Building Briefs – June 14th

Developers urged to support Maryhill residential school

Developer Bigg Regeneration, currently building Whitelaw Street at Maryhill Locks, has supported local residential school, East Park’s, new building project and urges other local businesses and developers to get involved.

East Park in Maryhill provides vital services to families across Scotland, delivering exceptional residential care and education to children and young people with complex additional support needs such as autism, physical and sensory impairments, learning difficulties and behaviour challenges.

East Park is currently building new bespoke classrooms and residential accommodation to meet the high demand for its services and to offer its young people a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn and live. These spaces are specifically designed to minimise anxiety for children, and to let them grow and flourish in a calm yet stimulating environment. Since announcing the project in 2015, East Park has worked tirelessly to secure funding for this build, which is due for completion in Summer 2016.

To discuss a donation to East Park school, please contact Alistair McDonald, Head of Resources, East Park, 1092 Maryhill Road, Glasgow, G20 9TD or call 0141 946 2050.

Councillors call for Fife housing plans to be scaled down

A housing development in Strathkinness has been recommended for approval by Fife planning officials but only if it is reduced in size.

Stirling-based Avant Homes have applied for planning permission in principle to build 76 houses at Nydie Mains Road.

Members of Fife Council’s north east Fife planning committee, who were asked to give their recommendation to the local authority, recommended approval subject to a raft of conditions, one of which was that the number of houses should be reduced to 66.

It is anticipated that the housing scheme would push Strathkinness Primary School just beyond capacity for a year, before projected pupil numbers drop again.

Planning service manager Alastair Hamilton had told councillors that the development would be phased to ensure that the local school would not reach over-capacity.

But councillors weren’t convinced, and narrowly voted to recommend that the number of houses be reduced.

The application is ‘significantly contrary’ to the local development plan and will eventually be decided by the full council.

If consent is granted the developer will pay for a feasibility study to determine how education capacity could be increased and construction will be phased in an attempt to control the impact on the school.

New Bridge of Earn homes approved despite flood fears

Plans for 80 new homes on the edge of Bridge of Earn have been given the green light despite concerns the development will aggravate long-standing flooding problems.

Just days after torrential downpours caused chaos in the Perthshire town, developers have won planning consent to build the homes on grassland close to Kintillo Road where the most recent flooding took place.

But the scheme has been approved by councillors, after developers gave assurances that the project is not a flood risk and has been approved by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

A quarter of the homes will be classed as affordable.

Applicants King Group and Ogilvie Homes have denied that the scheme will cause more flooding and said that the town expansion will bring a major boost to the local economy.

The committee voted eight-four in favour of the scheme.

Morrison Construction begins Bishopbriggs Relief Road project

Morrison Construction is underway with work on the Bishopbriggs Relief Road project in East Dunbartonshire.

The £6.5 million fourth phase is scheduled to be completed by summer 2017.

The first two phases have been completed and connect drivers to the Robroyston roundabout and onto the M80. Phase three was delivered by Taylor Wimpey as part of planning obligations associated with its Bishopbriggs East housing development.

The overall project has been designed by AECOM and involves creating:

• A two-lane 50mph road - stretching 600 metres between Wester Cleddens Roundabout and a new roundabout, with another 100 metres of road on the north side of the railway.

• A new bridge over the main Edinburgh-Glasgow railway line.

• A new access road into Cadder Yard.

• Two Sustainable Urban Drainage ponds.

The scheme is part of East Dunbartonshire Council’s 10-year capital programme and is being part-funded through developers’ contributions from the Bishopbriggs East housing development.

To allow works to continue, the Westerhill Road between Wester Cleddens Road and the entrance to Aviva will be shut for nine months on 24 June. Diversions will be in place.

Housing proposal for Peebles mill site

A Peebles textile mill which closed last year could be turned into a residential development.

A proposal of pre-application notice (Pan) has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council on behalf of the owners of the March Street Mill site, Morebrook Textiles.

It could see the buildings put to a range of uses including residential, retirement and commercial.

A planning application could be submitted in 12 weeks’ time.

Public exhibitions have also been proposed.

Ogilvie continues work on £7.5m West Lothian school

Ogilvie Construction is continuing work on a new £7.5 million primary school in West Lothian.

The new eco-friendly Southdale Primary School is expected to be completed in August.

External superstructure brickwork has been completed and work is progressing on the roof works, fascia and flashings.

Mechanical and electrical works are also underway, along with dry lining and finish works.

The school’s sports pitches are now being built while external works are continuing, including the formation of footpaths, kerbing and the car park.

Features of the development, which is being built in phases, includes new classrooms, GP rooms, nursery facilities, gym, dining and additional accommodation facilities.

In addition, solar panels will be fitted to increased insulation and to save energy costs.

Demolition plans for Fife school to go on display

An informational event displaying proposals for demolition work at a former high school is due to be held in Fife.

The old Viewforth High School building is being levelled as part of the new Windmill Community Campus project.

The building forms part of the £200 million Building Fife’s Future (BFF) Programme and is expected to be handed over during the summer.

The informational event will be held in the existing school between 4pm – 7pm on Monday, 20 June.

Housing boost for Kilmarnock

Plans by Kilmarnock-based Atrium Homes to redevelop the former sites of 20 BISF properties demolished in 2013 are back on track.

Detailed proposals to develop around 40 new properties on two sites at Earlston Avenue/Blacksyke Avenue in Shortlees were halted previously when Scottish Government grant support was redirected towards town centre regeneration initiatives.

But with those projects now complete, Atrium has been able to resurrect its previous proposals and hopes to achieve a site start in Shortlees in this financial year.

Consultation to be held on future development in Lhanbryde

A consultation is to be held for residents to help plan future development work in Lhanbryde.

Planning for Real allows local villagers to be in ‘pole position’ on how the local community will look for years to come.

The method involves creating a 3D map which reveals how the village will look in the future.

A preliminary meeting explaining how the process works is due to be held by the council at Lhanbryde Community Centre from 7pm on Tuesday, 21 June.

Similar projects are also taking place at Dufftown, Aberlour, Portgordon and Forres.

Kingdom’s maintenance team celebrate 10th anniversary with 94 per cent approval rating

Kingdom Housing Association’s maintenance team has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a 94 per cent approval rating.

The association, with 3,500 houses in Fife and Central Scotland, decided to take the reactive repairs service for half of its homes in-house in 2006 and four years later it was decided to carry out all reactive and voids repairs through the in-house team.

The maintenance team is now 24-strong and includes five of the original staff who celebrated their 10th anniversary this week.

The maintenance team carry out the Association’s reactive repairs, change of tenancy works, emergency repairs, along with elements of the planned and cyclical programme.