Building Briefs - June 30th

Work starts on trio of Argyll and Bute schools

Work has begun this week on Oban’s new £36million high school after turf was officially cut earlier this week.

This is part of a significant investment across the council area, with new schools also planned for Kirn and Campbeltown.

Councillor Roddy McCuish, Chair of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee, said:

“We are focussed on providing young people in and around Oban with the best possible start in life and today is a huge milestone in the process of delivering a new school fit for the 21st century.

Meanwhile, the new Kirn primary is designed for 320 pupils, together with an early years facility with 30 spaces and should take around a year to build, with staff and pupils expected to move into their new school in the autumn of 2017.

The £26million Campbelltown school, with capacity for up to 500 pupils, is expected to be complete towards the spring of 2018 with external works following.

Hawick wind farm project taking shape

Plans for a 15-turbine wind farm development south of Hawick are set to go on public display.

Leeds-based Energiekontor are behind the project about five miles from the Scottish Borders town.

The firm are holding public exhibitions in the village halls of nearby Bonchester Bridge and Denholm at the start of next month.

A planning application for the Pines Burn project would be submitted to Scottish Borders Council after that.

STO expands Scottish presence with new appointment

Wall insulation, renders and rainscreen cladding products firm STO Ltd has made a key appointment as it attempts to tap the growing market for its sales in Scotland.

Jim Reid has joined Sto as a technical consultant to further increase the level of support which the company provides to customers north of the border, and his appointment reflects the progress which Sto is making in the Scottish market.

STO’s Regional Sales Manager for the North, Peter Bishop, said: “Jim brings with him a considerable amount of experience in our industry and so he will be invaluable in helping us to consolidate our position and grow our business in Scotland,” explains. “His appointment will allow us to use our existing structure to continue supporting our architectural customers, while Jim will concentrate on the contractor and applicator market, providing commercial and technical support from the design stage, right through to installation and commissioning.”

He added: “Jim has over 30 years of experience in external wall products and is well-known in the industry, so I’m delighted to welcome him to the team,” adds Peter Bishop. “His experience will be invaluable in helping our customers to get maximum benefit from our products and services.”

Glasgow housing development teaches pupils about safety

A Glasgow housing development is working with local primary schools to raise awareness of the dangers posed by construction sites.

Urban Union, the company appointed to build the Laurieston development in Glasgow, has committed to educating over 2,000 pupils in the area on the importance of site safety measures ahead of the summer holidays.

Mascot, Ivor Goodsite visited a number of schools as part of the annual Child Safety Week, including St Francis Primary School in the Gorbals. Ivor was accompanied on his visit by Ross Hammell, Community Benefits Officer and apprentices from McTaggart Construction.

Together they taught pupils about the different types of plant machinery, the importance of Personal Protective Equipment – clothing items that must be worn on any site – and respecting fencing and signage.

Ivor visited eight schools and four youth groups in Glasgow over the week. Pupils were invited to enter a poster competition to decorate the site hoardings for the next stage of the development following the demolition in May of Norfolk Court, the last remaining tower block in the area.

Susan Hallsworth, managing director of Urban Union said; “Construction work on the next stage of the Laurieston development starts later this year.

“We’re aware with the upcoming summer holidays children will be out playing in the local area and we believe it is important to educate them on the hazards involved on a building site, especially as there is ongoing construction in their area.