Building Briefs – June 3rd

Morrison Construction has began work to construct a permanent academic centre for INTO Stirling, a joint venture arrangement between INTO University Partnerships and the University of Stirling.

Airthrey Castle is providing a temporary home for INTO Stirling’s activities but it has always been the intention to create a permanent academic centre which will be located adjacent to the south side of the Cottrell building, close to the Logie Lecture Theatre and the Mail room entrance. The location was chosen because it will integrate the Centre into University life by placing it at the heart of the campus, with access to study and social facilities. The location is also a site identified for development in the University’s Campus Master Plan.

The building work will start with the formation of the construction work area and compound. The area will be secured with solid timber panelling and will accommodate all of the materials needed and the work activity. The only exception to this is work needed to connect to the existing campus services including power, water, drainage and heating some within Cottrell, and linking to the existing paving and landscaping.

This work will take place first and will be followed by the construction of the building.

The work is due to be completed by July 2017.

Safety awards double for Lovell in Scotland

Housing developer Lovell has been presented with two awards by the British Safety Council for its achievements in health and safety management.

The company has received an International Safety Award with merit for its performance on two Scottish projects: a development of 49 new homes in Whitburn, West Lothian, for Almond Housing Association and a scheme which has created 29 amenity flats in Glasgow’s East End for Shettleston Housing Association.

The awards were presented at a gala dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. Now in their 58th year, the International Safety Awards reward organisations which have demonstrated their high standards of health and safety management.

ScottishPower fined £1.75m for safety failings

ScottishPower has been fined after a worker received serious injuries when he opened a faulty valve at Longannet Power Station in Alloa.

ScottishPower Generation Limited (SPGL), of Atlantic Quay, Robertson Street, Glasgow pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £1.75 million.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard how a plant controller working for the company was injured when he opened a faulty valve which emitted high pressure, high temperature steam on 12 October 2013.

His injuries included serious scalding burns to his chest and legs.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found SPGL were aware of the defect but did not ensure appropriate steps were taken to either repair or remove the valve from use.

HSE principal inspector, Fiona MacNeill, said: “The plant controller suffered severe and life changing injuries. This case has highlighted the importance for every employer of ensuring that systems are in place for maintaining work equipment in a safe condition, efficient working order and in good repair.”

Mapping the future of Edinburgh’s George Street

A vision for the layout of Edinburgh’s George Street is set to be considered by councillors next week.

The outcome of a year-long trial to increase pedestrian and cycling provision will be heard by the City of Edinburgh Council’s transport and environment committee on June 7.

Members will also discuss a series of design principles for the development of the thoroughfare, drawn up by independent consultant Ironside Farrar.

Amongst the consultant’s proposals to improve the local environment and encourage mixed use of the street are a segregated cycle route, widened pavements and outdoor dining opportunities, while retaining parking and public transport capacity. It is intended that these high level guiding principles could be used to inform and support a fuller, more detailed design.

The concluding report notes the benefit of using a trial approach to help inform design discussions for the project.

If design principles are approved, a detailed design for the future layout of George Street would be developed.

Lomondgate hotel to double in size

The Premier Inn hotel at Lomondgate Services, on the A82 at Dumbarton, is set to almost double in size in response to overwhelming demand since its opening in 2011.

The 60 bedroom Whitbread-owned hotel, which includes the Malt & Myre pub/restaurant, has been granted planning permission to add 54 bedrooms with 79 more parking spaces and landscaping.

The planning application stated that the existing hotel is one of the best performing Premier Inns in the region and is regularly full.

The expanded hotel should be fully open during 2017.

New bridge deck lifted into place in Moray

The deck section of a new footbridge at Cullen has been hoisted into place.

A crane lifted the superstructure into position over the Burn of Cullen at Seatown, on the western outskirts of the coastal town yesterday.

The 62ft steel span was fabricated in Yorkshire before being transported north by lorry.

Work on the £400,000 bridge – which will replace the original bridge built by Cullen Town Council in the 1930s – began in March and will be completed next month.

The project has been funded by Moray Council, with the design work carried out in-house by the council’s civil engineering consultancy in collaboration with the principal contractor Balfour Beatty.

The footbridge provides a vital link for the Cullen community since it is the only safe pedestrian access between the town, the local golf club and the popular beach area.

The new bridge is 15ft upstream of the old bridge – the condition of which has deteriorated rapidly in recent years - and the decking is approximately one metre higher above ground level to reduce the risk of flooding at high tide.

Although the main part of the contract is close to completion, ancillary works will continue for around another month during which access will be maintained to the annual travelling fair which is due to arrive in late June or early July.