Building Briefs – May 25th

The Eurocentral south roundabout is to be partially closed for the next seven days for road surfacing as part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

The works will happen in two stages, restricting access to and from the M8/A8, Maxim Business Park and Dakota Hotel from McNeil Drive and Townhead Avenue.

Phase one will commence from 8am on Thursday 25 May until 8pm on Saturday 27 May 2017. This will result in the closure of Townhead Avenue between Parklands Avenue and Renshaw Place. The M8 westbound on-slip will remain closed

Access into the Maxim Business Park and Dakota Hotel will be maintained via the A8 westbound All-Purpose Road and the Eurocentral north roundabout. Traffic leaving these destinations will be diverted via McNeil Drive, Chapelhall.

Phase two will commence from 8pm on Sunday 28 May to 8pm on Wednesday 31 May 2017. This will result in the closure of Townhead Avenue northbound, between Parklands Avenue and Renshaw Place, and the A8 westbound All Purpose Road from Chapelhall.

Actavo becomes supplier of choice for Northseal Scaffolding

Actavo Hire & Sales’ Glasgow branch has become the supplier of choice for specialist contractor, Northseal Scaffolding.

Working in partnership, Actavo’s and Northseal’s latest joint activity is the supply of scaffolding for a £130,000 project on behalf of East Ayrshire Council.

Based in Galston in East Ayrshire, Northseal supplies and erects scaffolding to commercial, private and local authority customers throughout Scotland.

This latest contract with East Ayrshire Council involves Actavo supplying scaffolding solutions to install external wall insulation to homes on the New Farm Loch estate. It is one of many contracts Actavo has entered into with Northseal.

Built between 1968 and the mid-70s, the New Farm Loch estate is a mix of medium-rise residential blocks and terraced homes. In terms of supply capability, the insulation project called for large volumes of scaffolding.

Actavo has worked with Northseal to supply scaffolding services for residential blocks at Prestwick Toll, the Stewarton housing project and the Kelloholm project.

Scottish Water delivers £1.8m Glasgow flood alleviation scheme

Work on a £1.8 million flood alleviation project in Glasgow is now complete.

Scottish Water has upgraded its waste water infrastructure in the Drumchapel area to help reduce the risk of flooding for properties in the Moraine Avenue area.

Features include the installation of a new storage tank and associated pipework and manholes in the grassed area between Kirkhope Drive and Blairdardie Road, which have increased the storage capacity in the local network.

The scheme is part of Scottish Water’s £250m investment in improvements to the Greater Glasgow area’s waste water infrastructure.

Works approved to repair storm damaged Aberdeen cycle network

Works to complete a repair to a storm-damaged National Cycle Network 1 route at Wellington Brae have been given the go-ahead.

Councillors on Aberdeen City Council’s communities, housing and infrastructure committee voted to note and accept the award of up to £250,000 from Sustrans Scotland for the work.

They also voted to instruct the head of land and property assets to secure the necessary landowner approvals and provided they are obtained, also to instruct the head of planning and sustainable development to undertake and complete the works via the current contractor.

Wellington Brae suffered damage during a storm in February 2016, with a combination of the trees being planted close to the path’s retaining wall and the inclement weather resulted in tree roots bursting through the Victorian dyke wall and leading to its partial collapse in one area.

Subsequently, several other areas were identified as also likely to fail. The foot and cycle path were closed at the time to protect public safety and until a suitable plan for the repair and funding of the works could be established.

Sustrans Scotland was successfully approached with 100% of the estimated necessary funding of up to £250,000 subsequently being made available to cover the costs to reinstate the path. It was agreed that the monies provided would be spilt across two financial years, with the majority of funds being made available in 2017/18.

The report said an initial allocation was spent on immediate emergency shoring up work and tree removal, topographical survey, land search, design of the permanent solution for the retaining wall, landscaping and drainage.

The emergency works were undertaken until further construction works could commence to fully reopen the path. Steel containment barriers were placed along the length of the wall and were further reinforced to block unsafe entry until the permanent works could be completed.

The report said prior to the permanent works commencing to replace the retaining wall to modern standards, regulatory approval to undertake works to trees adjacent to the retaining wall was secured and a works contract was awarded, and the works started on 20 April 2017.

The report considered by councillors said in light of potential governance issues being raised including with regards the proper process of approval of the Sustrans external funding and the delivery of the works, the works contract has been suspended pending the committee meeting, and a formal investigation lead is underway, the outcome of which will be the subject of a separate report to the audit and risk committee in September 2017.

New senior management team unveiled at Scottish Land & Estates

Scottish Land & Estates has announced a new senior management structure for the organisation.

David Johnstone, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates, said major issues such as Brexit and the implementation of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act will require the organisation to continue to adapt to deal with future challenges and opportunities for land-based businesses.

Sarah Jane Laing has been invited to join the Board, and in her enhanced role as an executive director will join the chairman and vice-chairman in forming the senior management team. She will continue to direct policy and parliamentary affairs, but will take on extra responsibilities within the organisation.

The Board has also welcomed Hughie Campbell Adamson, chairman of his own vibrant land based business and a long-standing member of the organisation, who has agreed to offer executive assistance and his business expertise to the organisation.

Aberdeen play parks to be refurbished

A total of £1.3 million is to be spent refurbishing play parks across Aberdeen in 2017/18 after the money was agreed at committee today.

Aberdeen City Council’s communities, housing and infrastructure committee agreed to the spend at a meeting at the Town House.

The programme includes existing £450,000 capital funding and additional £826,000 revenue funding.

The committee also agreed to the appointment of additional fixed term staff, paid for through the additional revenue funding, to assist permanent staff in the delivery of the programme.

The report said the refurbishment of the playparks were taken forward on a priority basis and will involve community consultation on the final design of each of the larger play areas.

The refurbishments are part of a rolling programme which has taken place over several years and also includes an annual play equipment audit.