Building Briefs – September 25th

Affordable housing partnership continues in Fife

A formal agreement between Fife Council and the Fife Housing Association Alliance has been renewed for the next five years, allowing the partnership to continue to deliver affordable housing across the region.

The Fife Housing Association Alliance is a collaborative working arrangement between the four housing associations based in Fife: Kingdom Group, Glen Housing Association, Ore Valley Group and Fife Housing Group.

The council has, for over ten years, worked in formal partnership with the members of the Alliance to deliver the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) for Fife.

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Public consultation on Newburgh Conservation Area appraisal

Residents are invited to comment on the appraisal and management plan prepared for their conservation area.

Fife Council has undertaken an appraisal of the special architectural and historic character of the Newburgh Conservation Area, and set out a Management Plan for its on-going protection.

A copy of the draft Newburgh Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan is now available in the Tayside Institute, 90-92 High Street, Newburgh. Fife Council staff will be available to answer any queries relating to the appraisal on Wednesday 11 October between 4.00pm and 6.00pm. A copy of the draft appraisal is also available to download from the Fife Direct website www.fifedirect.org.uk at the “Conservation Areas in Fife” page.

Any comments are requested by 20 October 2017.

Ochil View announces plan to renew house building at AGM

The chairperson of Ochil View Housing Association has announced the organisation’s intention to restart its suspended housing development programme having recently approved a business case to complete a development in Sauchie.

Subject to tender, the Association will complete the second and final phase of at Millers Lade Avenue.

Tom Brown’s announcement was made at the Associations AGM held earlier this month during which he reported that financially, the Association had another good year with its annual financial results and long term financial forecasts being in good health.

He expressed the Association’s appreciation for the support of Clackmannanshire Council, who had included the Millers Lade Avenue project in the most recent Strategic Housing Investment Programme for 2017/2018, and for including a further Ochil View owned site at Elm Grove in Alloa, for development in the future.

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Council awarded over £460,000 to upgrade Aberdeen transport links

More than £460,000 is to be invested to regenerate cycle and pedestrian links in Aberdeen.

Routes in and around Heathryfold Park, Middlefield and Northfield are to be upgraded after Aberdeen City Council accepted a £469,094 grant from national body Sustrans to fund the work.

The scheme is designed to increase the accessibility and usage of paths that cross Heathryfold Park and routes which link with the part, improve the night-time accessibility of the paths and increase the number of journeys made by cycle and on foot in Middlefield and Northfield by enhancing active travel routes.

A procurement exercise will be undertaken to deliver the improvements. The committee’s decision is subject to confirmation from legal and finance officers that the grant funding conditions can be met.

South Lanarkshire puts people at the heart of housing with new strategy

South Lanarkshire Council has published its Local Housing Strategy 2017-2022 which sets out the priority actions and outcomes that aims to improve the quality, range and access to good quality affordable housing across the region.

The long-term plan was launched to coincide with Scottish Housing Day which took place last week to raise awareness of the fundamental contribution which good housing makes to people’s lives and the options available to people when deciding where to live.

Affordable Homes, Sustainable Places is published online and can be viewed and downloaded at www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk.

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AWPR - new south section bridge set to open permanently

The contractor for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project is expected to permanently open a new bridge on the C25K Bridge of Muchalls to Burnhead Road during week commencing 1 October 2017 following a short-term closure of the C24K Cookney Road.

The contractor is expected to close the road during the morning of Wednesday 27 September and then reopen it permanently on Sunday night, 1 October. This will enable the contractor to complete the road connections between the new bridge on the C25K Bridge of Muchalls to Burnhead Road to the existing C24K Cookney Road.

The contractor will sign-post the diversion. Drivers heading north should travel via the C25K Muchalls to Burnhead Road, the C12K Bridge of Muchalls to Netherley Road, the B979 Netherley Road and C13K Lairhillock to Portlethen Road. The reverse journey should be used by those travelling south.

Plans for 50 new affordable homes on show in Kirkintilloch

Local residents are being offered the chance to find out more about proposals to build around 50 affordable homes in Kirkintilloch at two public events.

Bield Housing and Care is working with East Dunbartonshire Council on proposals to build the housing on a site known locally as Cleddans Playing Fields or Tottie Park.

The area is presently used for open space and a 1970’s retirement housing complex but was allocated in the Local Development Plan for residential development earlier this year.

Features include a mix of social rented and shared equity flats and houses, as well as a proposed new Day Care building. Around 38 new retirement apartments would also be created to replace the existing complex owned by Bield Housing and Care at Whitehill Court.

Other highlights include new streets, public spaces and a play area while existing public footpaths would be maintained and improved.

Residents are now being invited to view the development plans at two public events:

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