Building Briefs - October 2nd

• New Rothesay bakery shopfront is ‘electrifying’

Works began on site in February of this year that included the reinstatement of a traditional timber shopfront of heritage appearance, installation of granite stall riser, mosaic tiled entrance, decorative timber pilasters, cornice and console as well as specialist lead work repairs and decorative finishes.

The icing on the cake of the refurbishment is that discussions now taking place with other property owners with a view to improving the appearance of the rest of the building.

Rothesay TH has been making progress in complementing previous investment in the heritage of the town to bring about local regeneration.

The largest project completed to date is the restoration of the category ‘A’ listed Discovery Centre and the refurbishment of a large-scale tenement at 73-77 Victoria Street nearing completion.

There have been three traditional window repair grants awarded and work is underway to develop repair proposals for a further three tenements and another two shopfronts.

• North Lanarkshire’s positive report from road works commissioner

The independent watchdog for road works in Scotland has given North Lanarkshire Council a positive report for 2019/20.

The Scottish Road Works Commissioner has published its Performance Review for the last year, and classified North Lanarkshire’s position as “good”.

It particularly highlights the council’s performance for the average number of road works recorded per 100km as “an example for other road authorities”. North Lanarkshire recorded and co-ordinated 198 works per 100km, compared to the average of 103 for similar Scottish authorities.

The review assesses how well each authority has met its statutory obligations for the co-ordination of road works.

• Vital resurfacing work to take place in New Lanark

Braxfield Road in New Lanark will close from Monday, 5 October from 6pm until 9.30pm for up to 12 nights to allow resurfacing work to take place.

The road will be closed between its junction with New Lanark Road and its junction with Weavers Walk.

No motor vehicles (except those engaged in the work and emergency service vehicles) will be able to park or drive on the road during this time.

The road is being closed for three and a half hours each night because of the unique nature of the site – it is the only road in and out for around 400 residents of New Lanark.

• Byres Road set for Spaces for People footway widening measures

Work starts on Byres Road today to temporarily widen some sections of the footway, as part of Glasgow City Council’s Spaces for People programme which is providing extra space for physical distancing to protect public health and help suppress the spread of COVID-19.

On-street parking will be suspended in the affected areas, with extra space for people made available by repurposing the immediate road space usually occupied by parked vehicles.

Supported by funding from the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans Scotland, Spaces for People is introducing temporary infrastructure measures across Glasgow to provide extra space for people to walk, wheel or cycle during COVID-19.

Short-term measures across our city centres and neighbourhoods are seeing footways widened at pinch points to ease pedestrian movement and make it easier to access businesses, community facilities and public transport hubs. Consideration is also being given to the positioning of temporary strategic cycling routes to highlight cycling as an attractive, viable and long term commuting choice.

Work will commence on Byres Road this Friday 2 October 2020, and is due for completion on the same date. This temporary infrastructure is expected to be in place for a minimum period of 10 weeks, and reviewed in line with the Scottish Government’s COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making - Scotland’s Route Map through and out of the crisis.