Building Briefs – June 21st

Work has started on 85 new homes which will transform a West Lothian community.

West Lothian Housing Partnership (WLHP) – part of Wheatley Group – is building the new homes at Dixon Terrace in Whitburn.

The development, built on the site of a food processing factory demolished a decade ago, will increase the supply of much-needed affordable housing in West Lothian.

The project is also part of WLHP’s plans to almost double the size of its housing stock by 2021.

The new homes in Dixon Terrace will be a mix of flats and houses, with 28 of the flats specially designed for older tenants, helping them live independently for longer.

Each home will have energy-efficient features including solar panels to cut heating costs.

The £11.5m development, which includes £6m grant funding from the Scottish Government, should be finished by early 2020.

Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan, depute leader of West Lothian Council, joined Board members and staff from WLHP and Wheatley Group, as well as local elected members and representatives from West Lothian Council and the contractor, Springfield Properties, to mark the start of work on the homes.

As part of its contract with WLHP, contractors Springfield Properties will be providing jobs and training opportunities for local people.

Tom Leggeat, Springfield Group Partnerships managing director, said: “These stylish, energy efficient homes will help support local trades and suppliers and bring new employment opportunities, including apprenticeships, to Whitburn.”

As well as the new homes at Dixon Terrace, work is well underway on 55 WLHP homes for social rent at Winchburgh Village on the outskirts of Edinburgh, while another 42 homes for mid-market rent are currently being built at Jarvey Street in Bathgate.

Another 146 homes, a mix of social rent and mid-market rent, are also planned for Livingston.

Consultation launched on Meadows to George Street improvements

Views are being sought from the public as part of a project to improve key streets between the Meadows and George Street in Edinburgh.

Meadows to George Street: Streets for People is a Community Links PLUS initiative to transform the transport corridor, significantly enhancing the quality of walking, cycling and public space.

The initial phase of the scheme will gather people’s opinions about the current conditions and issues along the streets covering Hanover Street, The Mound, George IV Bridge, Forrest Road, Bristo Place and Teviot Place.

Highlighting the importance of the project to Edinburgh’s clean air ambitions and the wider Central Edinburgh Transformation, engagement will kick off on national Clean Air Day. The Meadows to George Street delivery team will be talking to people on these streets and listening to their views on desired improvements as part of Edinburgh Summer Summit celebrations.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, said: “As we gear up for our Clean Air Day celebrations, this is a great opportunity to really think about putting people back in the heart of one of Edinburgh’s most historic corridors.

“It’s essential that we achieve high quality, accessible design solutions for these streets, which are at the core of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site, and that we ensure everyone is able to have their say to influence the design process. We look forward to engaging with people and hearing their views over the coming months.”

Sustrans Scotland’s Head of Infrastructure, Matthew Macdonald, said: “The ‘Meadows to George Street’ project will vastly improve the experience for people using these historic streets to walk or cycle through, to socialise in, and to shop in. The project will create safer, friendlier and more attractive places to move through and live in.

“The City of Edinburgh Council have demonstrated real vision in their proposal and has shown they are motivated to create culturally distinct and economically vibrant streets that improve journeys for people on foot and on bikes.”

Meadows to George Street: Streets for People is funded by the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s Community Links PLUS design competition. The Council, their design consultants and project partner Sustrans will now run a series of events and activities over the summer period to gather the views of anyone who uses this route or who has an interest in it.

The project will build upon the Council’s Active Travel Action Plan and the emerging Central Edinburgh Transformation project. After the initial engagement phase, the Council will use feedback to begin developing concept ideas for improvements, with further consultation on concepts expected in autumn 2018.

Further information on upcoming events is available on the project web page, where people can also sign up for updates and share their views via the online Placecheck tool.

NFB welcomes Network Rail’s signal on fair payment

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has welcomed Network Rail’s announcement that it will commit its suppliers to paying their subcontractors within 28 days.

The NFB has long argued for fair payment to be enforced at a central and local government level.

Fair payment provisions are in place both in legislation and in standard contracts used across the industry, such as the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT). However, the legislation is rarely enforced and the fair payment contract provisions are usually the first to be amended on a project.

The NFB and the Scottish Building Federation are the only bodies representing contractors in negotiations on JCT and NEC contracts. We would welcome a commitment to keep the fair payment provisions already negotiated in place.

The effects of failing to pay fairly are becoming more widely known. A Prompt Payment Directory survey revealed that 48 per cent of SME respondents who had experienced late payment said they had suffered from stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “Certainty of payment creates a truly healthy supply chain. Network Rail has answered the question on how quickly can a major supplier change its payment policy. The only question that remains is ‘who will be the next major contractor to act on fair payment?’”

McQueens Dairies buys industrial unit in Pentland Industrial Estate, Loanhead

Milk delivery company McQueens Dairies is further expanding its business with the recent acquisition of Unit 3 Borthwick View in Pentland Industrial Estate, Loanhead.

Family firm McQueens Dairies was founded in 1995 and has its headquarters in Glasgow. The new premises joins McQueens Dairies’ depots in Glasgow, Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh in Scotland, and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and Warrington in England.

Mick McQueen​, ​founder and managing director​ at MCQueens Dairies​, said: “As one of Edinburgh’s most well-established business locations, Pentland Industrial Estate is the perfect choice for a distribution company such as McQueens Dairies. We will benefit from excellent transport links and close proximity to Loanhead, allowing us to provide the best service to our customers.”

​Finlay Miller of Ryden said: “The sale of Unit 3 Borthwick View to McQueens highlights the demand for freehold opportunities in close proximity to the City of Edinburgh Bypass, particularly for properties with a desirable specification such as the yard in Unit 3.”

Ryden represented the landlord in this transaction.

Braehead Primary receives donation from Taylor Wimpey for school garden project

As part of its ongoing commitment to working in partnership with local communities, Taylor Wimpey has recently donated £500 to Braehead Primary School’s PTA – Friends of Braehead in Dumbarton.

The donation provided by Taylor Wimpey will go towards providing storage for the school garden equipment and some of the children’s garden toys.

The Braehead Primary School PTA – Friends of Braehead – is an integral part of school life and works hard each year to raise funds for a variety of projects in school.

Caroline Gibson Acting head teacher at Braehead Primary School said: “We are extremely grateful for the support that we have received from Taylor Wimpey and we can’t thank them enough for their generous donation. Our children love working and playing in the school garden but their tools and equipment have previously been stolen.

“Our fantastic PTA – Friends of Braehead - wanted to provide secure storage that will keep the garden tools, equipment and some outdoor toys safe when the children are not using them. We’re absolutely delighted that Taylor Wimpey has stepped in to help them provide this. On behalf of everyone at Braehead Primary, I would like to say a huge thank you to the team at Taylor Wimpey.”

Audrey Ross, Sales and Marketing Director at Taylor Wimpey West Scotland said: “We are delighted to be able to support Braehead Primary School’s PTA with a donation towards its school garden project. The work we do is a lot more than just building high-quality homes. Being able to work with local businesses and organisations that surround our developments means a great deal to us, and it’s great to know that we are helping to make a difference to the lives of people in local communities.”

Taylor Wimpey’s donation to Braehead Primary School’s PTA – Friends of Braehead is one of the many contributions being made by the housebuilder towards community facilities and infrastructure in the wider area. To find out more about the charities and organisations that Taylor Wimpey supports, please visit www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/media-centre/news.

To find out more about the new homes at Taylor Wimpey’s local development at The Fairways in Dumbarton visit www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/thefairways.