Building Briefs – May 18th

Stuart McMillan MSP has praised a £9 million scheme to make 500 homes more energy efficient in Greenock.

Mr McMillan visited the project in Broomhill on Friday to see first-hand how work being delivered by Scottish Gas and River Clyde Homes will make homes warmer for residents and should result in lower energy bills.

Work began in March with solid wall insulation being added to the outside of properties. This reduces the amount of heat escaping through walls and helps homes stay warmer for longer.

The insulation also transforms the look of the buildings, giving them a fresh appearance.

Residents will also benefit from a new district heating system, which is a more energy efficient and cost effective way to heat homes.

The project should be completed by the end of the year.

Scottish Gas is undertaking the work as part of the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO). It also attracted financial support for homeowners through a Scottish Government funding scheme administered by Inverclyde Council. This allows owners to participate in the refurbishment works at zero or low cost.

Demolition to begin at Dundee’s Strathmartine Hospital

Parts of the fire-ravaged Strathmartine Hospital could be pulled down within weeks.

Almost five weeks since a ferocious blaze ripped through the former asylum on the outskirts of Dundee, the owners of the property are working towards compliance with a dangerous buildings notice served on them.

Developers Heathfield Ltd won approval for more than 220 new homes on the sprawling site but the company’s prime focus in the weeks ahead will be implementing the recommendations of a structural assessment of the charred property.

Dozens of firefighters were called to the hospital on April 13 when fire took hold of the empty property.

Strathmartine had already been the subject of small fires according to locals but the outbreak, thought to have been started deliberately, quickly took hold of the main building, leading to extensive damage.

The hospital site was the subject of a controversial approval decision by Angus councillors late last year for conversion of the B-listed hospital block into 24 flats and the creation of 198 new-build homes in the grounds.

Scottish ministers subsequently notified the council they were calling in the application.

Angus development standards committee councillors have now learned that unsafe parts of the structure could be demolished by the end of this month.

The deterioration of the Strathmartine building has kept it on the authority’s enforcement list since the beginning of 2008.

JCB sales soften

Construction machinery manufacturer JCB saw its sales turnover fall by 6 per cent in 2014 and underlying earnings dip 3 per cent.

Declining demand in former growth markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China meant that JCB’s sales were reduced to £2.51bn in 2014, down from £2.68bn in 2013.

Excluding an £11m one-off restructuring cost, underlying profit (EBITDA) was £303m, down from £313m the previous year. It was the fourth year in a row that JCB made more than £300m profits.

While the UK construction equipment market was up 30 per cent in 2014 and the USA was up 13 per cent, the market in Brazil fell 17 per cent last year, Russia by 27 per cent, India by 15 per cent and China by 17 per cent.

JCB’s sales in North America grew by 23 per cent, outpacing the market and making it a record year for JCB in North America, which is now the company’s third biggest market behind India and the UK.

Clackmannanshire Local Development Plan approved

A plan which will guide the future use and development of land in Clackmannanshire for the next 20 years has been approved at a Clackmannanshire Council meeting last week.

The adopted Local Development Plan (LDP) for Clackmannanshire represents the council’s position in terms of the policies it wishes to adopt and the sites and projects it wishes to promote and support. It is reviewed every five years, and the approved plan has been subject to consultation and examined by a Reporter from the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA). The Reporter’s recommended changes to the plan were generally minor in nature and did not require significant changes to the LDP.

Local Development Plans provide a robust, plan-led approach to land use planning and development, setting out a clear, concise, long-term vision for the future development of an area and providing relevant and up to date policy guidance. Along with a guide for the development of sites, it also provides supplementary guidance in areas such as affordable housing and energy efficiency. The plan is now submitted to the Scottish Government for final approval.

£5.5m homelessness accommodation centre opens in Aberdeen

A new £5.5 million homelessness accommodation centre and support facility has been officially opened in Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen City Council facility, built on the site of the former Victoria House on West North Street, was opened during a ceremony led by city council communities, housing and infrastructure convener Neil Cooney with staff, service users and construction partners.

The council worked with Kier Construction on the new development.

The homelessness unit comprises a three-storey block of short-term supported accommodation for homeless people, with 20 bedsits with en-suite shower facilities.

Communal facilities are provided on the ground floor, comprising kitchen, laundry, lounge and staff accommodation.

A separate six-storey block provides 20 flats, ranging from one to four bedrooms, for independent living for homeless people in a secure setting.

Perthshire roadshow dates for A9 dualling

Locals and road users are to get the chance to see and comment on initial design work for four dualling projects which cover 24 of the 80 miles of the Scottish Government’s A9 Dualling programme.

Exhibition material for Tay Crossing to Ballinluig, Killiecrankie to Pitagowan, Pitagowan to Glen Garry, and Glen Garry to Dalwhinnie projects, will go on show this month and next at venues across Perthshire.

Details of the A9 Dualling public exhibitions

Wednesday 27th May (11 am – 4 pm) & Thursday 28th May (4 pm – 8 pm)

Killiecrankie Village Hall, Killiecrankie PH 16 5LG - Killiecrankie to Pitagowan project

Tuesday 2nd June (11 am – 4 pm) & Wednesday 3rd June (4 pm – 8 pm)

Blair Atholl Village Hall, Main Road, Blair Atholl PH18 5SG - Pitagowan to Glen Garry and Glen Garry to Dalwhinnie projects

Tuesday 9th June (11 am – 4 pm) & Wednesday 10th June (4 pm – 8 pm)

Mid Atholl Hall, Ballinluig PH9 0LG - Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project

Havelock Europa’s largest shareholder steps down from board

Andrew Burgess is to step down from the board of Havelock Europa.

While Mr Burgess, who joined the board as a non-executive in November 2013, is leaving to pursue an unspecified role overseas he has indicated he will keep his 18.95 per cent stake in the Fife educational and retail interiors fit-out company.

The company’s largest single shareholder said: “I have enjoyed my time at Havelock and I am proud of my colleagues and what we have achieved to date. I remain fully supportive of the business.”

Havelock’s annual report shows a payment of £298,000 to finance director Grant Findlay described as compensation for loss of office. Mr Findlay, who also received £57,000 in salary and fees, resigned from the board in May last year.

Former chief executive Eric Prescott, who left in March this year, received £229,000 in 2014, up from £219,000

Land Reform consultation responses revealed

Most land reform proposals received over 70 per cent support from respondents, according to the consultation analysis.

The analysis showed that:

The recent consultation on land reform received 1269 responses from organisations, individuals and campaigns.

Work on new ferry linkspan at Ullapool completed

Four weeks of work to install a new linkspan at Ullapool ferry terminal has been completed.

The harbour’s 42-year-old linkspan has been replaced with a new two-lane structure to allow vehicles to move on and off ferries quicker.

The completion of the work means car ferry sailings have resumed between Ullapool and Stornoway on Lewis.

During the construction project, vehicles and freight were ferried between Uig on Skye and Stornoway.

Pyramid viewpoint for banks of Loch Lomond

An 8m-high pyramid-shaped viewpoint has been unveiled on the banks of Loch Lomond in Argyll.

The structure - named An Ceann Mor - occupies a secluded spot at Inveruglas on the west of the loch, with views of the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lomond.

It is the fourth and final installation of a pilot project for Scottish Scenic Routes.

The previous three are at the Falls of Falloch, Balquihidder and Loch Lubnaig near Strathyre.

Scottish Scenic Routes is a Scottish Government initiative designed to encourage visitors travelling along scenic tourist routes to stop and see much-loved views in a new way.

An Ceann Mor - which means large headland in Gaelic - was designed by Daniel Bar, Stephane Toussaint and Sean Edwards.

The structure is clad in sustainable timber which, over time, will fade to a silver-grey to blend in with the landscape.

The next phase of Scottish Scenic Routes is already under way in Cairngorms National Park and at sites across Scotland identified by Scottish Canals.

New housing development heads to Perthshire

A brand new housing development is heading to the village of Guildtown, six miles north of Perth.

Housebuilder Stephen is due to start work on the development of 21 properties, a mix of two to five bedroom homes, mainly bungalows, next month. It is hoped that the first properties will be available for reservation in August or September 2015.