Building Briefs – July 2nd

• Two Arcus-led renewables projects gain consent

High Constellation Wind Farm, on behalf of Arcus client Blue Energy, is a Section 36 project consisting of 10 turbines and an onsite battery storage facility.

Arcus supported Blue Energy through both the pre-application and consenting process.

Consultants from Arcus’s Glasgow office led the planning submission and EIA on behalf of the applicant and undertook several of the technical assessments in-house including hydrology, archaeology, noise, traffic, socio-economics, climate change and other issues. 

The decision notice was issued by the Energy Consents Unit in just 13 months, one of the fastest determinations from submission to approval for a wind farm decided by the Scottish Government in the past year.

High Constellation Wind Farm was the second successful consent in June for Arcus.

Highland Council has approved a planning application by Abbey Ecosse Limited for a new anaerobic digester and biomass boiler energy generating apparatus at Forss Business and Technology Park.

Arcus’s specialist team provided a range of environmental services to support the planning application, including air quality, ecology, hydrology, cultural heritage, noise and traffic management.

No objections were submitted to the application, and a delegated decision from Highland Council planning department was issued on June 18.

• Erskine site manager takes ‘Pride in the Job’

John O’Brien, site manager for CALA Homes, at Gilchrist Gardens in Erskine, is celebrating this week after receiving a prestigious industry award from the National Home Building Council (NHBC).

John has been recognised in the 2020 Pride in the Job Quality Awards for his contribution to creating homes of exceptional quality. The Pride in the Job Awards, now in their 40th year, are among the highest industry accolades a site manager can receive.

A total of 11,000 site managers across the UK were assessed this year, with only 450 winners selected, putting those awarded in the industry’s top four per cent who demonstrate the passion, commitment and leadership to deliver new homes to the highest possible standards.

John is one of 17 CALA site managers to win one of this year’s awards. He will now go through to the next stage of the competition, the Seal of Excellence, which will be announced later this year.

As well as undergoing spot checks of the day-to-day running of their site, each site manager is assessed across 37 different areas of site management, including technical knowledge, quality and consistency.

• Planners join town centre recovery group

Diverse views from urban, town, rural and island communities must be heard if town centres are to be revitalised and renewed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to communities secretary Aileen Campbell.

Experts in town planning, public health, transport, and business will take on board views of local communities to build on the progress of the Scottish Government’s 2013 Town Centre Action Plan.

Professor Leigh Sparks of the University of Stirling will chair the expert group alongside members from COSLA, the Royal Town Planning Institute, South of Scotland Enterprise, the Carnegie Trust, the Federation of Small Businesses, Public Health Scotland, Sustrans, Inclusion Scotland and the Scottish Government.

• Inverness temporary road closure for Cityfibre works

Motorists are being advised that there will be a temporary closure of part of Burn Road, Inverness, commencing at its junction with Culduthel Road (B861) to its junction with Burnside.

The road closure is required to ensure that telecoms work being carried out on behalf of Cityfibre can safely proceed.

The closure will be in operation on Wednesday 15 July 2020, between 08:00 and 18:00.

• Clackmannanshire awarded Spaces for People funding

Clackmannanshire Council has been awarded investment worth £550,000 to deliver a programme of significant projects to help residents access local areas and to allow businesses to re-open safely during COVID-19.

The programme of work throughout Clackmannanshire will be funded by Transport Scotland/Sustrans through the Spaces for People and Places for Everyone programmes with a further £175,000 funding from the council’s capital programme.

A number of changes have already taken place, with more ongoing during the summer, to ensure the safety of residents as lockdown restrictions begin to ease.

In Alloa Town Centre, the council worked with Alloa First to put signs and banners in place to remind people to follow physical distancing guidelines. In addition, East Vennel and Candleriggs have also been closed to traffic to provide a safe space for people to walk and there is also a partial closure of Candleriggs car park except for use by deliveries and blue badge holders. 

To allow for the potential of outdoor trading, High Street and Mill Street are closed for vehicles but with access for deliveries, adapted disabled vehicles and service and emergency vehicles.

Physical distancing signs have also been put up throughout Clackmannanshire villages. Signs reminding people to respect other users will also be erected on popular core path and cycle network.

This has included work to enhance pavements on the A91 footway between Muckhart and Golf Course Road and the B908 footway between Sauchie and Collyland which is now complete, with the pavement between Collyland and Alva due to finish soon. Work is also underway on the pavement between Menstrie and Alva.