Building Briefs – October 4th

Tenants move into new Cowdenbeath council homes as Phase 2 work begins

A new council housing development in the King Street area of Cowdenbeath is now ready to become homes for the first tenants.

The 21 Fife Council homes which have Secure by Design status are a mix of one, two, four, five and seven-bedroomed houses including flats, amenity and wheelchair-accessible bungalows.

Secure by Design is Police Scotland accredited which means that they assess all sites before, during and after construction to give their approval that the properties meet criteria securing them from potential crime.

These new houses allow the council to look at the changing needs of families and provide fit for purpose housing, when circumstances change.

Work is also progressing well on Phase 2 of the development which is part of a wider programme that will deliver 2,700 new affordable houses for Fife by 2017. These will be completed before March 2017.

The eight properties in this stage of the development will comprise two-bedroomed houses, two-bedroomed wheelchair-accessible bungalows and two-bedroomed bungalows suitable for varying needs.

Bridge demolition to force overnight closure of A8

The Bredisholm Road Bridge over the A8 at Bargeddie is being demolished to install a new pedestrian footbridge over the A8 adjacent to the Showcase Cinema.

Providing improved access for pedestrians and cyclist to local amenities, the work will require the A8 to be closed between Baillieston and Shawhead Junctions in both directions from 20:00 hours on Saturday 15, to 08:00 hours on Sunday 16 October, 2016.

As a result of this closure, there will be no access to, or from, the A8 Bargeddie Junction. However, local access to the Showcase Cinema Complex will be maintained via local routes from both Shawhead and Baillieston Junctions.

When complete, the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project will significantly reduce congestion across the central Scotland motorway network, including on the A8 between Baillieston and Shawhead.

After the new M8 is opened road users will benefit by shaving approximately 20 minutes off the daily commute from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

Edinburgh University to buy former fire headquarters

The University of Edinburgh is to buy the city’s former fire service headquarters.

The Lauriston Place building opened as the service’s headquarters in 1824 and currently houses The Edinburgh Museum of Fire.

The museum will move to a new purpose-built location.

The fire building will form part of Edinburgh College of Art’s plans to transform the area into a hub for arts.

Amey begins £17m waste water upgrade project in Paisley

Amey is to begin a £17 million waste water infrastructure project in Renfrewshire.

The contractor will start building a one-mile long sewer tunnel under the streets of Paisley on Monday, 10 October.

In addition, the firm will install Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in the town centre.

The two-year scheme aims to reduce the frequency of spills from the sewer network into the Espedair Burn and White Cart Water in storm conditions, as well as improving the river quality in the River Clyde.

Works involve building a large diameter interceptor sewer beginning at Bridge Street car park and going across the Watermill Hotel car park and Lonend, before travelling along Saucel Street, beneath Saucelhill Park and the railway line near Canal Street Station, Espedair Street, Rowan Street and Kilncroft Lane/Neilston Road.

The sewer tunnel will be installed using the ‘closed face’ method, with pipe-jacking used to install the pipes behind a Microtunnel Boring Machine (MTBM). A total of 15 shafts will be installed along the sewer route, with the MTBM tunnelling between them.

A large powered screen CSO will be installed on the opposite side of the White Cart Water from Paisley Abbey, while another CSO will be developed at Causeyside Street/Forbes Place, opposite Dunn Square.

The development is part of Scottish Water’s £250 million investment in the Greater Glasgow area’s waste water network.

Leith backcourt in line for 11 mews properties

Susan Stephen Architects has brought forward plans for 11 backcourt mews properties off Edinburgh’s Bernard Street on behalf of J&M Cameron Properties.

Encompassing three separate sites the scheme will also entail conversion of two B-listed office buildings to residential use with the new build element taking the place of a former office extension.

Transport Scotland awards over £3m for railway improvements

Transport Scotland has awarded over £3 million towards improving passenger facilities and increasing accessibility on the country’s railways.

Specific investments will include a new ticket office at Blairhill station, installing new ticket vending machines at 10 stations, upgrading air conditioning systems on Class 158 trains, installing additional passenger counting equipment across ScotRail’s train fleet and improving wi-fi equipment.

In addition, new tables will be installed for wheelchair areas on new Class 385 trains, which will be introduced from Autumn 2017.

Final designs for Bearsden primary school on show

East Dunbartonshire Council is inviting residents to view the proposed final designs for a new primary school in Bearsden.

Architects Holmes Miller have drawn up plans for the new facility in Milngavie, which will be built on the site of the existing St. Andrew’s Primary School following its closure and the closure of St. Joseph’s Primary School.

A series of drop-in community events have contributed towards the final design, which is being showcased before a planning application is submitted later this month.

Work continues on Monklands Hospital redevelopment plans

Work is continuing on plans to redevelop Monklands Hospital in North Lanarkshire.

NHS Lanarkshire revealed proposals to create a new multi-million pound hospital at Monklands earlier this year.

Work is underway to develop a business case for submission to the Scottish Government with the local authority.

A consultation, which runs until 01 November, will be used to help create the development.

Preferred options include:

Following Scottish Government approval, this will create a 450-500 bed hospital to serve the region over the next 40 years via an investment of around £500 million.

To complete the consultation questionnaire, visit here.

Mactaggart & Mickel site manager continues winning streak

Mactaggart & Mickel Homes site manager Stuart Gillespie has been revealed as the regional champion for the 12th time at the recent NHBC Pride in the Job Awards.

It is the only UK-wide housing industry competition dedicated to recognising the exceptional people on the ground who oversee housing projects from start to finish.

Stuart was awarded the Seal of Excellence and Regional Winners in the medium housebuilder category in Scotland for achieving the highest standards in all aspects of house-building, taking pride in everything from the wellbeing of his team to the satisfaction of new homeowners, as well as quality craftsmanship, judged at every build stage.

He was awarded the regional title at an awards lunch held at the Hilton in Glasgow on Friday 30 September.

Stuart began his career at Mactaggart & Mickel more than 20 years ago as an apprentice joiner, working his way up the ladder to become a site manager for the company. He has won a dozen Pride in the Job Awards since, including the national title in 2011.

Stuart will now progress through to compete at the NHBC Supreme Awards gala ceremony which will take place on Friday 13 January 2017 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel, London.