Building Briefs – March 13th

Contractor CCG (Scotland) Ltd has commenced works on a new housing development in the centre of Perth.

Located on Crieff Road, the development will comprise 24 two-bedroom flats and is being delivered on behalf of Perth & Kinross Council. The development is expected to be completed in February 2019.

Crieff Road marks the sixth contract that the specialist construction firm has worked on with the council in less than 18 months, having already delivered 32 affordable homes in the region. Work is also underway for the council on a further 20 flats in Scone, a development that is due for completion in the spring.

All of the projects delivered by CCG for Perth & Kinross Council were procured through the NH1 New Build Framework from the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA), the first of their kind in the country. Fully OJEU compliant, the NH1 Framework offers public sector clients a quicker and cost-effective route to approved contractors who offer design, supply and construction services for offsite manufactured panelised timber frame systems for new build housing.

Expert appointed to lead Edinburgh city centre revamp

The City of Edinburgh Council has appointed Daisy Narayanan to help deliver a major city centre transformation project.

As deputy director at Sustrans Scotland, Ms Narayanan is one of Scotland’s leading placemaking and transport experts.

With a wealth of experience in the placemaking, planning and transport sectors, she has taken up a one-year secondment as the local authority’s lead officer on the Central Edinburgh Transformation project.

The scheme is intended to improve the public realm in the city centre, as well as to improve conditions for access for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

Holyrood set to hear more Planning Bill evidence

The local government and communities committee will hear from witnesses tomorrow on the proposed Planning Bill and whether this can be improved.

Some of the written submissions criticise the Bill, e.g. Built Environment Forum Scotland explains “the Bill could potentially weaken environmental protections” and National Trust for Scotland says “the bill appears to propose a reduction in community involvement in decisions affecting their area.”

A copy of the papers and submissions are available here.

£25m programme to address 4G ‘notspots’

The Scottish Government has launched a procurement process for a £25 million project to address mobile ‘notspots’ across Scotland.

The Scottish 4G Infill Programme will fund new mobile telephone masts in locations with no existing 4G mobile coverage to improve mobile connectivity for communities and businesses.

An initial 16 ‘notspot’ sites have been identified, and about 60 to 70 areas will be targeted throughout the project. The majority of the programme will focus on sites completely without coverage in the Highlands and Islands.

Connectivity secretary Fergus Ewing announced the launch of the procurement process at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands. Scottish Futures Trust has developed the programme on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Views sought over £18m Helensburgh leisure centre

Residents are being invited to give their views on plans to build an £18m waterfront leisure centre in Helensburgh.

If approved, the new centre would include a swimming pool and public space offering connections to Colquhoun Square. The scheme will also seek to being new life into the town’s waterfront.

Designs for the new centre have been put together by Darnton B3 Architecture.

Drop-in events are planned for 26 March, 30 April and 16 May, and will take place between 11am and 7pm at Victoria Halls.

Work to start on £350,000 road resurfacing near Newton Stewart

Scotland TranServ is to begin work on a £350,000 road resurfacing project in Dumfries and Galloway.

Around 2.5kms of the A75 near Newton Stewart will be repaired over two phases. Work will start at 7pm on Saturday, 17 March with the Benfield to Blackhill Croft stretch of carriageway. The second phase, West of Blackhill Croft will follow on, with completion by 7am on Friday, 30 March.

Electrification work complete on Cumbernauld - Bonnybridge line

Network Rail has completed electrification work on the line between Cumbernauld and Bonnybridge.

The 16 single-track kilometres of railway between Cumbernauld and Greenhill Lower has now went live. The scheme is a further a step towards connecting the line from Glasgow to Falkirk Grahamston to extend the running of electric trains.

In Autumn last year, work was completed to electrify 46 miles of the Edinburgh-Glasgow (via Falkirk High) line as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP).