Building Briefs – October 7th

Architects at AHR have unveiled the first in a series of new gateway pavilions on the outskirts of Stranraer.

Designed to help revitalise the seaside town following the relocation of its ferry terminal to nearby Cairnryan, the cantilevered pavilion sits next to a café on the shores of Loch Ryan and is intended to provide shelter from the elements whilst offering a panoramic outlook for visitors.

Scottish construction activity increases

There has been a surge in construction activity in Scotland, according to the latest JLL/Glenigan Construction Activity Index.

Over the 12 months to Q2 2015, activity in Scotland increased by 17.6 per cent.

Elsewhere, activity rose 16.8 per cent in North West England.

However, action was relatively ‘flat’ in London and the South East of England.

The recovery may be related to the strong performance of the industrial & logistics sector, according to JLL and Glenigan.

The sector saw £3.2bn of starts over the 12 months, a 12.8 per cent increase on the £2.8bn recorded in Q1 2015.

The education sector also performed strongly, experiencing an 11.3 per cent increase in activity to £6.2bn.

Go-ahead for A737 Dalry Bypass scheme

Scottish Ministers have given the go ahead for completion of the statutory processes for the A737 Dairy Bypass scheme, according to Transport Scotland.

In addition, the design work for the A737 The Den scheme is being taken forward.

Demolition of Polmadie footbridge over River Clyde to start

Work will begin next week to demolish a structurally unsafe footbridge over the River Clyde in Glasgow.

Polmadie footbridge, which connects Glasgow Green with Oatlands and Richmond Park, opened in 1955.

It was closed to pedestrians, cyclists and river users earlier this year following concerns over safety.

Work to remove the bridge deck, leaving the concrete piers in place, will begin on 12 October. Restrictions on river users will be lifted when complete.

The process is expected to take about five months, after which access to footpaths along the riverbanks will also be restored.

Glasgow City Council has appointed demolition contractors JCJ Group to carry out the work.

The council said it was investigating funding options to replace the bridge deck.

Tom Barclay to co-chair Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group

Tom Barclay FRICS has been appointed as co-chair of the Scottish Government’s Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group.

The group brings together stakeholders from across the housing sector, working with Scottish Government officials to ensure that actions in the five-year Joint Housing Delivery Plan for Scotland, published in June 2015, are taken forward.

Tom Barclay is chief executive of Clyde Valley Group and past chairman of RICS in Scotland.

Councils spend half of infrastructure fund on homes and schools

Around 50 per cent of capital expenditure made by local authorities in Scotland, totalling £1.2 billion, has been invested in education and housing infrastructure, new figures have shown.

Released yesterday, the Capital Expenditure and Financing: Provisional Outturn for 2014-15 found that total capital expenditure by local authorities on housing was £0.68bn, up 7.1 per cent since 2013-14.

Spending on education infrastructure by councils has also increased in 2014-15 to £0.527bn – making up more than a fifth (21.8 per cent) of total capital expenditure.