Building Briefs – November 11th

Bell Building Projects Ltd has announced two new contract awards for its client Lookers Plc. The deals will see new build Jaguar and Volvo showrooms located adjacent to the M8 motorway at Hillington Park constructed to the latest corporate specification.

Bell Building Projects, which successfully completed two projects for Stirling Audi during 2016, is working with Taylor Design Architects, Bruce Shaw (QS/EA/PD), RSP Group Civil & Structural Engineers and Charles Andrew M&E Engineers.

Construction works are due to commence later this month for completion in August 2017.

Homes for Scotland chief executive visits Cruden’s Glasgow developments

Homes for Scotland chief executive Nicola Barclay and members of her team visited Cruden Homes West’s latest developments in Glasgow last week to see first-hand how the firm is creating sustainable new mixed tenure communities across the city.

The trade body named Cruden Group ‘Home Builder of the Year 2016’ at its annual awards in May, based on Cruden’s innovative approach to partnership working and its strong focus on customer service.

The Group also picked up the Home of the Year for First Time Buyers award for its Berberis two-bedroom apartment at King’s View in Glasgow and scooped Development of the Year for its Woodcroft development in Edinburgh.

The Homes for Scotland team visited King’s View in North Toryglen and Baron’s Vale in Helenvale where Cruden has regenerated former brownfield sites and delivered an economic boost to these local areas by creating essential new homes, new jobs and community facilities.

Many first time buyers qualified for the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme at the first phase of the King’s View development in Glasgow’s south side, allowing them to take that important first step on to the housing ladder.

Council to support Glasgow’s built heritage

Glasgow City Council’s executive committee has approved continued funding for organisations supporting Glasgow’s built heritage after a report on the city’s Built Heritage Support Review.

The council supports the built heritage of the city through funding for the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust and Glasgow City Heritage Trust, and agreed to continue this funding at the committee.

This built heritage is a key part of Glasgow’s attraction for tourist visitors, with a recent survey finding that around one-third of visits are driven by Glasgow’s cultural heritage.

New Communities Hall Fund approved for South Ayrshire applications

Groups across South Ayrshire bidding to take control of local authority owned buildings for community use are being invited to apply to a newly launched grants programme.

South Ayrshire Council has approved plans for a Communities Hall Fund which is now open for business.

The fund will be used to pay for repair works to help bring buildings up to an acceptable standard ahead of transfer from council ownership, with eligible areas including general maintenance and the replacement of heating systems.

One of the basic requirements for successful applications will be a solid business case which sets out long-term plans to run assets as sustainable facilities for the use of local communities. To help with this process a template business plan will be made available to community groups to act as a starting point to make their case.

While the fund is focused on transferring ownership from the council to communities, there may also be circumstances where a lease with a view to eventual ownership will be considered.

£300k charging hub proposed for Broughty Ferry car park

A project worth nearly £300,000 could see part of a Broughty Ferry car park turned into an electric charging hub.

Dundee City Council has asked for the views of community groups on a plan to add six electric vehicle charging points to the four already at the Queen Street car park.

If the plan is approved, work could be completed by the end of the financial year.

The project, estimated to cost £286,164, would create a charging hub to provide electricity for electric vehicles — from mobility scooters to cars.

Partnership to deliver 80 new homes in Edinburgh

Housebuilder Springfield Properties has entered a new partnership with Dunedin Canmore to deliver 80 new homes in Edinburgh over the next three years.

The family business has been working on the £20 million Muirhouse development in the Capital since 2013 and has already handed over 122 homes to a number housing associations.

Clark Contracts branches out at Rosewell House in Edinburgh

Two new tenants, Scottish Electric Group and Clark Contracts, are putting down roots at Rosewell House, Connect Business Park in Newbridge, Edinburgh.

Dundee-based Scottish Electric Group has expanded its operations into the Lothians by taking 1,400 sq ft on a 5 year lease at £15.00 per sq ft in the building, which is being jointly let by Cushman & Wakefield and Ryden.

The mechanical and electrical contractor has secured significant contracts across Central Scotland over the last six months and this has created a number of new positions and requirements for local labour.

Meanwhile Paisley headquartered building contractors Clark Contracts has expanded within Rosewell House into a 2,500 sq ft suite on the ground floor to meet demand for its construction, refurbishment and maintenance services. It has taken on a 5-year lease at £15.00 per sq ft.

Transport Scotland to invest in A738 resurfacing scheme

Transport Scotland is to invest over £280,000 on resurfacing the A738 road.

Scotland TranServ will begin repairing the route from Dalry Road to McLuckie Drive on Friday, 11 November.

The improvement programme will help improve the road surface for over 10,000 vehicles who use the route each day.

Funding to help Borders housing associations improve energy efficiency

Scottish Borders Council has been awarded £225,000 from the Scottish Government to help improve the energy efficiency of social housing in the area.

The funding is part of a £9 million allocation announced for councils and housing associations across the country.

In the Scottish Borders the funding will deliver external wall insulation to 25 homes in Tweedbank, owned by Waverley Housing and Eildon Housing Association. It will also fund a range of insulation measures such as floor and loft insulation for a number of homes owned by Scottish Borders Housing Association.

Plans to build budget hotel on derelict Aviemore site

Multi-million pound plans have been unveiled to build a new hotel on a derelict site in Aviemore.

Premier Inn has applied for permission to open a new 60 bed offering in the village – paving the way to bring £5 million of investment and 30 jobs to the area.

It would be built on the site of the former Cairngorm Service Station on Grampian Road at the southern end of Aviemore.

The garage has been closed since 2005 and the shell of the petrol station was demolished in recent years.

A previous plan for a 53-bed budget hotel was approved by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) in 2011 but the development never materialised.

The new plans involve building a 60 bedroom hotel with breakfast and restaurant facilities, as well as a car park with 53 spaces.

The application has been submitted to Highland Council but will ultimately be determined by the CNPA.

Portknockie harbour works completed

Major repair work has been completed at one of Moray’s most popular leisure harbours.

The £560,000 investment at the Moray Council-owned harbour at Portknockie has seen repairs carried out on the piers and jetties.

The harbour dates from the late 19th century and was originally home to a thriving fishing fleet but in more recent times has served as a haven for pleasure craft.

Local councillor Ron Shepherd said the work would help secure the future of the harbour.

Work starts to repair popular path in Straiton

Work has just started to repair a section of the Church Walk in the village of Straiton. The popular route which meanders alongside the picturesque water of Girvan was damaged last year when a section was washed away during severe weather.

South Ayrshire Council has teamed up with North Carrick Community Benefit Company (NCCBC) to fund the work reinstating the path which is a longstanding favourite among locals and visitors.

The cost of the fairly extensive repairs is just over £8,000 with NCCBC contributing £5,000 and the council adding just over £3,000 to make the work possible.

The damaged section of the path will be reinstated with natural materials, using a ‘green engineering’ method. If the weather is favourable, the work should be completed in the next 2 to 3 weeks.

Work completed on Speyside bridge project

Work has been completed on a replacement road bridge in Speyside.

The C59H between Glenallachie and Edinvillie was closed to traffic for more than four months and diversions were in operation while the work was carried out.

Wider vehicles will now be able to cross the single-span bridge which also now has a footpath on one side.

The original bridge consisted of a steel frame and timber decking and was the subject of an emergency closure in 2012 when a detailed investigation found that its long-term future was not viable and that the entire structure would have to be replaced.

Work on the new £320,000 bridge began in June and involved the diversion of utility services and the demolition of the old two-span bridge before construction on its replacement got under way.

Moray Council engineer Alasdair Donnelly, who has overseen the project, said there had been excellent inter-agency co-operation from everyone involved, including the Spey Fisheries Board, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.