Building Briefs – November 3rd

Balloch pupils have helped mark the official start of building work by Morgan Sindall on their new schools.

Pupils from Haldane, St Kessog’s and Jamestown primaries and Jamestown Early learning and Childcare Centre joined Education Convener Councillor Michelle McGinty and Depute Convener Councillor John Mooney as they cut the first sod on the site of the new Balloch Education Campus.

The £16million development will incorporate a new St Kessog’s Primary co-located with an amalgamated Jamestown and Haldane primary school, additional support needs base and early learning and childcare centre.

The building, which is being constructed in the grounds of the former St Kessog’s Primary, will provide state-of-the-art surroundings enhancing enhance teaching and learning for hundreds of pupils.

Councillor McGinty said: “It’s fantastic to see work underway on this development which will deliver a first class education campus for pupils in Balloch. This project will move pupils from ageing buildings into brand new schools, purpose-built for modern day learning in which they will be supported to attain and achieve.”

The new campus is set to open next winter.

English firm emerges as new owner of 700-acre Highland site

A Derbyshire-based land and property developer has purchased the 700-acre former fabrication yard at Adersier, in the Highlands, in a £5million deal now revealed in a recent progress report by administrators of the liquidated former owners.

KPMG documents show that CWC Group now lists the site, near Nairn, among its nationwide portfolio of 118 properties.

There has been widespread speculation over the future of the site since it went on the market earlier this year after its previous owners, Port of Ardersier, went into administration.

The former owners had hoped to turn the yard, originally built to fabricate massive steel jackets for North Sea oil platforms, into a manufacturing “super-hub” for offshore wind.

Although it has now emerge d that the deal was completed on Friday, July 8, the new owner’s plans for the land are not yet known.

Housing plan for Scottish Power HQ

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes have prepared plans for a residential development at the former Scottish Power HQ at Cathcart House, Glasgow.

The in-house design will see a mix of housing take the place of surface car parks together with public realm improvements.

A key component of the project will be a ‘western boulevard’ centered on the axis of Cathcart House lined by three storey terraces and newly planted trees it will form the main entrance to the site.

This will be joined by a ‘terrace garden’ that will offer residents their own open space at the foot of Cathcart House, deferring to the scale and presence of the historic landmark.

In their design statement the applicants said: “The Northern Terrace Garden is a strongly defined feature fronted by linked buildings but providing a more open enclosure.

“This space continues out from Cathcart House towards the existing retaining wall where the ground drops revealing spectacular views across Glasgow. Here we have relocated another historic existing structure to form a stepped pedestrian access down to the remaining Northern peninsula of the site. The new apartment blocks are located at the base of this existing wall and here help frame the views out from Cathcart House.”

Lower density housing will be located to the site periphery along the banks of the White Cart River.

Keyline appointment marks drive to support traffic need in north of England

In a bid to address the traffic management needs in the north of England, Keyline, the UK’s leading specialist supplier of civils, drainage solutions and heavy building materials, has appointed a new Business Development Manager for the region.

Tina Haines will support the company as they become the first industry supplier in the UK to provide bulk quantities of traffic management products in all of its branches.

As part of her remit, Tina will be monitoring projects being taken on by national contractors as well as targeting Keyline’s traditional and existing suppliers, understanding their requirements and ensuring they receive the right traffic management products.

She has more than ten years of experience in the industry previously holding the role of Tender Manager at Parker Merchanting, where she compiled tenders and proposals to local and national contractors.

She later moved to Keyline in the summer of 2015 as a Bid Estimating & Support Manager before being appointed in this new position.

Commenting on her new role, Tina said: “I am really excited to have been offered this position. Keyline is a fantastic company to work for and are a very forward thinking organisation. I’m looking forward to flourishing in this role.”

Repairs to historic bridge to begin

Work to repair Broadmeadows Bridge in the Yarrow Valley in the Borders begins next week.

The bridge on the A708 road was damaged by a vehicle in September last year, leading to temporary lights being used to allow traffic to continue to use it.

Following a full assessment, Scottish Borders Council (SBC) will rebuild a section of the masonry on the upstream side of the structure, allowing the bridge to remain open with the continued use of traffic lights.

The remaining areas of walls will be anchored using steel ties, which will be cored and cemented into the bridge structure.

The £100,000 works will start during week commencing Monday 7 November, and last 13 weeks.

Discussions have also been held with SBC and utility companies whose apparatus runs through the bridge.

SBC’s Executive Member for Roads and Infrastructure, Councillor Gordon Edgar, said: “The Council has recognised the importance of keeping Broadmeadows Bridge open for the local community.

“The A708 is a vital route for the Yarrow Valley community and a temporary diversion would have caused significant disruption.

“The Council thanks the local community for their patience and will carry out the works safely, and as quickly as possible.”

Progress in A737 Improvements at Beith scheme

A much-needed road scheme for the A737 at Beith took a significant step forward today with the publication of draft road orders.

This marks the start of the statutory consultation period for this scheme which will deliver an overtaking opportunity for northbound traffic and two new roundabouts on this short stretch of the A737.

A public exhibition is to be held in Beith Community Centre on Friday 11 November to let local residents and road users view and comment on the plans for the route.

Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf said: “The Scottish Government is working hard to improve the trunk road network in North Ayrshire and also right across the country. This road improvement scheme at Beith, underlines our commitment to communities in North Ayrshire and the surrounding areas.

“At the same time, we are currently progressing the nearby Dalry Bypass scheme with works expected to begin by the end of March 2017.

“When completed, the A737 Improvements at Beith scheme will provide new junctions at Beith to help improve the road system around the town, will also improve traffic flow and bring additional road safety benefits.

“I would urge road users and anyone in the area with an interest to visit the community centre next Friday and see for themselves the plans and let us hear their views.”

The exhibition material will be available to view from Friday 11 November at: www.transport.gov.scot/project/a737-improvements-beith

Innovative housing projects set to benefit from £150k fund

Five UK housing projects helping homeless people - or those at risk of homelessness - to rent a home have been chosen as the beneficiaries of a new £150k fund.

The Help-To-Rent funding programme has been commissioned by Crisis, the national charity for homeless people, and will support the five projects to continue their innovative work enabling single homeless people to find long-term solutions to their homelessness.

The winners were announced to delegates attending Crisis’, ‘The Private Rented Sector – A Home For All?’ conference yesterday. Funded by the Oak Foundation, the conference explored challenges in the sector including access, affordability, standards and security, but also where practice can only go so far and where policy needs to change.

Chris Hancock, Head of Housing at Crisis, said: “We are delighted to announce the five recipients of our funding programme and look forward to supporting the delivery of these outstanding projects for the next two years.

“Government funding for Help to Rent schemes came to an end in England earlier this year, so the programme has come at a vital time. Over the past six years, these schemes have helped more than 10,000 homeless people into decent homes, so we hope the projects we’ve chosen can share their learning both locally and across the UK, while we continue to make the case for renewed national funding.”