Building Briefs – October 19th

• Argyll and Bute Council submits multi-million funding bid to governments

The bid comprises sixteen different projects that would bring together local and national organisations, as well as public and private sector agencies, to transform Argyll’s economy for local and national benefit.

The bid’s projects are wide-ranging. They include for example improving road and air transport links between Argyll and the central belt of Scotland; expanding broadband availability to improve healthcare services and bolster the economy; providing infrastructure and training to support business innovation; and seeking policy change to open up opportunities for growth.

• Significant progress made on new Falkirk Council HQ

Falkirk Council has welcomed progress being made on providing a new council HQ and Arts Centre to boost town centre prospects.

Work has started on a business case for the project with the longer term aim of finding a development partner and will help establish the location for the new building needed as a replacement for the Municipal Buildings. It will have a projected 300 workstations but options for larger buildings will be considered.

Discussions have also taken place with NHS Forth Valley and other community planning partners over the potential for a ‘co-location’ site.

Work will also start on a specific business case for the new arts facility (accommodating around a 500 seater venue) with Falkirk Community Trust.

The Town Centre Working Group set up earlier this year has also recently held a workshop with stakeholders including local businesses sharing ideas and opinions on future ideas.

• Tributes paid to former Highland Council surveyor

The Highland Council has paid tribute to Des Devine, former surveyor at the council who died earlier this week.

Chief executive Steve Barron said: “It is with great sadness that we heard that Des Devine passed away this week after a long and brave battle with cancer.

“Des was a surveyor in the Property service and I worked very closely with him when we formed the Asset Management team in 2008. He achieved excellent results there and his enthusiasm and energy were infectious to everyone involved. Every discussion with Des was positive and they all ended in a smile.

“He will be fondly remembered by all who knew him. I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family for their loss.”

• Childrens’ care centre plans unveiled in Aberdeen

Plans for a multi-million pound specialist support centre in Aberdeen for babies, children and young people with complex disabilities and life-limiting conditions have been unveiled.

The Charlie House charity hopes to build an eight-bedroom centre, with extra family accommodation, in the grounds of Woodend Hospital.

It would include a sensory room and garden, and a spa pool.

The joint plans with NHS Grampian have been lodged with the council.

• Call for permanent solution to keep A83 open

The leader of Argyll and Bute Council has called on the Scottish Government to formally commit to identifying and funding a permanent solution to keep the A83 open for business.

Councillors unanimously agreed the action at the meeting of full council, in response to the impact on residents and businesses of the most recent closure of the road.

Councillor Aileen Morton said: “This council, local residents, businesses and parliamentarians have all been clear for years that a permanent solution for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is absolutely essential, that the negative impact of the road closures and the negative impact of the reporting of the road closures is detrimental to Argyll’s communities.

“What made this latest closure so significant is the fact that the landslides and severe weather also wiped out, for a period, the supposed solution to the problem – the Old Military Road, which too remained closed until Monday 15th October, one full week after the first landslide

“The failure of the most recent works to keep the road open demands an urgent review of existing and future plans at the Rest and Be Thankful.

“The scale of financial support needed to deliver a permanent solution is potentially very substantial. However, when considered in the light of other investments across the country, such as the Queensferry Crossing at a cost of £1.350 billion pounds or the Aberdeen bypass at a cost of £745 million, then the potential costs here are put into a different perspective.

“Argyll is a great place to live, work and visit. Argyll is here, offering the potential to drive not only our own economy but also boost that of Scotland as a whole. That can’t be allowed to be lost because of a piece of road. Our communities, and in fact the wider Scottish economy, need and deserve a robust road network that keeps Argyll open.”

• SP Energy Networks to upgrade Kilwinning network

SP Energy Networks is to upgrade the electricity supply at Ayrshire’s busiest railway station, providing an “energy boost” to major work underway at the station.

The work at Kilwinning Railway Station is part of the development by Network Rail to build a single bridge and three new lifts to serve all four platforms.

As well as the new lifts, which will ease access for elderly and disabled passengers, there will be new lighting and a CCTV system. The station improvements therefore require the electricity capacity to be upgraded to meet the new demand.

Completing on October 31, the majority of the excavation work will be carried out during the school holidays, although it will require new traffic management around the station.