Building Briefs – July 21st

A new £275,000 terminal building has been opened at North Ronaldsay airport in the Orkney Islands.

The development, which was designed by council architects and built by a local building firm, was unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday, 20 July.

Features include a separate fire crew watch room and waiting room, accessible facilities and a new garage for a fire vehicle that was purchased in 2015.

Exhibition to mark Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s 150th birthday

Glasgow is to stage a major exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to mark his 150th birthday.

The landmark show, in 2018, will be staged to highlight the art and architecture of one of the city’s most famous sons.

Plans for the show, believed to be set for the summer of 2018 at a major city venue, has received a funding boost from the agency that supports museums and galleries in Scotland.

AWPR - Chapel of Stoneywood to Kirkhill Road to close

The U53C Chapel of Stoneywood to Kirkhill Road is planned to be permanently closed during the week commencing 25th July 2016 to enable the construction of the AWPR/B-T project to continue.

Access will be maintained from the A96 for businesses and local residents just beyond Chapel Brae cottages.

Access for all other businesses and residents on this road will be via Dyce Drive.

Iconic Glenfinnan monument unveiled after major facelift

One of Scotland’s best-loved landmarks has been unveiled after receiving a major facelift.

The 200-year-old Glenfinnan Monument in the West Highlands is back at its best after £170,000 of restoration work was carried out.

The iconic tower, erected to commemorate the 1745 Jacobite Uprising, was in desperate need of repair after decades of battering by wind and rain had taken its toll.

The 18m-tall structure has also developed a “lean” over the years.

The monument, which is under the care of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), has been under scaffolding since April to allow a wide range of repairs to be undertaken.

Work included fixing masonry on the monument and boundary wall, replacing lime pointing, renewing the roof, installing a more accessible hatch at the top of the tower and a new handrail to help visitors climb its 62 steps.

As part of the project, new equipment to help the conservation charity monitor movement of the tower was installed.

The repairs were funded by Historic Environment Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland’s Canadian Foundation and donations from members of the public.

Scotland’s homeowners’ biggest problems revealed as lack of storage and cold rooms

A lack of storage and difficulty keeping rooms warm are their biggest household concerns facing Scottish homeowners, according to a new survey.

Research conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Energy Saving Trust shows Scotland is a nation of home improvers with 65 per cent of us having carried out general or major improvements in the last three years.

When moving, 63 per cent of people prioritise greater warmth as a feature to look for in a new home – but only 37 per cent of movers in the UK consider the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of the home they intend to buy to be important.

The Energy Saving Trust is now urging people to take advantage of interest free loans of up to £15,000 per property, funded by the Scottish Government, which can help with energy efficiency upgrades including wall insulation, installing new boilers and double glazing to tackle homeowners’ second biggest bugbear.

Council reopens park following £886,000 refurb project

Dumfries and Galloway Council has reopened a public park following a £886,000 refurbishment project.

The redeveloped Agnew Park in Stranrear was officially unveiled on Wednesday, 13 July.

The year-long project was jointly funded through the council’s Capital Programme and the Coastal Communities Fund as part of a larger Public Realm and infrastructure improvements scheme.

Designs for the project were created through a public consultation in summer 2013. Features included:

Over 30 ideas submitted to CNPA Design Awards

Over 30 submissions have been submitted to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) Design Awards.

The event aims to recognise exceptional standards of design and craftsmanship in the Park.

The closing date for entries has now passed and judging will take place over August and September. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in November.

RSPB Scotland wins legal challenge against four wind farms

RSPB Scotland has won a legal challenge against four large offshore wind farm projects in the outer firths of the Forth and Tay.

The Scottish Government granted consent for the Neart na Gaoithe, Inch Cape, SeaGreen Alpha and SeaGreen Bravo wind farms in 2014.

The developments could power over 1.4 million homes and reduce carbon savings by an estimated 135 million tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime.

RSPB said it took the legal challenge decision “as a last resort” after thousands of wildlife were predicted to be killed by the developments each year.

Concerns were also raised over the wind farms’ impact by the Government’s statutory nature conservation advisors Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Council to begin Methil road maintenance project

Fife Council is to begin a road maintenance project next week in Methil.

Engineers will start resurfacing Wellesley Road from Monday, 25 July.

The two-week scheme will be carried out in phases from the Methil Brae end and is to finish at Whyterose Terrace. Road closures and diversions will be in place.