Building Briefs – November 25th

Top students recognised by Clark Contracts

Four future leaders of Scotland’s building and construction sector have won awards sponsored by construction firm Clark Contracts.

The four were recognised at the Annual Prize Giving of the School of Engineering and Built Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).

Heather McIntyre from Dailly, Ayrshire, won the Alan Calder Memorial Prize, a special award for quantity surveying students set up by Clark Contracts in 2008, in memory of a former colleague. The prize, including a cheque for £200, is awarded annually to the top final year Quantity Surveying Student (part time) at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Clark Contracts also sponsors awards relating to Level 3 Construction Technology, a core module at GCU. Asim Baig, from Glasgow was the Overall Winner of the Best Level 3 Technology Award, having recently completed his degree. Asim now works in Dubai.

The other awards were the Best Level 3 Technology Student for Building Surveying, won by Iain Haddow, from Kilsyth, and the Best Level 3 Technology Student for Construction Management, won by Alan Kyle, from Knightswood.

Slate building technique course to be held in the Highlands

A free two-day slate building technique course is scheduled to be held in Ballachulish, the Highland Council has announced.

The scheme is part of a wider project to conserve and interpret the iconic Ballachulish slate arch.

The £277,000 scheme is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Highland Council and Historic Environment Scotland.

It aims to not only consolidate the slate arch structure but also create new interpretive materials produced in partnership with local people.

Already, a community oral heritage project to gather local stories and memories about the quarries has taken place and work is underway to use the information to design new panels and an app.

The path to the arch, along with paths within the East Quarry, will also be upgraded.

The two-day training workshop will run on 03 and 04 December.

It will focus on hands-on training, including helping to build a new stone plinth which will be part of new interpretation at the East Quarry in Ballachulish.

Aberdeen city centre plan shortlisted at planning awards

Regeneration plans for Aberdeenshire have received national recognition, the city council has announced.

The City Centre Masterplan and Delivery Programme was shortlisted in two separate categories at the UK-wide Planning Awards.

Over 4,000 residents were involved in the consultation process on the multi-million pound regeneration plans.

Projects include 12 community-based initiatives, 13 infrastructure proposals, 13 economic outputs and 11 environmental developments across the city.

The city council’s master plan was produced in collaboration with consultants Building Design Partnership (BDP). It was put forward for both the Award for Strategic Planning and the Stakeholder Engagement in Planning award.

However, with competition from City of London Corporation, Plymouth City Council, Guildford Town Centre and Newcastle City Council, the plan did not receive first place.

The proposals will be implemented into the city centre over the next 20 years.

Dumfries autism ‘hub’ proposal considered

A proposal is being put before education committee councillors to establish a specialist “hub” in Dumfries for children with autism.

It would cater for pupils aged from eight to 18.

They would use the facility to work on literacy, numeracy and for learning life and work skills as a complement to their education in a nearby school.

The financial options are now being explored in a bid to take the project forward.

Further plans suggest a short breaks facility for children with autism travelling from outside the region could also be opened by 2017.

Former Nairn quarry site survey update

The Highland Council is carrying out further ground investigations at the former Kingsteps Quarry in Nairn, which will be undertaken by specialist contractors commencing at the beginning of December.

During the two week survey period public access will be maintained at all times, although localised restrictions may be necessary for short periods. The work comprises excavation, by hand and mini-digger, of trial pits across the site and is being carried out to ensure the site can be used safely by the public as an amenity area in the long term.

Findings of the ground investigations are expected to be reported around the beginning of March 2016.

Results from a radiological survey carried out earlier in the year showed that although some naturally occurring radiation was identified, there was no indication of radium recorded. The survey was a precautionary measure due to anecdotal evidence of possible buried World War 2 military aircraft at the site. If present, aircraft parts disposed of may have contained very small amounts of radioactive contamination in the form of luminised paint which was used on dials on wartime planes.

The 4.2 hectare site at Kingsteps Quarry is owned by the council and was acquired in 2001 (at no cost) from the neighbouring Lochloy Housing developer. The site was formerly a sand and gravel quarry and then used as an unregulated local dump. There are informal paths on the site used by locals for dog walking and countryside amenity.

Edinburgh College apprentices win gold and bronze at UK Skills Show

Two Edinburgh College apprentices lifted gold and bronze trophies at a national skills competition, toppling UK rivals as they painted, decorated and crafted their way to success.

Construction apprentices Dan Macaulay and Jordan Charters put their talents to the test at Birmingham’s NEC at The Skills Show, the nation’s largest skills and careers event.

Dan, a stonemasonry apprentice, won gold in the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Skillbuild national final.

And Painting and Decorating apprentice Jordan won bronze in the Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition.

They battled it out over two days of timed skill tests, working to precise guidelines to produce outstanding pieces of work against the clock.

Dan, who is from Peebles and works for the firm Land Engineering, created a masonry component to win the prize, beating competition from seven other apprentices.

Jordan, from Selkirk, beat eleven other apprentices from around the UK to win his prize, for decorating the stands of a model Rugby World Cup stadium.

The win means he has been shortlisted for the World Skills UK team and begins training for the international competition held in Abu Dhabi in October 2017.