Building Briefs – September 12th

Residents are being invited to view proposals for the new waterfront walkway linking Dumbarton Town Centre to Dumbarton Rock.

The walkway, which will span over 1100 metres, will be ideal for walkers and cyclists and create a scenic link for tourists and visitors to the historic Dumbarton Castle from the town centre.

A public drop-in consultation event will be held on Tuesday, 27 September, between 12pm and 7.30pm in the town’s Riverside Parish Church Hall. Residents will have the opportunity to view the plans, to ask any questions and provide comments to West Dunbartonshire Council before a planning application is submitted.

The council is working with the landowners including Culross, Lidl, Dumbarton Football Club, Turnberry Homes, Morrisons and Historic Environment Scotland to ensure that the waterfront walkway and the adjacent planned developments complement each other.

Kingdom breathes new life into Hyundai site with 56 new Dunfermline homes

Kingdom Housing Association is on site with its latest project at Dunlin Drive, South Dunfermline, where 56 new affordable homes are being developed at a cost of £6.7 million.

The site, part of the former Hyundai plant, is being developed for Kingdom by Persimmon Partnership Homes as part of a larger mixed tenure development.

The Scottish Government provided around £2.9m subsidy support to Kingdom for the £6.7m project.

The Kingdom properties are being provided as part of the affordable housing policy requirements for the site.

Economists call for ’shot in the arm’ to boost warm homes

Leading economists have today backed calls for greater investment in energy efficiency in Scotland, calling it one of the best ways to drive up economic activity and tackle cold homes.

The economists from the London School of Economics and the University of Strathclyde said that energy efficiency programmes are an excellent way to boost the economy by getting cash out into local communities and into consumers’ pockets as quickly as possible.

Announcing her Programme for Government last week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged £20 million of post-EU referendum stimulus funds to be channelled to energy efficiency programmes.

However, the economists urged the Scottish Government to build on this good start, to amplify the economic benefits and speed up action on fuel poverty and climate change.

They join over 50 organisations backing the call from the Existing Homes Alliance for a national infrastructure programme to improve the efficiency of Scotland’s homes, to tackle fuel poverty and climate change.

Back to school in Edinburgh for Atmos Consulting

Environmental planning consultancy Atmos Consulting are packing their bags and preparing for the first day back at school, after setting up offices in a historic Edinburgh school building.

The Atmos Consulting team have relocated from previous offices at Rosebery House next to Haymarket station as a new tenant in architect Robert Wilson’s iconic Canning Street building.

Wilson was an architect for the Edinburgh board of Education and responsible for building many of the city’s most recognisable school buildings. Throughout his career, he was involved in several projects aimed at improving the lives of the poor and destitute, a legacy which can still be seen in Edinburgh today, more than 100 years after his death.

Consultation opens on Scottish land registry

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on proposals for a register showing who controls Scotland’s land.

Part of efforts to improve the transparency of land ownership, the register will provide information on controlling interests in land owners and tenants, including those from outside the UK.

Views are being sought on:

Building work starts on Govanhill affordable homes

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon marked the beginning of a £5.5 million development that will provide affordable homes at a derelict site in Govanhill.

A ceremony to mark the beginning of construction work at Govanhill Housing Association’s development at the corner of Victoria Road and Butterbiggins Road was attended by the Glasgow Southside MSP on Friday along with other elected representatives for the area.

The 42-home scheme will provide homes with affordable rents to help meet the growing demand for housing in the area.

Designed by Glasgow-based Collective Architecture, the Victoria/Butterbiggins development involves a seven-storey corner building that descends into shorter blocks. It will include two and three bedroom family flats, as well as a number of larger family homes and amenity flats for elderly people, with wheelchair access for some.

The project, which is supported by £3.25m grant funding from Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government, is expected to be completed by January 2018. The site was occupied by a cinema until 1986 and also a petrol station, more recently being used as a public art space.

New cycle route for Aberdeen’ South Anderson Drive

Work is to start soon on a new £160,000 shared use cycle route up the western side of South Anderson Drive between Ruthrieston Road and Garthdee Road.

The route, between Ruthrieston Road and Garthdee Road, would include widening and resurfacing the current path and the works may require tree removal and replacement tree planting.

The cycle route, is being led by Aberdeen City Council, with support from Sustrans and Nestrans, will connect in with the existing facilities at Riverside Drive and will also include some upgrades to pedestrian crossings.

The design for the cycle route is being finalised, and consultations are also being held with Transport Scotland and Bear Scotland as it falls within the trunk road boundary.

It is aimed the route will be open in early 2017.

Work starts on new council housing development in West Lothian

Work is currently underway to develop new council homes in West Lothian.

A mixture of 40 new cottage flats, bungalows and houses are being developed by Lovell at Eastfield in Fauldhouse.

The scheme is part of a £100 million investment by West Lothian Council to deliver 1,000 new homes and work is expected to be completed in 2017.

Council to develop residential strategy for Glasgow city centre

Glasgow City Council is to draw up a new plan to allow more people to enjoy living in the city centre.

The area is already home to 28,000 residents, but it is expected there will be growing demand in future years for more accommodation.

Real estate advisor Savills has been appointed to assist on this residential strategy, forming a team with expertise in economic development, local regeneration, housing, property and planning.

Consulting with a range of city centre stakeholders, the team will consider the current city centre residential market, existing and vacant residential space, and examine live planning applications to clarify market interest.

The team will also consider which areas in the city centre are most viable for residential expansion, the possibility of converting former commercial and office space for residential uses, and which districts in the city centre would be best suited to different housing types. Barriers to residential and development and use will also be examined.

Other issues which will be scrutinised include private renting initiatives in UK cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, examining local and national policies which are likely to affect residential development in the city centre, and identifying potential funding sources.

These actions will allow the council to deliver a new city centre residential strategy.

Visitors shown progress of £6m Moray affordable housing development

A group of dignitaries have been shown around the site of a new £6 million affordable housing development in Elgin, the construction of which has been made possible through a strong partnership between Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association, Moray Council, the Scottish Government and Health and Social Care Moray.

Cllr Lorna Creswell, chair of Health and Social Care Moray, was shown the progress of the new development at Glassgreen, just off Thornhill Road, with Cllr James Allan as well as Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association board member, Professor Alison Petch and Hanover chief executive, Helen Murdoch.

Working closely together, Hanover Scotland, Moray Council and Health and Social Care Moray identified the need for a new model of housing in the area that has the flexibility to provide extra care with both dementia and wheelchair specific flats.

Glassgreen is the second development in the area to use this model, with the first one nearing completion at Leask Road, Forres. Every flat is designed for flexible use and to maximise the use of space, is well insulated, and even features an air source heat pump to reduce heating costs.

In total, the development will consist of 30 two-bedroom flats and is estimated to be completed at the end of July 2017. There will be four wheelchair accessible flats, six flats specifically designed for people with dementia and 20 extra care flats in a single building. It will incorporate a communal Hub which contains a reception area, common room, office/meeting room, toilets and kitchen/café area on the ground floor, as well as a sleepover suite and toilets on the first floor.

Work began on the site at Glassgreen in late March 2016 and is just one of three sites Hanover is currently working on in Moray with other locations at Leask Road, Forres and Haugh Road, Elgin.

Design commendation for Eildon development

Eildon Housing Association has received a Commendation in the Placemaking Design award from Scottish Borders Council for its development at Old School Place, Lauder.

The award is in recognition for the high quality of design which was built on the site of the former Lauder Primary School which had lain derelict since a new school had been built in 2009.

The judges said: “This modest development of social homes creates a strong streetscape to the back lane of the burgh. It successfully takes themes from the rear of the nearby burgage plots, especially the frontage gables, and the co-joined gable is a particularly strong element. Within the courtyard, the sense of place is enhanced by the controlled view to the countryside. Placemaking is aided by the selective use of whinstone and enlivened by the careful use of colour.”

This is not the first time the development has been lauded. The development of 12 three bedroomed homes was shortlisted for a Herald Property Award, and also received a ’Commended Award’ at the Homes for Scotland Awards in 2014 for its sympathetic design which includes the use of whinstone from the former school building as well as the date stone which has been incorporated as a feature.

The development consists of nine family homes for affordable rent and three for mid-market rent. This was the first time Eildon offered properties at mid-market rent and they have proved extremely popular.

The £1.67 million project was funded by a combination of contributions from the Scottish Government, Scottish Borders Council and Eildon Housing Association.