Building Briefs – July 28th

A planning application for five houses on the site of a former nursery has been lodged with Dundee City Council.

KDM Architects Ltd has applied for permission to erect the houses to the west of Cotton Road.

The site was formerly occupied by a nursery school which was demolished a number of years ago.

Four of the homes will be in two semi-detached style blocks and a further one will stand alone.

Planners intend for the buildings to all be over two stories with differing elevations to suit the steep road.

If the plans are approved by councillors, trees that currently stand on the plot will be removed for the development to take place.

The council now has two months to reply to the application.

High quarterly take-up in Glasgow commercial property despite Brexit fears

Levels of commercial property take-up in Glasgow city centre and its out-of-town market were well above the five-year quarterly average despite uncertainty created in the lead up to the EU Referendum vote, according to Bilfinger GVA.

The property advisers’ Big Nine report reveals that city centre take-up was 161,527 sq ft compared to the five-year quarterly average of 147, 322 sq ft. This was helped by AXA Insurance moving from Atlantic Quay to take 50,000 sq ft at the Cuprum office scheme on Argyle Street in the city’s largest deal of the quarter.

Alison Taylor, director and head of business space in Scotland for Bilfinger GVA, said the Glasgow market held up well and saw a steady stream of deals concluded.

It was a different story in Edinburgh, with the quarterly take-up in the city centre at 105,139 sq ft, down 30 per cent on the five-year quarterly average.

Despite recording a lower take-up figure, there was an increase in the number of deals over the past 3 months, the largest of which saw the Postcode Lottery acquire 33,000 sq ft in Charlotte Square.

However, Peter Fraser, associate director at Bilfinger GVA, said there is a potential issue looming due to limited availability of good office stock and a number of larger requirements which are likely to commit to space this year.

Bright future ahead for CGC apprentices

Renfrewshire construction firm CGC has renewed its commitment to hiring apprentices and told them: “Keep up the Good Work!”

The MacDowall Street company has taken on a new crop of apprentices soon after its existing young apprentices completed their training.

The new group, which began work with CGC this month, can now expect a four year training programme working on site and in the classroom.

Part of the modern apprenticeship programme involves learning in a classroom environment at West College Scotland in Paisley. CGC also works closely on apprenticeship training with the Construction Industry Training Board.

Announcing the new apprentices, director Ronnie McDowell said the company was “100 per cent committed” to helping young workers begin their working lives with valuable apprenticeships.

Both he and managing director Leo Reilly began their careers as apprentices.

One CGC staff member who began work as an apprentice and is still with the company is blacksmith Peter McMillan, 26.

Peter is one of the 120 members of staff at CGC and is keeping alive a traditional blacksmith skill which is increasingly in demand.

Recently he has been working with colleagues making and installing handrails at older people’s homes in Paisley and Renfrew.

Craft brewery plan for old Fife steading

A 150 year old farm steading near Newburgh, Fife is to be converted to a brew house.

Wellwood Leslie Architects’ plan for Old Parkhill Brewery will also include a fermenting room, presentation space and storage.

Highland window firm eyes expansion after record performance

Inverness-based glazing company Cairngorm Windows is looking to expand its Inverness facility following its best six month period for a decade.

Sales at the third-generation family business jumped by 15 per cent to £5.25 million in the six months to June 30.

Cairngorm, which had revenues of £10m last year, manufactured 20,000 windows in 2015 – 2,000 more than the record set in 2008.

Scotland becoming a ‘hub’ for solar research

Millions of pounds have been invested in researching solar power in Scotland, according to industry body Scottish Renewables.

As it prepares to host its first Solar Conference in Edinburgh this September, the organisation claimed Scotland was becoming a “hub” for research into the sector.

The event will be held in association with the Scottish Institute for Solar Energy Research (SISER), which brings together expertise form 10 Scottish Universities and the Edinburgh-based UK Astronomy Technology Centre.

Various projects to support the solar industry are currently being looked at, including:

The exhibition will take place on 06 and 07 September in Edinburgh.

£27.4m housing regeneration ‘changes the life’ of GHA tenant

A GHA tenant who moved into a new community in the west of Glasgow says his new home has changed his life.

John Summers, 36, moved from Milton to his new home in Kingsway Gardens, Scotstoun, after the area received a £27.4 million regeneration boost from GHA.

The huge investment in the community has seen 116 new homes built, four blocks at Kingsway Court given an extensive upgrade and two others demolished.

The area around the multi-storeys has been improved with upgrades to paths, fences and walls while a new GHA office was created in the heart of the community with staff due to move in later this year.

Councillor George Redmond, executive member for jobs, business and infrastructure, joined GHA chair Gordon Sloan, local elected members, GHA tenants and staff as well as representatives from contractors McTaggart, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to meet some of the new tenants.

The development, built by contractors McTaggart, is made up of 102 flats and 14 houses, with seven of the flats designed to wheelchair standard.

GHA, which is part of Wheatley Group, has also recently invested £16m on a major upgrade of the four remaining blocks at 30, 40, 50 and 60 Kingsway Court, including installing overcladding and glass balconies.

The blocks also saw new kitchens, windows, doors, bathrooms and central heating installed, while foyers and landings were upgraded.

GHA is planning further environmental improvements on the site, including building a new perimeter wall and replacing fencing.

Edinburgh is ‘least affordable city’ in the UK for students

Edinburgh is the most expensive place for students to study in the UK due in part to the city’s above average rent costs, according the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Student Living Index.

The higher rent costs, combined with significantly lower than average term-time income, make Edinburgh the least affordable place to study in the UK. Despite this Edinburgh students are still the highest spenders when it comes to going out and spend above the weekly average on alcohol.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Student Living Index surveyed 2,500 students across the UK to determine the most affordable place to study. The survey takes into account a range of factors, from how much students spend on going out to how much time they spend studying.

In stark contrast to Edinburgh, Glasgow is one of the cheapest student cities when it comes to accommodation, with average weekly rent up to £15 cheaper than the UK average at only £95.16 per week.

Weekly rent in Dundee is even less at £94.49, allowing Dundee students to spend above average on clothes, shoes and accessories

Portsmouth is the most affordable city in the UK for students, closely followed by Liverpool and Newcastle. Students in all three cities have the highest term-time income helping to make them some of the most cost efficient places to study.

North Lanarkshire residents invited to bridge upgrade drop-in exhibition

Residents in North Lanarkshire are being invited to find out more information about a bridge upgrade project near Motherwell.

Network Rail will begin improving the railway bridge on Biggar Road from Monday, 08 August.

The five-month programme involves replacing the bridge deck and raising the height of the parapets as part of the Scottish Government’s programme of electrification.

Members of the project team and contractors will attend the community drop-in event to answer any questions from the public about the scheme. The exhibition will take place between 5pm – 7pm in the Senior Citizen Centre, Main St, Cleland on Wednesday, 10 August.

The electrification programme is to be completed by 2019.