Building Briefs – March 6th

ScottishPower and ScottishPower Renewables announce new CEOs

ScottishPower has appointed Keith Anderson as its new chief executive officer.

Mr Anderson previously worked as CEO of ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) and chief corporate officer of ScottishPower.

In his new role, he will be responsible for all ScottishPower businesses, and for the leadership of ScottishPower internally and externally.

Elsewhere, former director of policy & innovation, Lindsay McQuade, has been appointed CEO of SPR in the UK. She will oversee an operational portfolio of more than 40 windfarm sites, generating over two gigawatts of renewable energy, as well as the development of new projects.

Council unveils list of Aberdeenshire development sites

Aberdeenshire Council has published a list of available development sites in the region.

The ‘Site Prospectus’ gives an overview of more than 70 individual sites providing developers with settlement information and delivery considerations required to bring the site forward.

The main focus is on sites allocated for housing, from small scale housing sites allocated for up to 10 houses to large scale developments allocated for over 100 houses. In addition, some mixed allocations have also been included.

The ‘Site Prospectus’ has been drawn up to accompany the 2017 Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan. Photographs of the site in situ are also included to give potential developes an idea of an area they might not otherwise be familiar with.

To view the document on the council’s website, visit here.

Copies are also being sent out to housing developers and will also be available at all Planning area offices and on request from the Delivery Team.

Architect to appeal Dundee flats rejection

An architect has vowed to appeal against the rejection by Dundee City Council of a development of seven flats and an eatery.

Brunton Design had submitted a planning application on behalf of Handleflat Ltd to demolish an existing cafe in King Street, Broughty Ferry, and build a new complex in its place.

However, the local authority refused permission on the grounds the proposed development was “not of a sufficient quality” and would “constitute overdevelopment” of the area.

Allan Mudie, one of the partners at Brunton Design, told the Evening Telegraph: “We fundamentally disagree with the position the council has taken.

“We have tried for several months to arrange a meeting with planners to come up with a mutually agreeable solution, but they have refused, saying they didn’t think a meeting would be worthwhile.

“This is inconsistent with other applications we have on the go, so we are quite mystified.

“They mentioned overdevelopment, but that site has already been used for a restaurant, albeit one that is no longer open.

“We have had no public objections and the site is currently an eyesore, with people flytipping there. Surely it’s better to have something that will create jobs and stimulate the local economy?

“We are going to appeal this decision.”

Proposals for £20m care home and housing development unveiled for Stornoway

Hebridean Housing Partnership (HHP) and Western Isles Council are preparing plans for a £20 million project to build a care home and 50 homes, according to reports.

The Press & Journal has said that the proposed development will include a 52-bed care home and 50 housing units with extra care on the greenfield site on the isle of Lewis.

The partners hope to identify a contractor in November and plan to be on site at Goathill Farm near Stornoway by December, allowing the build to be completed by September 2020.

Master planning for the site concluded that there is also scope to provide 62 affordable housing units on the land outwith the residential care and housing with extra care development.

It is the intention to submit a full planning application by June.

At present the council and housing partnership are consulting with contractors on the best way to deliver the project.

Potential contractors are meeting with the project team at the beginning of this month.

Documents issued by the authority and the housing partnership state that they are trying to gauge interest across national, regional and local supply chain markets and seek expressions of interest from companies not only interested in the role of main contractor but also potential sub-contractors.

Melville to deliver £2.7m worth of home upgrades over coming year

More than 250 Melville Housing Association households are to receive new kitchens over the next 12 months as part of a major £2.7 million investment programme, one of the largest upgrades to tenants’ homes in recent years.

This latest phase in Melville’s kitchen replacement drive means that over a three year period ending on 31 March 2019, more than a third of all Melville properties will have had new kitchens fitted.

As well as kitchen upgrades, which will focus on Mayfield and Poltonhall in Midlothian and Forth in South Lanarkshire, this year’s investment will also pay for 70 new bathrooms, 95 new heating systems and 50 replacement roofs.

Details of Melville’s 2018/19 planned maintenance programme are currently being finalised. All Melville tenants due a home upgrade will be contacted closer to the time.

Scotbeef secures £4m grant to expand Inverurie facility

Food processing company Scotbeef has secured a £4 million grant to expand its business operations.

The Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation (FPMC) will got towards a £17m investment project to build a new abattoir and meat-processing facility at Thainstone Business Park in Inverurie.