Building Briefs – November 27th

• City of Glasgow College agrees drone inspection and survey research partnership

In a first for Scotland, the project will study the utilisation of both thermal imaging camera and HD images from drones across the construction industry.

John Crawford from drone operator Eye in the Sky Glasgow has been named as CAA operator to support the project IP and case studies and will match Scottish Innovation Funding with his time and equipment.

• Plan submitted to demolish Kinross hotel and build retirement homes

McCarthy & Stone have lodged a proposal to bulldoze a Kinross hotel and build retirement homes.

The planning application to Perth and Kinross Council is to create 36 houses for residents aged over 55, on the site of Windlestrae Hotel. The retirement homes specialist claims it will provide a “specialised” form of accommodation that is “currently limited” within the Kinross area.

If passed, the plan will see the retirement homes built along with a purpose-built club lounge comprising a residents’ lounge, office, guest suite for visitors and a communal garden area.

• Preferred location identified for Aberdeen’s Cruyff Court

Aberdeen City Council has announced that the preferred location for the second Cruyff Court has been identified, with Tullos in line to benefit from the £300,000 community facility.

Aberdeen City Council, the Denis Law Legacy Trust and the Cruyff Foundation are working partnership to lead the project.

The Cruyff Foundation announced a £50,000 funding award for the project, adding to the £250,000 set aside in the council’s capital plan.

Cruyff Court Denis Law, delivered by the same partners, became the first facility of its type in Scotland when it was opened in 2017 and plans for the second site have taken a significant step forward.

There are more than 240 Cruyff Courts in more than 20 countries worldwide, offering young people a modern and safe space to play, designed to encourage participation in a range of sports and also a place where they learn about respect, responsibility, and integration.

The Denis Law Legacy Trust spearheaded the introduction of the concept to the North-east with support from the foundation and council. Aberdeen’s first Cruyff Court, on Catherine Street, has been hugely popular and includes sessions delivered as part of the Trust’s award-winning Streetsport programme.

The success has provided the springboard for plans for the second Cruyff Court and council-owned playing fields adjacent to Tullos School have been identified as the preferred location following consultation with the community and project partners. The project is subject to approval by relevant council committees next year.

• Marshall Construction begins South Queensferry hotel extension

Marshall Construction has begun work on a 21-bedroom extension at the South Queensferry Premier Inn over three storeys, including linen stores, plant room, drainage, services and external works.

The scheme is due for completion in February 2019.

The Premier Inn chain is owned by Whitbread, which operates over 760 hotels across the UK with more than 68,000 rooms. Whitbread aims to have 85,000 rooms by 2020.

• Robertson completes work on new water mains

Robertson has completed civil engineering works for a significant water mains project across two sites.

Worth almost £650,000, the 11-week project saw Robertson partner with Scottish Water Horizons for the first time to install two new water mains – one in Stewarton and another in Newton Mearns.

The new water mains will service around 400 new build homes at Dunlop Road in Stewarton and 1,100 homes at Maidenhill in Newton Mearns.

• Tenants get keys to new council homes in Edinburgh

The first tenants have begun moving into new homes being built by the City of Edinburgh Council as part of a project to provide hundreds of affordable flats and houses on seven small brownfield sites across the city. 

At the end of September keys were given to tenants in West Pilton as the first 29 homes for social rent in the Small Sites Affordable House Building Programme were completed. In the last few weeks tenants were also given their keys to a further 22 homes for social rent in Clermiston, and 37 in Fernieflat Neuk, Wester Hailes. 

Housing convener Councillor Kate Campbell was joined by Councillor Ricky Henderson to meet tenant Eva Pokorska at her new Fernieflat Neuk home yesterday.

A further 30 homes for social rent (phase 1) at Dumbryden and 24 at Royston will be ready next summer and another 26 for social rent at Crewe Road Gardens, while 21 at Hailesland Place will be complete by next spring. 

As part of this project the council is also building 19 homes at Dumbryden Place, 22 at Clermiston, 11 at Hailesland Place and 22 at Royston for mid market rent. The homes at Hailesland will be complete by spring 2019 with the rest being ready by autumn 2019. Further homes are also planned in a second phase at Dumbryden and it is expected a planning application for these will be submitted next year. 

The new housing includes a mix of flats and two and three bedroom houses. All of these high quality, energy efficient, affordable homes are being fitted with solar panels and this will help reduce tenants’ electricity bills.