Building Briefs - November 19

Scotland’s first ever full-scale facilities for the testing of water and waste water technologies have been unveiled in the Highlands and Central Belt.

Funded by a £1.6m grant from the Scottish Government, two development centres within treatment works have been created by Scottish Water where companies can test new equipment, products and processes for potential roll-out in the water industry.

This could include treatment technology that could support Scotland’s rural communities.

At Gorthleck in the Highlands, a water Development Centre has been created within a former water treatment works.

The facility has its own feed of raw water, with sampling collection and analysis available from Scottish Water’s accredited laboratories.

At Bo’ness near Falkirk, a waste water Development Centre has been created next to an existing waste water treatment works.

Gross mortgage lending continues to grow in October

The Council of Mortgage Lenders estimates that gross mortgage lending reached £21.8 billion in October – 8% higher than September’s lending total of £20.1 billion. In addition to the month-on-month rise, lending rose 19 per cent year-on-year, from £18.4 billion in October 2014. This is the highest monthly figure since gross lending reached £23.6 billion in July 2008.

Bob Pannell, CML chief economist, said: “As lending in the regulated mortgage space picked up over the summer months, the pace of recovery has improved. This looks set to continue over the closing months of the year with the factors helping support this recovery continuing to be low inflation, strong wage growth, an improving labour market and competitive mortgage deals.

“As a result lending this year is likely to exceed our forecast of £209 billion, though affordability pressures will limit business volumes for first-time buyers and movers meaning that we think the market has only modest further upside potential over the short-term.”

Pets‘n’Vets starts work on £1 million vet ‘super practice’

Glasgow –based The Pets’n’Vets Family, a network of locally-owned neighbourhood veterinary practices with surgeries around Glasgow and surrounding areas, has started work on its £1 million vet ‘super practice’ which it believes will deliver a step change to the standard of veterinary care available in the city.

Located at a large, 7500 sq ft customised facility at 43-47 Cogan Road, Auldhouse Retail Park in Pollokshaws, The Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital will provide comprehensive pet care seven days a week, caring for animals around the clock and providing late night consultations when required.

Pets‘n’Vets has instructed building surveyor and project manager Keynorth to deliver a full design and project management contract for the project whilst Scotwood Interiors has been appointed as main contractor to deliver a complete strip-out and refurbishment with commercial designers Surface-id delivering an ancillary interior design advice.

Jim Scott at Scotwood Interiors added: “As the main contractor on the project, our remit comprises the complete strip-out and refurbishment, including all joinery and mechanical and electrical work, on this 12-week project. This marks the sixth project we have undertaken for Pets’n’Vets, and is the biggest by a considerable margin.”

The Roundhouse will feature separate cat and dog waiting and consultation rooms as well as separate in-patient wards to reduce stress. In the clinical wing, the facility boasts two sterile theatres with a separate scrub area, a designated dental theatre, large patient preparation and state-of the art diagnostic suites.

The hospital design has been carefully considered to encourage the best possible clinical care, for example vets’ stations overlook the intensive care unit and the preparation area remains open plan, taking advantage of natural light provided by a large overhead atrium.

The Botanic Cottage nominated for national award

The Botanic Cottage at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has been nominated for Best Georgian Garden/Landscape at The Georgian Society’s prestigious annual Architectural Awards, before it has even opened its doors.

The Cottage, which was built exactly 250 years ago in 1765, once served as gateway to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s historic site on Leith Walk, was uprooted stone by stone in 2008, carefully numbered, transported and stored, and has now been reconstructed at the Botanics’ Inverleith site.

Community Engagement Co-ordinator for the Botanic Cottage project, Sutherland Forsyth, said: “Irrespective of whether the Cottage wins, it is a marvellous testament to the unique nature of this project that we’ve been nominated for a UK-wide award as we put the finishing touches to the building. It’s a great boost for the many craftsmen who have worked to bring the Cottage back to life.”

The Architectural Awards, now in their thirteenth year, are set to be held at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London next month. They recognise exemplary conservation and restoration projects in the United Kingdom, rewarding those who have shown the vision and commitment to restore Georgian buildings and landscapes.

Previous winners include Kensington Palace, the Woburn Estate in Bedfordshire and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London.

A fine example of heritage regeneration, the rebuilt cottage will become a centre for community and education work in the Garden, hosting visits from a wide range of school and community groups.

Twenty-one new council homes for Fife village

Another development in Fife’s Affordable Housing Programme, which will deliver 2,700 new affordable homes by 2017, has been completed and is welcoming its first lot of tenants.

The 21 new homes for council rent in Cellardyke were built by Muir Homes, just off Windmill Road.

The development is made up of a mix of 1 and 2-bed cottage flats, 2-bed semi-detached bungalows, 2 and 3-bed houses and one 4-bed house.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, the Council’s Executive Spokesperson for Housing & Building Services, recently visited Mrs Doreen Davis, who has downsized into a ground floor 1-bed cottage flat in the development and is now closer to her daughter.

Cllr Hamilton said: “I’m extremely pleased to be visiting this finished development and to see the houses become homes. Little over a year ago, when we announced this development, I was standing here in what was little more than an empty field at the time, talking about the Council’s commitment to invest in more affordable housing, despite its financial challenges.

“The Programme to deliver 2,700 new homes by 2017 is on track and over 1,000 of these have now been built and are occupied by families and tenants. I hope they are all as happy and settled in their new homes as Mrs Davis.

“This particular development is an important one in the Affordable Housing Programme because of the high demand and low turnover in North East Fife. Wherever possible, new properties are allocated to existing tenants so, in turn, the vacated homes to other families on the housing list too. This means that many more than 21 families will benefit from these 21 new homes.”

Mrs Davis added: “Being in a smaller more economical property has made a difference to my daily life and it’s good to be back home.”

The Silverdykes development also received £294,000 of Scottish Government funding.