Building Briefs – October 8th

The Forth Road Bridge and Forth Bridge were temporarily closed yesterday for a controlled explosion on material uncovered during upgrading of a nearby road junction.

Police halted traffic for about 45 minutes while the operation was carried out by explosives experts at 5:15pm at the Ferrytoll interchange, half a mile north of the road bridge.

It is understood potentially-explosive material from an old demolition site dating back to the 1960s was uncovered as part of the junction overhaul, where roads from the Forth Road Bridge and new Queensferry Crossing will meet.

Trump goes to Supreme Court over Menie wind farm

Donald Trump’s challenge to a planned offshore wind farm is going to the Supreme Court today.

Developers intend to site the large turbine structures close to Mr Trump’s golfing development on the Aberdeenshire coast.

The US businessman has taken on the Scottish Government, which approved the plan.

The Supreme Court judges are expected to deliver their verdict at a later date.

Consultation begins on Draft Nigg Bay Development Framework

Aberdeen City Council has launched a public consultation on the Draft Nigg Bay Development Framework – a document which seeks to maximise the potential of land around the planned expansion of Aberdeen Harbour.

The Draft Framework has been produced by planning and design consultants Barton Willmore on behalf of Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Harbour Board and Scottish Enterprise.

Aberdeen Harbour Board is proposing to create additional facilities at Nigg Bay in a direct response to capacity constraints at the existing harbour, with the consent applications due to be submitted in November.

Running alongside the separate consenting process which is underway for the harbour expansion at Nigg Bay, the aim of the Draft Nigg Bay Development Framework is to consider how to maximise the opportunities presented by investment in the harbour expansion and facilitate cohesive and properly planned growth.

In particular, the co-ordination of essential infrastructure and promotion of the efficient use of land around the proposed harbour expansion area, including existing industrial sites at Altens and East Tullos.

The Draft Framework area also covers the eastern edge of Torry, a proportion of the Coast Road, Ness and East Tullos landfill sites as well as surrounding green space.

It is expected that results will be reported back to the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee on January 20, 2016.

Drum acquires £4.5m Fife retail park

Drum Property Group has acquired a retail park in Fife for £4.5 million.

The Aberdeen-based developer purchased Duloch Park retail park in Dunfermline.

The Group’s Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) also bought Mayflower House office complex in Gateshead for £2.6m and exchanged contracts for Gosforth Shopping Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne in a deal worth £12.2m.

North Lanarkshire school undergoes £180,000 classroom refurb

A £180,000 refurbishment programme at a school in North Lanarkshire is now complete.

Bellshill Academy now contains two new chemistry rooms, one physics room and three art rooms.

In addition, a new photo-media suite is nearing completion and work will soon begin on a new dance studio and conditioning gym.

The improvements are part of a programme of planned upgrades for the school.

Holyrood to be given £1.9m security upgrade

The Scottish Parliament is to spend £1.9 million upgrading security in the wake of last year’s attack on the Canadian parliament by a lone gunman.

Security measures, including a new kiosk in a service yard to the rear of the Edinburgh complex, will be completed by May next year.

The decision was taken on the advice of the parliament’s security experts, who conducted a review following the attack on the Canadian parliament in October last year.

Angus solar project given green light

Aberdeen-based BWE Partnership said work was set to commence on its second solar park project, within Kinblethmont Estate near Arbroath, Angus.

The park will be on farmland across a 26-acre site. The estate is owned by Robert Ramsay who has invested in biomass, solar and wind over the last few years.

Perthshire windfarm proposals thrown into doubt after funding blow

A Perthshire windfarm project has been thrown into jeopardy after missing out on crucial funding.

Original plans for the troubled Bandirran scheme, earmarked for land on the Sidlaw Hills near Balbeggie, were scrapped after conservationists claimed the six giant turbines would be “out of proportion” to the surrounding landscape.

After withdrawing its planning application, Banks Renewables said it would pass the project on to a new group, the Windfall Community Development Trust.

House sales pick-up across Scotland likely to continue through autumn

House sales picked up across Scotland during September, supported by a modest improvement in properties coming on to the market, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

Agreed sales rose throughout Scotland last month, with 32 per cent more chartered surveyors seeing an increase.

Across the UK the market saw sales growth hit a 16 month high, marking the fifth consecutive month in which transactions have increased, with the North, East Anglia, and Scotland posted the sharpest rises in activity during September.