Building Briefs – June 9th

Donald Trump opens new Trump Turnberry Clubhouse

The new Trump Turnberry Clubhouse was formally opened yesterday following a multi-million pound luxurious upgrade by The Trump Organization.

The historic clubhouse, home to four Open Championships, has been refurbished in its design and decoration, creating an unrivalled destination for golfers and visitors.

Changes have included the creation of a new East-facing balcony, an extended retail shop, and a new restaurant named “The Duel in the Sun” in honour of the legendary play-off between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in the 1977 Open Championship. Also new to the clubhouse is a replica claret jug which is on display along with a collection of memorabilia which reflects the resort’s rich Open history.

The renovation of the clubhouse completes the first phase of a two year extensive upgrade to Trump Turnberry which commenced last year and includes dramatic and sensitive improvements to the Ailsa Championship course, a rebuilding of the Kintyre course, and a world class makeover of the hotel to the highest standards of luxury. All of this work will begin in October.

Scottish SPCA’s former Edinburgh HQ sold for residential development

The Scottish SPCA has sold its former 570 sq m (6,139 sq ft) Edinburgh headquarters to Castle Street Developments Ltd for residential conversion.

The exact purchase price was not disclosed, but offers over £800,000 were being sought.

The existing premises, at Braehead Mains, 603 Queensferry Road, is a stone built former steading situated within an attractive courtyard and landscaped garden, extend across a 0.68 acre site.

Planning consent for residential conversion has been granted and work has commenced on site. A total of eight new 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes are expected to be ready for occupation by the end of 2015.

Ryden handled the sale, while Castle Street Developments was advised by Justin Lamb Associates and Applecross Creation.

Health secretary cuts turf for new Dumfries hospital

Scottish health secretary Shona Robison has marked the official start of building work for the new Dumfries hospital at a ground-breaking ceremony.

She was joined by Phil Jones, the chairman of NHS Dumfries and Galloway, to cut the turf on the site at the western edge of the town.

The multi-million pound complex will house 350 beds, a heli-pad and 980 parking spaces.

Ms Robison said there would be 150 new jobs as well as 36 new apprenticeships during the construction phase.

A new £2.9m ambulance facility has also been built next to the Borders General Hospital.

Dundee City Council approves £1.6m housing investment

Dundee City Council has backed proposals which will see more than £1.6 million of improvements to council houses across the city.

Members of the council’s housing committee unanimously supported the huge investment across the housing stock and will now seek to award a number of tenders including window replacement and external concrete work.

Window replacements at more than 100 homes in the Douglas area, along with roof replacements at four cottages in Clement Park were recommended to go the council environment department’s contract services division with concrete work at houses across the city to be awarded to Forfar company Anderson Specialist Contracting.

£900k work to upgrade reservoir

Scottish Water has completed a £900,000 upgrade of a reservoir in the Pentland Hills.

The work has seen reformed embankments to enable Glencorse Reservoir to cope with heavy rainfall.

Work has also been carried out to increase wave wall height, replace valves and prevent leaks to various parts of the dam structures.

Aldi submits plans for third Dundee supermarket

German supermarket giant Aldi has lodged plans to build a new multi-million-pound store in Dundee.

The budget retailer has sent the blueprints for a new modern food store at Myrekirk to city planners following a community consultation.

The new store, which would increase the firm’s portfolio in the city to three shops, is earmarked for vacant development land on the former NCR cash machine factory site next to Asda’s Dundee West superstore.

The plan could reignite a simmering feud over supermarket provision in the west end of the city after Tesco tried to block Asda’s bid to build at Myrekirk.

Council chiefs urged to invest pension funds in affordable homes

Independent MSP John Finnie has written to the chief executives of the six Highlands and Islands local authorities, urging them to follow the lead of Falkirk Council and invest a portion of their pension fund in building social and affordable housing.

Mr Finnie addressed the call to Highlands Council, Argyll & Bute Council, Moray Council, Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. He has also lodged a Parliamentary Question asking that the MSP’s pension fund also follows Falkirk Council’s example.

Falkirk’s Local Government Pension Scheme Fund has invested £30 million in the Housing Fund for Scotland, managed by Hearthstone Investments. The Falkirk investment is expected to fund the construction of over 300 affordable homes, and the Fund aims to raise a total of £150m and build over 1,000 new homes.

Caledonia Housing Association confident of Letham housing plans

Caledonia Housing Association has suggested that its multi-million-pound regeneration of a section of a Perth housing estate will produce high quality homes, tackle anti-social behaviour and improve the community.

The £5 million project aims to build 15 new homes and refurbish 69 houses in Newhouse Road, Letham, over a phased three-year period.

Following a consultation period, residents showed strong support for Caledonia Housing Association’s regeneration proposals, despite the disruption the work should cause over the next three years.

This regeneration scheme follows on from the recent announcement of the final phase of the £40m regeneration of Muirton in Perth, of which Caledonia have played a major role.

Work is to begin later this year once the main contractor has been appointed.

Orkney Housing Association unveils chief executive successor

Orkney Housing Association (OHAL) has announced that Craig Spence has been selected to succeed Sally Inkster on her retirement as CEO of the association later this year, following a nationwide recruitment campaign.

Craig Spence joined OHAL in April 2014 as director of operations, from a business background and with non-executive experience on a number of public bodies.

Sally Inkster plans to retire in October.

More than 25,000 new Scottish apprentices

A total of 25,247 Modern Apprentices (MAs) started training in 2014/15, again exceeding the Scottish Government’s annual target.

Figures released by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) today confirm that more than 101,000 people in Scotland have started an MA in the last four years. There has also been an increase in the proportion of 16 to 24 year olds, and those starting an MA at a higher level.