Building Briefs – June 18th
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GVA appointed to market regeneration site near Loch Lomond
GVA has been appointed to jointly market a new mixed-use development opportunity at Lomondgate, one of Scotland’s most successful regeneration projects.
Lomondgate has been delivered by Walker Group and Strathleven Regeneration CIC in a pioneering development agreement that was launched to regenerate the former J+B whisky bottling plant on the outskirts of Dumbarton.
Much of Lomondgate is now a thriving mixed-use development featuring commercial, retail and residential space. One of the site’s earliest tenants was BBC Scotland, which has built production facilities where filming of River City and Still Game takes place. Last year, an independent economic impact assessment found the project has created over 700 full times jobs and £365m for the region’s economy since 2007.
The 100-acre site sits at the gateway to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and within half an hour’s drive of Glasgow city centre and airport. Current occupants also include Aggreko, Whitbread, Costa, Euro Garages and Jaconelli’s Fish Restaurant. Private sector investment in Lomondgate has exceeded £100m since the project launched.
The last remaining 23 acres of land remains available and can accommodate a number of commercial uses and can be divided up to provide opportunities of a smaller scale. GVA has been instructed as agents to identify interests in the new commercial development opportunity.
Demolition kickstarts regeneration of Galashiels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm1L-mvYOQI
The start of the regeneration of Galashiels is underway with the removal of a derelict town centre building.
The former Poundstretcher building has been demolished, signalling the start of a major transformation of this area of the town, including a new national visitor destination which will host The Great Tapestry of Scotland, alongside a range of other elements that will significantly enhance the visitors’ experience to Galashiels.
Drone footage and photography has captured the demolition as the building was pulled down piece by piece over a seven-week period, which was ahead of schedule. Construction of the new £6.7 million landmark building – which will also see the former Post Office being brought back into use – is now expected to begin in October.
The Great Tapestry of Scotland complex is seen as the catalyst for the regeneration of Galashiels, providing significant economic, social and educational benefits for the town and the Scottish Borders.
Predictions from independent consultants are that the centre will attract over 50,000 people to Galashiels each year once opened, as well as create 16 FTE posts at the facility.
In addition, almost £900,000 of extra spending per year is predicted for the local economy, providing 12,000 extra visits to complementary attractions, supporting a further 17 FTE jobs.
The project has the support of the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund which has provided a £1.18m grant in March 2018, a proportion of which is being used to fund a £900,000 streetscape improvements programme within the town.
Executive councillors on Tuesday 19 June will be asked to approve five streetscape projects to be taken forward with this funding, which include improvements to Channel Street, Douglas Bridge, visitor signage and the creation of the Coulter Candy Trail, dedicated to the Galashiels weaver Robert Coltart who wrote the Scots folk song Ally Bally Bee.
Whitecross advises on works to reinvigorate Dundee’s Wellgate Shopping Centre
Chartered building surveyors Whitecross Building Consultancy has been acting for Orchard Street Investment Management, landlords of Wellgate Shopping Centre, on a number of projects as Dundee’s shopping centre takes pivotal steps to drive forward ongoing development and to improve the Shopping Centre’s profile.
Whitecross delivered a retail strip-out and landlord enabling works package as part of a pre-let agreement with gym operator Xercise4Less. The 12 year lease of the 31,000 sq ft unit has sat vacant for seven years.
The package of works was completed within a tight timescale in order for the gym to be fully operational for their opening this summer, and the Whitecross team will continue to monitor the tenant fit outs works.
Whitecross has also been engaged with the landlord to project manage initial enabling works within the former BHS unit at Wellgate, which extends to over 53,000 sq ft of retail space over three floors of the Centre. In addition, the team provided technical input during lease negotiations with new tenant TJ Hughes and are now currently retained by the landlord to provide technical monitoring of their £1.6 million fit out works, due to complete by end of October 2018. TJ Hughes has taken a 15 year lease of the largest unit within the Centre which has laid vacant since BHS closure in 2016.
Whitecross is also currently project managing a £200,000 project to demolish two redundant caretaker flats from the roof of the shopping centre and replace the roof with a new finish which will resolve long standing issues of water penetration and will benefit from significantly improved thermal insulation, reduced maintenance and a reduction in ongoing domestic rates liabilities.
Historic Masonic lodge to be turned into flats in Aberdeen
Construction has begun on a major project to breathe new life into what’s thought to be the only purpose-built Masonic lodge in Scotland.
The building on Western Road, Aberdeen, has been lying empty for eight years, since its members moved to another base in the city.
Constructed in 1904 with a now-A-listed granite front, it was purchased by property developers Paul Gibson, 30, and Dean Smart, 31, last month.
The pair have already started work to transform the property into four 1300sq ft apartments, while keeping as much of the original building intact as they can.
The business partners hope to complete the building works within the next year.
Councillor unveils Eildon’s latest development in Kelso
Councillor Mark Rowley, Scottish Border Council’s executive member for business and economic development, cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of Eildon Housing Association’s latest development at Roxburgh and Union Street in Kelso.
The new development which recently received a Commendation at the Scottish Home Awards, marks yet another successful phase of Eildon’s development programme which has been moving apace, with a record-breaking investment in new affordable homes for the Borders.
New chief executive appointed at North Lanarkshire Council
North Lanarkshire Council has appointed Des Murray as its new chief executive.
Mr Murray, who is currently assistant chief executive for enterprise and housing at the council, will take over from current chief executive Paul Jukes, who will retire later this year.
Mr Murray (46) joined the council in 2011 as a senior officer in housing, before becoming head of housing property and then assistant chief executive. He had previously worked for Strathclyde Regional Council and South Lanarkshire Council. He is married with one child and lives in North Lanarkshire.
£2m funding to boost energy efficiency of homes and businesses
Households and businesses are to benefit from more than £2 million of funding to help use energy more efficiently.
The Scottish Government has given the money to 15 councils to fund projects that will support homeowners and businesses installing energy efficiency measures as part of the new Energy Efficient Scotland programme.
The funding will also help local authorities develop Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies, a new tool to allow councils to identify local opportunities for energy efficiency improvements and heat decarbonisation.
Funding Breakdown:
The Scottish Government is now inviting applications for further funding.
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