Building Briefs – November 15th

MKM Building Supplies has opened its 45th branch, creating 13 jobs in Galashiels.

The new branch will house MKM’s acclaimed product portfolio, catering to trades as well as the general public. This will include building, plumbing, joinery, heating, insulation and plasterboard offerings as well as underground drainage.

MKM Galashiels will contain a timber and joinery service as well as state-of-the-art kitchen and bathroom showrooms, overseen by experienced design specialists. The addition of high-spec showrooms has been hugely popular across the branch network, and is helping to secure MKM’s position within the interior design market.

The branch launch will be celebrated with a series of events and competitions. As well as free bacon butties during the launch fortnight, those spending over £1000 in-branch will have the opportunity to win a cement mixer or DeWalt Combi Drill set.

Deal struck for £4m Forfar housing site

Perthshire-based housebuilder Hadden Homes has struck a deal with Forfar-based Vista Properties to develop a stunning new £4 million housing site on the outskirts of the Angus town.

The five-acre site at Strathview Rise will be developed into seven new homes each set in generous-sized plots ranging from half an acre up to one acre.

The elevated site offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Grampian mountains.

Vista worked with KLM Partnership, Wellwood Leslie Architects and Morgan Associates to develop the project.

University of Dundee Professor’s work stars in ‘Grand Designs’

Flagship architecture show Grand Designs is this month shining the spotlight on a rural dwelling designed by the University of Dundee’s Professor Graeme Hutton which it has named as one of the best homes in Britain.

‘Zinc House’, near Monikie, is in the running for the ‘Grand Designs/RIBA Best House in Britain 2016’ award. As such, an extended segment extolling its many virtues will feature on the Channel 4 show, which attracts audiences of up to three million for each episode, on Thursday 24th November at 9pm.

The building is also the subject of a six-page spread in the latest edition of the Grand Designs magazine, with spectacular photography appearing alongside interviews with the architect and owners.

Professor Hutton and local architecture firm Leadingham Jameson Rohers + Hynd designed the property, which is constructed with a steel and timber frame, insulated by blockwork and clad in zinc. The large south-facing windows and glass doors flood the property with natural light and afford spectacular views right across Fife and almost as far south as Edinburgh.

The materials and colours used mean the 500m2, four-bedroom property blends in with its surroundings rather than jarring with them. An array of solar panels generate electricity to ensure minimal energy use and low running costs.

Flooring firm IFT rebrands to offer full suite of integrated flooring solutions

Specialist flooring company Industrial Floor Treatments Ltd has rebranded as IFT-Integrated Flooring Technologies and will now provide integrated flooring solutions.

Established in 1985, the company employs 45 staff from offices in East Kilbride and Bishop Auckland.

2016 has been another successful year for the business, with turnover increasing 20 per cent over the past two years. In order to remain competitive within the marketplace, IFT has evolved considerably from just industrial flooring and now provides clients with a variety of services including floor screeds and leveling, resin flooring, food safe flooring, car park decking systems, raised access flooring, underfloor heating and hygienic wall cladding.

IFT has been appointed to deliver multiple sub-contractor packages as part of the fit out works for the contract to build a new extension to the Highland Spring bottling and packaging plant in The Ochil Hills in Perthshire.

The project will involve installing a high performance, chemical resistant epoxy coating and hygienic wall cladding to give a fully encapsulated food safe environment, as well as installing raised access flooring to the office areas to allow a flexible modern working environment.

IFT was also involved in the recent refurbishment of the Trump Turnberry hotel in Ayrshire, involving works to the back of house areas including laundry, kitchen, and plant rooms.

The firm has recently worked on high profile projects such the Woods Group’s new head offices at City Park Aberdeen where they installed the car park decking system and raised access flooring, and the Kelvin Hall refurbishment project where IFT were the flooring contractor appointed to install both the screeding and resin flooring on this historic and much loved Glasgow venue transformed into an exciting new centre of cultural excellence.

Sturgeon reopens Kelvin Hall following £35m refurb project

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has officially reopened Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall.

The newly redeveloped building was unveiled on November 11 following a £35 million refurbishment project by McLaughlin and Harvey (McL&H).

The project has brought 50 per cent of the building back into use and has been funded by the city council, the University of Glasgow, National Library of Scotland, Scottish Government, Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland.

The historic hall is now home to Glasgow Club’s newest Super Gym, National Libraries of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive, as well as Glasgow University’s Hunterian Museum.

In addition, the First Minister pledged a further £2m towards the scheme’s second phase of redevelopment, which could see the venue house Glasgow University’s Hunterian Museum.

Detailed designs to be drawn up for Auchinairn community facility

Detailed designs are to be drawn up for a new community facility in Auchinairn, East Dunbartonshire.

Councillors agreed to proceed with the next stage of the project during a meeting on November 10.

The scheme, which is being built as part of the wider Auchinairn Place approach, had been revised following the removal of the football club element of the initial design considerations, due to Glasgow City Football Club withdrawing from the development.

The re-designed plans include a modern early years nursery and new community centre with associated landscaping, access and parking. The adjusted building size and new location within the site also removes the need to provide temporary nursery facilities during the build stage.

M74 closure reminder

Transport Scotland is reminding motorists to expect significant delays on the M74 and surrounding roads as the motorway is closed from Junction 4 Maryville to Junction 5 Raith this weekend.

As part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project, the M74 will be closed to traffic in both directions to safely demolish Bothwellpark Road Bridge.

The bridge, located to the north of M74 Junction 5, Raith, is the final structure to be demolished as part of this £500m infrastructure improvement project which is being delivered by Scottish Roads Partnership (SRP) on behalf of Transport Scotland.