Building Briefs – November 2nd

• Education secretary opens two Midlothian schools developed by Hardies

Paradykes Primary School and Roslin Primary School both opened last month.

Part of a community hub comprising the school, a library, medical centre and leisure centre, Paradykes Primary School was recently named Community Development Project of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards 2018.

The project value for Paradykes Primary School was £14.5 million and £4.5m for Roslin Primary School. Hardies provided project management, quantity surveying, principal designer and clerk of works services to both projects.

Danny McArthur, partner at Hardies, said: “We are delighted to have been involved in delivering these two schools for Midlothian Council. Both buildings are state-of-the-art and the learning environment provided will provide every opportunity for the children to flourish. For the Community Hub at Loanhead to win such a prestigious award is credit to all the organisations involved.”

• akp Scotland team go bald for charity

A selection of the team and supply chain from fit out contractor akp Scotland decided to try out some new hair-do’s yesterday and all in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

What started as a joke over lunch in the site canteen at akp’s 80 George Street site soon turned into an opportunity to raise a few pounds for a cause close to most people’s hearts. 

With figures reported by Macmillan Cancer Support of an estimated 2.5 million people living with cancer in the UK, set to rise to 4 million by 2030, every penny raised certainly counts.

The team managed to raise approx. £2,000 with donations still flooding in.

Special thanks went to Suresafe Protection Ltd for donating the rather fetching bunnets to keep the cold at bay and to Charlie Miller Hairdressing for providing the stylists to carry out the head shaves at its Fredrick Street salon.

Roz Malcolm, BD, marketing & CSR manager, said: “The group of operatives on site were keen from the offset to use this activity to raise as much as they could for a charity that has at some point over their lives supported them, someone they love or someone close to them; whether it be a family member, friend or acquaintance. So, I reached out to Award Winning Edinburgh Hairdresser Charlie Miller and they were more than happy to accommodate by freeing up space in one of their plush city centre salons.

“The initiative was part of a varied corporate & social responsibility programme that akp have been running in conjunction with our multi-million pound refurbishment project at 80 George Street. I have to say that my decision to take part was rather last minute, but when it came to the crunch I thought - Cancer doesn’t discriminate, it doesn’t care if you are male or female - and in an industry where we still have work to do in that area I thought taking part would be fitting.”

• Aberdeenshire Council takes ownership of 50 new homes for rent

Four Aberdeenshire communities are the latest to benefit from the local authority’s new-build housing strategy with 50 new homes for rent being completed across the developments.

A total of 22 flats and houses at Lyall Terrace, Laurencekirk, were recently handed over to Aberdeenshire Council by Muir Group, while six two-bed houses at Henry Catto Place, Kingseat, have been provided by Barratt Homes.

Meanwhile, a further 22 new homes in Huntly and Turriff have been completed and handed over by CHAP Construction.

The developments feature six flats at George Street in Huntly and a further six at the town’s Keith Cockburn Gardens, along with eight houses and two flats at Erroll Court, Turriff.

All the projects are within the sixth phase of the council’s new-build housing programme, which will see a total of 151 new homes built across 11 sites by March 2019. Each development has been supported by Scottish Government funding.

The projects represent an investment of approaching £2 million at Laurencekirk, and just under £780,000 at Kingseat.

The projects in Huntly and Turriff represent an investment of approaching £3.5m.

• Glasgow approves High Street regeneration strategy

Glasgow City Council has approved a new High Street Area Strategy (HSAS), seeking to breathe new life into the historic heart of the city around the High Street and Saltmarket.

Following a public consultation earlier this year, with the council hearing about the priorities of local residents, businesses and other organisations, plans will now be put into action to better promote the area’s rich history and built heritage, support small businesses and the local economy, and enhance public realm.

The area is home to around 6,000 people and features a host of attractions such as the Barras, Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Green, the Necropolis, Provand’s Lordship, the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, the Tollbooth Steeple, and key locations on the Glasgow City Centre Mural Trail, as well as independent shops and traders, artists’ studios, bars, restaurants, the Glasgow City Innovation District and the Tontine centre of innovation.

The strategy, which will run from 2019 - 2023, contains a range of ambitious plans to support the area’s revitalisation.

Key actions in the HSAS include; working with partner agencies to promote the preservation of built heritage; establishing a Heritage Trail to link the area’s visitor attractions and highlight historical points of interest; introducing a new “Meanwhile Space” initiative to bring vacant shop units into positive use; expanding the “Independent Retail Fund” to support shopfront improvements and exploring more opportunities for quality public space and active travel.

• Highland Council predicts £66.7m budget shortfall

The Highland Council has launched a month of public engagement activity amid plans for a potential budget gap of £66.7 million over the next three years.

The exact size of the shortfall will not be known until the release of the Scottish Government’s budget and grant settlement figures in December but the local authority is calling for residents to help “make the right decisions and do the best we can for the people of the Highlands”.

• Russell Roof Tiles makes Christmas worth the weight

Whilst many begin to indulge in the lead up to Christmas, Lochmaben-based roof tile manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles is continuing its fundraising efforts with a sponsored charity weight loss challenge.

The challenge will take place between November 1 and December 14, with participating employees, including managing director Andrew Hayward and regional sales director Alan Young, setting an ambitious goal to lose 30% of their body weight by the end of this period.

Russell Roof Tiles will also hold regular weigh-ins to ensure the loss is sensible and controlled. So far, 10 employees have signed up and with each participant contributing £30, the challenge has already raised a significant £300, in addition to any sponsorship they gain.

Russell Roof Tiles held another charity weight loss challenge back in 2015, and hopes to replicate the success it achieved then.

The money raised will go towards the manufacturer’s Community Fund - a communal pot where a number of local charities and groups receive a share to support the great work they are doing in the local area. Some of the organisations to benefit include Dumfries and Galloway Blood Bikes and Nith Inshore Rescue.