Building Briefs – September 6th

The vast majority of Scottish households are satisfied with their housing, with a majority saying that they’re “very satisfied”, according to new Scottish Government figures.

The annual Scottish Household Survey for 2017 found that over nine in ten households (92%) were very or fairly satisfied with their housing, with 56% being very satisfied and 36% being fairly satisfied.

The survey also reveals that the proportion of households in the private rented sector has plateaued at 15% after a decade of growth.

The private rented sector grew steadily from 5% in 1999 to 15% in 2016, but has remained around 15% in 2017.

The social rented sector declined from 32% in 1999 to 23% in 2007, and has remained around this level since then.

Whilst the proportion of owner occupied homes in 2017 is at a similar level to 1999, there has been an increase in those owning outright and a decrease in those buying with a mortgage throughout this time period.

In 2017, half of owner occupier properties (owned outright and buying with a mortgage) are located in the 40% least deprived areas of Scotland, whilst only 12% are in the 20% most deprived areas.

Private rented properties are located fairly evenly across deprivation areas.

For social rented properties, three-quarters (75%) are located in the 40% most deprived areas, with only 2% in the 20% least deprived areas of Scotland.

Borders Railway success revealed as route celebrates third anniversary

More than four million journeys have been made on the Borders Railway since it opened to customers three years ago today.

The popularity of the 30-mile stretch of track linking Edinburgh with the Scottish Borders has led to year on year increases, with a further 5.8 per cent boost to numbers achieved this year; an impressive 1.5 million journeys in total.

As the longest new line built in the UK for over a century, the iconic route takes customers between Tweedbank and Edinburgh in less than an hour, with a half hourly service for most of the day.

The project, which involved both ScotRail and Network Rail, included seven new stations – at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank.

Since its official opening by Her Majesty the Queen in 2015, the line has had a significant economic and social impact on the area – helping to secure ready access to Edinburgh for people across the Borders, and connecting the region to the whole of Scotland.

Alex Hynes, ScotRail Alliance managing director, said: “The Borders Railway continues to provide a strong and reliable transport connection, benefiting employment, leisure, tourism, and business.

“We are committed to building the best railway Scotland has ever had and this line is helping us to deliver that, transforming the way people across Midlothian and the Borders travel.

“Reaching the milestone figure of more than four million passenger journeys demonstrates the success of what was an ambitious project and I look forward to its continued growth.”

Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, said: “The Borders Railway has been a phenomenal success as it continues to grow in both popularity and bringing benefits to the local economy. The ongoing increase in passenger numbers since it opened three years ago demonstrates it is acting as a catalyst for investment while opening up employment, leisure and education opportunities for communities along its length.

“We continue to look at ways to develop the potential of the line and the recommendations from the Borders Transport Corridors Study will, in turn, feed into the on-going Strategic Transport Projects Review.”

Langstane Housing Association introduces Electric Vehicle Charging Points

Langstane Housing Association has successfully gained grant funding to provide an electrical vehicle charging point at its Aberdeen base.

The funding, provided by Energy Savings Trust, allows Langstane tenants and others to take advantage of much lower vehicle running costs as they use the charging point at the Association’s headquarters, 680 King Street, Aberdeen. Two vehicles can be charged at any one time.

Langstane Housing Association Chief Executive, Helen Gauld, said “Langstane aims to work in partnership with others to address key challenges to the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of our local communities.

“We understand we need to play our part in helping to improve the local environment and we are looking closely at what we can do to make sure we choose environmentally friendly options. The installation of the charging point is one step in the right direction for us”.

Scottish Sea Farms invests £3m in new farm & creates jobs boost for Orkney

Orkney is to gain six new skilled jobs after Scottish Sea Farms was today granted approval for a new salmon farm off Lober Rock close to St. Margaret’s Hope in the Scapa Flow.

The new £3m salmon farm, which is the culmination of several years of research and planning into identifying the best farming locations in Orkney waters, has consent to grow 1,274 tonnes of salmon and is expected to go live in 2019.

Consisting of 12 x 80m pens and a 200-tonne barge, it will be managed by a six-strong farm team, supported by specialist training and development.

The boost to local jobs and skills doesn’t stop there. Independent economic and development consultancy Imani Development estimates that every direct job created by Scottish salmon farming supports up to five further jobs indirectly across the supply chain, creating a potential 30 additional jobs.

Says Richard Darbyshire, Scottish Sea Farms’ Regional Production Manager for Orkney: “This latest consent is hugely positive news. For the remote communities in which we live and work, the new farm will bring skilled jobs and training, additional business for local suppliers, and a boost to local economies in terms of increased disposable income.”

“From a company perspective, the new farm will help us in our drive to meet demand for responsibly farmed salmon; demand that’s rising rapidly not only here in the UK but internationally as the global population continues to grow – and with it, the need for sustainable protein sources.”

Salmon farming is increasingly thought to be one of the most sustainable forms of farming, delivering 61kg of edible meat per 100kg of feed – more than double that for poultry, pork or beef. It also has the lowest carbon footprints of all the farming sectors.

The new farm at Lober Rock will bring the company’s Orkney estate to eight-strong with five farms acquired from Orkney Sea Farms in 2007, followed by the addition of the award-winning 1,909 tonne Wyre farm in 2015 and, most recently, a new 1,791 tonne farm at Westerbister in 2016.

The islands’ local geography has helped deliver strong results.

Mr Darbyshire added: “Orkney’s fast-flowing tidal currents make for a very firm, lean salmon with little fat and lots of flavour, while the lack of wild salmon rivers means that sea lice isn’t an issue. Testament to this, we haven’t administered one treatment for Lepeophtheirus salmonis in 10 years of farming in Orkney waters.”

River Clyde Homes welcomes transformation of Greenock retirement living block