Building Briefs – September 20th

Future pupils of Whatriggs Primary and Early Childhood Centre joined Councillor Douglas Reid for an official ground breaking ceremony at the East Ayrshire project.

Preparations for the start of building work progressed well over the summer months. The ground was cleared ready for the foundations to be laid and, slightly ahead of schedule; the steel work was delivered and is now being erected.

Whatriggs Primary and Early Childhood Centre was designed by Keppie Design and the main contractor is Morrison Construction.

Morrison has been working with the children from both schools delivering site safety training ensuring that they are aware of the dangers a building site can bring.

They have also been working with East Ayrshire Council’s Employability Service to ensure that local people have an opportunity to work at the site, with three local people already in employment thanks to the co-operative working.

New station car park for Falkirk High

Work on an a new car park for Falkirk High station is set to start next month creating an additional 61 car parking spaces for commuters and travellers.

The new 2500m2 site, located close to the station off the B803 (Slamannan Road) is expected to be opened by February 2017 at a cost of £785k.

It will provide a third car park in the immediate vicinity of the station and bring the total number of dedicated car parking spaces available to 416.

The project is majority funded by Falkirk Council’s capital programme with contributions from ScotRail and the Scottish Stations Fund, and will see new lighting, CCTV, cycle rack and pedestrian access will be via an underpass/path on Drossie Road.

A tender for the work has already been issued by Falkirk Council and a contractor is expected to be appointed by the end of September 2016.

Council proposes £2.4m investment in Borders roads

A proposal to spend an additional £2.4 million on the Borders’ roads will be considered by councillors next week.

A six month review of Scottish Borders Council’s 10 year capital plan will be presented to councillors on September 29 and will highlight revisions to the programme that have led to £2.4m becoming available.

The administration will propose putting this sum towards a number of road and bridge improvements across the region.

The council has already committed an extra £2.5m over five years to roads as part of the budget announced in February - representing a 14 per cent increase on the previous revenue budget.

Among the proposed changes to the capital programme is the removal of the Peebles 3G pitch project.

Ballater Royal Station to be rebuilt after devastating fire

The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has given the go ahead for the reinstatement of the Old Royal Station in Ballater after approving Aberdeenshire Council’s planning application.

The historic building – housing the town’s Visitor Information Centre, a restaurant, museum and other businesses – was almost completely destroyed by fire in May 2015.

Meeting in Boat of Garten last week, members of the CNPA Planning Committee wholeheartedly supported the application.

Revised Broughty Ferry flats plan lodged

Revised plans for the erection of five three bedroom flats in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, have been tabled by Arktx following withdrawal of an earlier submission.

The new scheme has been reduced in scale with remaining flats granted increased floor space whilst a balcony has been added to the south façade.

£3.2m investment to improve West Dunbartonshire play facilities

Over £3 million is being invested developing new play parks for young people across West Dunbartonshire to enjoy.

A series of new play areas have already been created at a cost of £1m and councillors approved plans for a further £2.2m of projects which will enhance play facilities at an additional 23 sites.

The next phase of developments, which are being funded from money set aside for community improvements in this year’s budget, include new play areas in New Bonhill, Haldane, Christie Park, Tullichewan, Dumbarton Common, Overburn, St Helena Crescent, Goldenhill Park and Linnvale.

This will be followed by a further phase including a new play area in Balloch, a skate park in Bonhill and a new all-weather games area in Goldenhill Park. Residents in the areas where these improvements are planned will be asked for their feedback on the proposals and, if there is community support, work is scheduled to begin in the next 18 months.

A new skate park is planned for Dillichip Park while the Multi Use Games Area in Castlehill will be upgraded and an all weather sports area will be created at Goldenhill MUGA.

Work will begin on the projects once the procurement process is complete.

Building schools for the future in Arbroath

Progress of the Arbroath Schools Project will be heard by members of Angus Council’s children and learning committee today.

Phase 1 has so far seen the replacement of Timmergreens and Warddykes Primary Schools which opened at the start of the new school term in August 2016. The final stages of phase 1, which is due to complete later this year, will see work on the playing fields and the demolition of the previous Warddykes school building.

Progress on phase 2/3a, which includes the replacement of Hayshead, Ladyloan and Muirfield primary schools, will also be discussed.

Subject to a full site investigation, Ladyloan Primary School will be constructed while the existing school remains. This approach will see a number of benefits including reducing the impact on pupils and staff and the delivery of the new building earlier than originally anticipated.

Members will also be asked for authority to carry out a formal consultation on a shared campus between Hayshead and St Thomas Primary Schools. The proposal for a shared campus is to develop a building where both Hayshead and St Thomas would be located.

The individual school identities and ethos would remain. Both schools would have their own teaching spaces and shared ancillary spaces including halls, general purpose rooms.

Chance to meet A96 dualling design team

Locals are to get a chance to meet the design team for the over 28 mile stretch of the A96 to be dualled between Hardmuir and Fochabers.

Three “Meet the team” events are being held in early October in Fochabers, Forres and Elgin when representatives from Transport Scotland’s A96 Dualling team and their design consultants Mott MacDonald Sweco Joint Venture, including the scheme stakeholder co-ordinator, will be available to answer questions on the early design and assessment work being carried out on this stretch of the route.

Details of the Meet the team events:

Tuesday 4 October 2016, 12 noon – 7pm

Bellie Church Hall, The Square, Fochabers, IV32 7DG

Wednesday 5 October 2016, 12 noon – 7pm

Ramnee Hotel, Victoria Road, Forres, IV36 3BN

Thursday 6 October 2016, 12 noon – 7pm

The Gallery, Elgin Library, Cooper Park, Elgin, IV30 1HS

Council seeks views on Lenzie improvement project

East Dunbartonshire Council is inviting residents to submit ideas on how to boost transport links and improve the town centre in Lenzie.

The Lenzie Improvement Project aims to upgrade the village centres public realm as well as Lenzie Rail Station.

A design workshop is planned to take place in November, with another to provide information and gather views in January 2017. Feedback will be used to form design proposals, which will be trialled in April next year.

The first public engagement event will take place at Lenzie Station car park from 3pm – 7pm on Tuesday, 27 September.

Dundee Green Circular upgrades complete

Dundee City Council has completed a number of improvement projects on the Green Circular cycling and walking route.

The 25-mile route, which was first opened in 1994, was in need of repairs after the original surface began to slowly deteriorate.

Upgrade schemes included replacing a 400-metre stretch of land at Trottick Ponds, which was partly funded by Sustrans and Tactrans’ Active Travel Grant.

Further upgrades include resurfacing at Riverside Drive, Mill o Mains Park, Lower Broughty Ferry Road and Balmuir near Trottick and by replacing signage.

The Green Circular is surveyed every year, and plans for improvement are prepared when appropriate.

SSE to redevelop historic buildings at Wick Harbour

SSE is to redevelop two historic buildings at Wick Harbour as part of the £2.6 billion Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL) project.

The harbour has been selected as the project’s Operations and Maintenance base as it is located close to Beatrice’s 84 offshore wind turbines and has suitable quayside facilities.

The base will be required for the 25-year lifespan of the project.

Subject to receiving planning permission, the facility is set to be housed in two partial blocks of Lower Pulteneytown on Wick’s Harbour Quay.

Designed by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford, the iconic buildings were originally developed for the British Fisheries society in 1807.

SSE said BOWL’s proposal to redevelop the buildings is “in keeping with their past” as they were designed, planned and built as an industrial marine development.

Members of the local community were invited to view BOWL’s proposed plans for the buildings at Mackays Hotel last week.