Building Briefs – October 3rd

Consistent recognition for award-winning site manager

A Perth site manager, who is making the finishing touches to his Perthshire development, has secured the 15th ‘Pride in the Job’ award for the site.

Having joined as an apprentice at the age of 16, Alan Robertson has worked for Perth-based Stephen for 38 years.

The team arrived on site at Balgarvie in Scone in 2000, with only a handful of properties now remaining available for sale.

Alan received his award in the Small Builder category at a special ceremony at the Hilton Glasgow last week.

North Ayrshire Council increases its social housing commitment

North Ayrshire Council has pledged to build an extra 250 council houses as part of an ambitious investment programme to create 1000 new homes within the next five years.

The council’s cabinet has approved the bold proposal which aims to increase affordable housing provision as well as provide a shot in the arm for the North Ayrshire economy.

Last year, the council increased its target of building 500 new homes across North Ayrshire by 250.

However, cabinet members have increased that target further by expanding the programme to deliver an additional 250 houses within the next five years, bringing the number of new build social housing to 1000.

The additional 250 houses are expected to be funded through a mix of Scottish Government grants, prudential borrowing and reserves.

The expanded housing programme has been included in the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2018-2023, which will shortly be submitted to the Scottish Government for approval.

(Full story… )

New Fraserburgh homes could influence future Aberdeenshire developments

An Aberdeenshire Council housing development in Fraserburgh, innovatively built with a focus on energy efficiency, was officially opened last week.

Heritage Way, on the town’s Barrasgate Road, features 30 properties in a mixture of flats and houses, three of which have been designed for people with physical disabilities.

The development was supported by a successful bid for funding from the Scottish Government’s Greener Homes Innovation Scheme.

It was formally opened by minister for local government and housing, Kevin Stewart MSP, in a ceremony involving Provost of Aberdeenshire Councillor Bill Howatson, and chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s communities committee, Councillor Anne Stirling.

The innovation scheme was established to support the promotion of energy-efficient housing using innovative methods of off-site construction and low-carbon technologies, in line with the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Housing Strategy.

The low-carbon, low-energy flats and houses were designed by architect Gokay Deveci of Robert Gordon University and are finished in zinc. The metal was chosen for its longevity and resistance to rust.

Energy use and consumption in six of the properties will be monitored by the university for 15 months, and it is expected the information will help inform future housing programmes developed by the council.

(Full story… )

Work starts to replace Aberdeenshire bridge

Work is well underway on a replacement scheme for the Denmill Bridge on the C67C Kinmuck to B977 road, near Hatton of Fintry.

Following a structural inspection and assessment, the original bridge – constructed in the 1930s – was found to no longer be capable of safely carrying the weight of traffic crossing it on a daily basis. This bridge was demolished as part of this replacement project.

Due to the nature of the site, significant excavation was needed to reach the depth required to place the new bridge foundations. Now these are in place, work has started to construct the bridge abutments.

A 750 tonne crane, one of the largest mobile cranes in use in the UK, is lifting and lowering the 20 tonne blocks which form part of the new abutments.

Once the abutments are complete, the next step will be to install the bridge’s arch. A flexi-arch will be used; this is designed to be installed very quickly, but still carry modern traffic loading. The bridge design uses many precast concrete elements, which will reduce the amount of on-site construction time required.

It is hoped the bridge will be complete by the end of November.

£175m Dumfries and Galloway electricity upgrade ‘well on track’

The first phase of a £175 million eight-year electricity supply upgrade in Dumfries and Galloway is “well on track” according to SP Energy Networks.

Initial work has seen £20m spent in the region this year alone.

An overhead line network upgrade, substation refurbishment and new connection work have been completed.

The company said the investment had gone a “long way” to keeping power and lights on at the region’s 85,000 homes and businesses.

It highlighted a number of other projects including £1.82m on the rebuild of the main power line from Newton Stewart to Sorbie; a £2.5m refurbishment of the main substation in Dumfries and the installation of modern equipment to reduce network faults.

Council invites local businesses to attend procurement surgeries

Argyll and Bute Council is inviting local businesses and contractors to attend a series of local procurement surgeries over the next three months.

The events provide an opportunity to meet procurement officers, learn about the council’s procurement procedures and find out more about forthcoming contract opportunities and the support available through the Supplier Development Programme.

Contracts vary in cost and size and include re-roofing, fire alarm installations and upgrades and replacements of heating systems, refurbishment of buildings, electrical works, bridge strengthening, parking machines and traffic management works.

Last year, up to £7.6m worth of contracts was awarded to local companies.

Procurement surgeries will be held in:

Perthshire property experts report ‘huge demand’

Homes for sale in Perth and Perthshire are “flying off the shelves” according to local property experts.

As Perthshire Solicitors Property Centre collates its three quarter year statistics for 2017, it has emerged that 579 homes have sold so far this year, with a combined value of just over £105 million. The average sale price so far this year has been £182,259.

In comparison, the three quarter period is an improvement on 2016, when £94M worth of homes had sold by the end of September.

The last quarter – from July to September – also saw the largest average sale price PSPC has reported all year, at just over £188,000.

Scottish Natural Heritage announces social housing research

To celebrate yesterday’s World Habitat Day, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has commissioned research into the opportunities for green infrastructure within social housing projects as part of a wider drive to encourage greater access to green spaces.

According to new SNH chief executive, Francesca Osowska, everyone in Scotland should be able to access nature on their doorstep.

The theme for the United Nations’ World Habitat Day, is Housing Policies: Affordable Homes. SNH’s ambition is that everyone should have easy access to good quality green space and opportunities to experience nature close to where they live, which supports the national indicator on access to local green space.

Green space and access to nature is beneficial for individuals, communities and society at large. There is also a growing recognition that access to nature can bring a range of health benefits.

The research, which will be published in April 2018, will review existing practice and research opportunities for green infrastructure to the residents of social housing and the wider community.

(Full story… )

Sewer system repairs project to start in Dumfries

Work is to begin on a sewer system repairs project in Dumfries.

The five-day scheme will be carried out on Criffel Road near the junction of Criffel Drive from 16 October.