Building Briefs – November 30th

• Canal custodians safeguard historic Linlithgow waterway

As part of a Scotland-wide programme of winter maintenance, the canal custodians are carrying out embankment improvements along the 200-year-old waterway. The improvements follow the detailed embankment surveys carried out by Scottish Canals in 2017, which saw the water level of the waterway drained down over a five kilometre stretch, and around 30,000 cubic metres of water drained from the canal.

These embankment works were identified as a priority for Scottish Canals, under its Asset Management Strategy. This strategy identifies where Scottish Canals’ limited resources will be directed, prioritising works that ensure the safety of the public and bring the widest possible benefits for all the people of Scotland. In Linlithgow, the canal body recognised the potential impact any failures would have on the town but also the need to safeguard the rich history and heritage of Linlithgow.

• Grant funding for crofter homes reaches £1m milestone

More than £1 million has now been awarded this year to support crofters in some of Scotland’s most rural and remote communities to get better housing.

Under the latest round of Croft House Grant awards, a further 11 crofters will share over £363,000 to build or improve their homes, with the intention of helping to retain and attract people to rural and remote communities.

Since 2007 over £18m of grant payments have been awarded to more than 900 crofters to upgrade housing or build new homes, with this latest approval bringing the total awarded to over £1m this year.

A further application round is planned for December.

• Heritage Lottery Fund accepted for Glasgow canal project

Glasgow City Council has approved acceptance of the Heritage Lottery Fund award for the canal project.

This funding is for the development of a Cultural Heritage Arts Strategy for the canal area in Glasgow, as part of a wider HLF Great Places project with almost £520,000 funding from the HLF, Glasgow City Council, Scottish Canals, Test Unit and the Tourism Development Destination Fund.

The wider project will include support for the growth of the Glasgow Canal Festival and fringe heritage events; the production of a cultural heritage arts strategy; delivery of a volunteer and training programme to provide education and qualifications for local people; a local communities ideas programme and a digital competition to engage communities with the local heritage of the canal; a stalled space heritage programme along the banks of the canal; and providing a platform for professionals and universities to explore new ideas to stimulate inclusive economic growth on and close to the canal.

The £35,000 funding will be allocated to Scottish Canals to support the delivery of the wider HLF Great Places project at the canal, which will see the heritage of the area embedded in local plans and decision-making.

• Demolition work underway on Bainsford’s ‘Big Bar’ in Falkirk

Falkirk Council has announced that demolition work has begun on Bainsford’s ‘Big Bar’ on David’s Loan following concerns around public safety.

A road closure will begin on David’s Loan from December 3 with a signed diversion in place for drivers via Carronside Street, Haugh Street and Carron Road. Mungalhead Road may also close to ease traffic on to Main Street.

The decision to demolish was taken despite Falkirk Council trying to find an agreement between the 10 property owners in the building over several years.

• Heritage trail breaks ground in Banff and Macduff

Construction on a new heritage trail in Banff and Macduff has begun with the installation of eight interpretation panels in the two towns.

The project, part of the Regeneration Action plans for both towns, aims to increase local awareness of their culture and history, promote physical activity and be a tool tourists can use to navigate throughout the settlements and learn more about them.

It has been funded partly by the Banff Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) on Low Street and Bridge Street and will provide more information on this scheme and the local buildings it has helped restore.

The project began with community consultations in summer 2017 and these allowed residents to shape the key themes explored on the interpretation panels.

The design and content was developed with the support of a steering group of local people and organisations.

Alongside the interpretation panels, a website will offer further details and stories of the towns and their history, as well as downloadable audio guides to help people to learn more.

• Dundee water network upgrade complete

A £5 million upgrade of the water network in Dundee has been completed by the Caledonia Water Alliance on behalf of Scottish Water.

The work started on the ground in the west end of the city in May 2016 and recently finished in the Hilltown area. Some of the mains refurbished were over 100 years old.

• Public invited to have say on proposed housing development in Fort William

The Highland Council is holding a public drop in event at Lundavra Primary School in Fort William on December 3 on proposals to create new homes at the former Upper Achintore Primary School site.

The drop-in event is a chance for people to come and find out more about the plans to create new housing for social rent and mid-market rent, give their feedback and put forward any comments and suggestions. 

Anyone is welcome to come along to meet the architect and Highland Council representatives who will be happy to answer any questions and provide information. 

• UK Government bans combustible materials on high-rise homes

The UK Government is banning combustible materials on new high-rise homes and giving support to local authorities to carry out emergency remediation work.

Under the new terms, local authorities are being given the power to strip aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding from private residential buildings above 18 metres and recover the costs from building owners.

Regulations have been laid in Parliament which will give legal effect to the combustible materials ban announced in the summer. The ban means combustible materials will not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18 metres containing flats, as well as new hospitals, residential care premises, dormitories in boarding schools and student accommodation over 18 metres.

Schools over 18 metres which are built as part of the government’s centrally delivered build programmes will also not use combustible materials, in line with the terms of the ban, in the external wall.

Communities secretary James Brokenshire MP is also taking action to speed up the replacement of unsafe ACM cladding, like the type used on Grenfell Tower.

Local authorities will get the government’s full backing, including financial support if necessary, to enable them to carry out emergency work on affected private residential buildings with unsafe ACM cladding. They will recover the costs from building owners. This will allow buildings to be made permanently safe without delay.

The government is already fully funding the replacement of unsafe ACM cladding on social sector buildings above 18 metres.

• Hawick Flood Protection Scheme update

 Councillors have approved a report in private providing an update on the Hawick Flood Protection Scheme.

The report provided further information on a number of positive developments around the scheme which will deliver protection from a 1 in 75 flood event to over 900 residential and commercial properties at risk along the River Teviot and Slitrig Water, as well as multiple benefits for the community.

The project has now been divided into six elements which are; advanced works which includes public utility diversions and vegetation clearance; the original Hawick Flood Protection Scheme approved in December 2017; 7km new cycleway and footway linking Wilton Lodge Park and Weensland; new park space in Weensland and civic space in Mansfield Road; new pumping station at Mansfield Road waste water treatment works and a new retaining wall and vehicle containment parapet at Commercial Road.