Building Briefs – September 28th

100 Queen Street shortlisted for national property award

An office refurbishment at 100 Queen Street in Glasgow has been shortlisted for a prestigious British Council for Offices (BCO) national award in the refurbished or recycled category.

The BCO awards recognise the highest quality office developments across the UK. The award ceremony will take place in London on Tuesday 3 October.

BCO judges noted the project successfully overcame problematic issues of retaining a substantial listed landmark building to deliver excellent office accommodation with exceptional attention to detail. They were particularly impressed with the way the team embraced every challenge and overcame each obstacle.

When it reached practical completion in December 2016 the building totalled 54,000 sq ft across seven floors of office accommodation above retail space on the ground floor.

The office space has been let to spirits company Edrington, accountancy firm Mazars and Lindsays solicitors who completed their move into the building this week. Retail space has been let to Castle Fine Art with active interest in the remaining units.

Government promises more diverse ownership in its vision for land rights

The Scottish Government’s ‘world first’ vision for land rights and responsibilities promises greater transparency and a “more diverse pattern” of ownership.

The Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement outlines six guiding principles for the creation of “A Scotland with a strong and dynamic relationship between its land and people, where all land contributes to a modern and successful country, and where rights and responsibilities in relation to land are fully recognised and fulfilled.”

Announcing the publication of the statement at the Scottish Land Commission Conference in Dunfermline, land reform secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “I’m proud that this statement about land rights and responsibilities is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. I am sure it will play an important role in shaping the thinking on land issues in Scotland in the years to come.

“It rightly promotes and supports a human rights approach to land and will contribute to securing rights, equality and wellbeing by balancing public and private interests.

“Setting out this vision signals our determination to continue to lead the way in ensuring Scotland’s urban and rural land plays a full role in promoting inclusive growth, a sustainable economy and social justice.”

Westpoint development wins top industry accolade

Laigh Meadows in the village of Fenwick won a prize at a glittering awards ceremony in the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central Hotel last week.

The development by Westpoint Homes beat tough competition for the prized award at The Herald Property Awards for Scotland.

A collection of eighteen homes situated in the village adjacent to the Fenwick Hotel, judges were impressed with the development’s idyllic surroundings bordered by established trees, and its use of materials in keeping with the area, such as natural stone walls and ornate external finishes, complimenting the rural backdrop.

Also with a nod to tradition, Westpoint has created a village green along with a separate children’s play area.

Work starts on 21 new Midlothian affordable homes for Melville

Melville Housing Association is to deliver 21 high-quality affordable homes thanks to a £2.8 million deal with Taylor Wimpey East Scotland.

Construction recently got underway on the new properties at Taylor Wimpey’s Harvieston Park development in Gorebridge. The new homes will help meet the high demand for social housing in Midlothian, where there are currently over 4,000 individuals and families on the housing waiting list.

The new properties, which are expected to be complete by early 2019, will mainly consist of two bedroom flats and three bedroom houses suitable for smaller and average-sized families.

The overall cost of the project is £2.8m, with slightly more than half (£1.58m) coming from a Scottish Government grant. The remainder of the project will be funded by Melville Housing’s own finance.

This latest project builds on an already successful partnership in Midlothian between Melville Housing and Taylor Wimpey, which, once completed, will have delivered almost 100 high quality, affordable homes across the local area.

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Midlothian reaches affordable house building milestone

Midlothian Council has reached a milestone in its affordable housing programme by completing its 1000th new house.

Stacey Hogg, the tenant of the three bedroom new property at Robert Franks Avenue in Gorebridge, was presented with the keys to her new home by Councillor Stephen Curran, cabinet member for customer and housing services.

A total of 1,020 new council homes have now been delivered in Midlothian since the council embarked on its new build housing programme in 2006. Midlothian is one of only three Scottish councils to have increased their stock over the last 10 years.

​As with all the new council houses in Midlothian, the 1000th home has been designed to look appealing and also be practical for modern day living with fitted wardrobes, high levels of insulation and generous garden sizes.

​Historically poor housing has contributed to poor health and poverty and the provision of council housing has improved the health and life expectancy in communities across Scotland.

It’s not only the tenants and those on the waiting list who are benefitting from the provision of new council housing in the area. The increase in new housing stock also helps to invigorate local communities. The build programme is helping the local economy by bringing jobs in the building trade to the area.

​There are still over 4,500 families on the housing list so Midlothian Council is committed to further investment in up to 1000 more new council homes in towns and villages across Midlothian as it continues with its second phase of new housing development.

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East Dunbartonshire fraud team helps to unlock more than 40 properties

More than 40 homes have been unlocked in by East Dunbartonshire Council’s Corporate Fraud Team.

Throughout 2016/17, the team received 248 reports of alleged fraud; up 27% on the previous year.

Each case of tenancy fraud costs local authorities an estimated £93,000 and has a direct impact on people on the waiting list for social housing.

As a result of investigations, 39 housing waiting list applications were identified as either fraudulent or containing errors, which resulted in the removal of the offer of a tenancy. Three properties were identified as not being occupied and successfully reclaimed. In addition, six homelessness applications were identified as having been made either fraudulently or in error.

Elsewhere, the fraud team uncovered Council Tax irregularities amounting to £202,412, business rates evasion of £54,363 and employment-related fraud/theft of £1,139. A total of £89,337 was also saved through the National Fraud Initiative.

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Growing recognition for Kingdom Housing Association

Kingdom Housing Association has been shortlisted for a number of important awards in the housing sector - including five shortlistings in the Chartered Institute of Housing of Scotland Excellence Awards.

The Association has already received a number of awards and commendations this year and has now been shortlisted in the 24Housing Awards, with the eco-friendly Kingdom House at Pittenweem being shortlisted as Best Green Scheme and the Association’s development at Kincardine shortlisted in the Affordable Housing Scheme of the Year category.

The Kincardine development has also been shortlisted in the Best Affordable Housing Development category, by Inside Housing.

Last month Bill Banks, Kingdom group chief executive, was identified as one of 30 housing professionals, identified in the Scottish Housing Leaders list, published by Inside Housing.

The shortlist for the CIH Scotland Excellence Awards has very recently been announced and Kingdom has been successfully shortlisted in five different categories. These are: the Excellence in Skills Development Award; the Excellence in Regeneration Award; the Apprentice of the Year Award; the Excellence in Leadership Award and the Housing Team of the Year Excellence Award.

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Morrison builds Snow White themed sensory facility for Kilmarnock pupils

Rain didn’t dampen spirits when the doors to a new sensory facility at Crosshouse Primary School in Kilmarnock were recently opened to provide a calming sanctuary for pupils with communications disorders and autism.

The Crosshouse Sensory Room took just 40 hours to be built by Modern Apprentices from Morrison Construction’s supply chain and East Ayrshire Council as part of the annual Ayrshire Chamber Modern Apprenticeship Challenge 2017.

The Snow White and Seven Dwarfs themed facility, already nicknamed the ‘Happy Hive’ by pupils, is estimated to be worth £30,000 in donated labour and materials.

The 19 Modern Apprentices, named the ‘Hi Ho team’, designed and sourced materials for the project under the guidance of experienced tradespeople.

The facility includes a wooden cabin equipped with sensory lights and comfortable seating, which opens onto a landscaped garden featuring seven dwarf flower beds.