Building Briefs – June 11th

Flyover junction solution identified for access to Laurencekirk

An upgrade of the A90/A937 south junction to a grade-separated junction has been identified as the preferred option for improving the A90 at Laurencekirk.

The solution comes following a detailed appraisal commissioned by North East of Scotland Transport Partnership (Nestrans) which considered the key transport problems, issues, opportunities and constraints on the corridor and developed objectives to appraise alternative options.

The study aimed to determine a robust solution for access between the A90 Trunk Road and Laurencekirk and north Angus areas which would meet local objectives.

The preferred solution will improve capacity and reduce delay whilst satisfying the road safety concerns of local businesses and residents. The study has also identified opportunities to improve safety at nearby junctions through closures or access restrictions, although the optimum arrangement will require to be determined through more detailed design work.

Scotland bucks UK property supply trend in May

Scotland’s supply of residential housing is rising at a quicker rate than anywhere in the UK, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

While the picture for the rest of the UK shows that, post-general election, a surge in new vendor instructions has failed to materialise, a net balance of 30 per cent more Scottish surveyors reported a contrary experience.

23 per cent more surveyors also reported a rise in new buyer enquiries, the news for Scottish house prices appears more positive than in other parts of the UK. When asked if they’d seen prices rise in May 2015, 43 per cent more members reported an increase, than those who said they hadn’t.

Additionally, 41 per cent more surveyors expect prices in Scotland will continue to rise over the next three months.

The survey also shows that supply to the rental market in Scotland remains buoyant, with 25 per cent more respondents receiving new instructions - the second highest figure anywhere in the UK (after Wales).

West Dunbartonshire Council to consider selling Play Drome site

Councillors are to discuss plans to put The Play Drome site up for sale as part of a regeneration strategy for Clydebank.

A report will go before Councillors at the Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development Committee on 17 June recommending that the key town centre location is put up for sale or lease.

The proposals state the Play Drome site would only be made available to a developer for demolition once the new Clydebank leisure centre at Queens Quay is fully operational. This is expected to be in February 2017.

External advisors, appointed to consider the best use of the site, have advised that leisure outlets such as cinema, restaurants and gyms could all be possible uses.

Argyll and Bute Council to launch energy efficiency scheme on Islay

The Scottish Government has awarded Argyll and Bute Council funding to deliver a range of energy efficiency measures to households in Islay.

The Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS: ABS) includes a range of measures – including internal and external wall insulation, loft insulation and underfloor insulation – will be offered to private owners and private tenants living in Council Tax Bands A, B, C, and also to some Band D properties who meet the specific eligibility criteria.

ALIenergy will deliver the scheme on behalf of the council and will be holding a number of information events throughout the year. It has also arranged for letters to be sent out to relevant properties this week.

Heads of Planning Scotland visit Perth

Perth and Kinross Provost Liz Grant is hosting a civic reception for the Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) Annual Conference and AGM which is taking place in Perth on 11-12 June.

Perth & Kinross Council’s head of planning & development, David Littlejohn, currently chairs HOPS which is a professional organisation representing senior planning officers from Scotland’s 32 local authorities, two national park authorities and the four strategic development planning authorities.

The Provost will be joined at the reception by HOPS representatives, members of Perth City Development Board and designer Wayne Hemingway who is taking part in the Conference.

Glen Gloy Repairs complete on A82

A major improvement scheme on the A82 at Glen Gloy has been completed, restoring two way traffic to the route.

The million pounds improvement contract, which has been carried out as part of Transport Scotland’s on-going trunk maintenance programme, followed damage done to the riverbank supporting the road by a landslide.

The complex engineering scheme has seen three hundred metres of the road realigned away from the river gorge and two bends taken away to improve driving conditions.

The work represents further investment in the A82. The £5m Crianlarich Bypass was open to traffic last year, works have been completed on the £9.2m Pulpit Rock scheme to remove the bottleneck and traffic lights at this location, and a £2m design commission is also progressing on the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan

Row over plans to build road in Cathkin through a park

Plans to build a road through a park area used by local people has sparked hundreds of objections.

South Lanarkshire Council wants to build Cathkin relief road in Rutherglen at a cost of £21.6 million.

It would travel through an area known as Fernhill Park which is popular with children, dog walkers, cyclists, joggers and the elderly.