Building Briefs – September 9th

A new youth and community centre costing just short of a million pounds is coming to Castlemilk after a campaign led by Thenue Housing.

Big Lottery Scotland is to provide £995,000 from its Growing Community Assets Fund – one of the biggest community cash windfalls Castlemilk has ever seen.

The campaign was driven by Thenue Housing – which has homes in the area – in partnership with local residents’ group the Netherholm Area Association.

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Work on building the new centre will begin this autumn and is expected to take a year to build.

The new centre will act as a social and economic hub for Netherholm providing many services and with the key priority of meeting the needs and aspirations of children and young people.

It will be a flexible, multi-purpose building with a large hall, meetings rooms and an I.T. suite.

 

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£4.5m regeneration boost for Paisley

The regeneration of Paisley town centre has been given a £4.5 million funding boost. Renfrewshire Council is finalising plans for a five year programme of conservation works, building repairs, shopfront improvements, heritage education and community involvement focused on the west side of Paisley High Street, New Street and Shuttle Street.

External funding has now been confirmed from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£1,882,000) and Historic Environment Scotland (£998,554). That money will be backed by £1.2m investment by Renfrewshire Council and contributions from property owners to the cost of building repairs.

The programme will start in early 2017.

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The new Townscape Heritage and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme will build on the success of a similar seven year-long conservation scheme centred on Causeyside Street in Paisley.

One of the most famous heritage sites in Paisley - the Sma’ Shot Cottages - has already been identified as one of the priorities for the restoration of its architectural detail.

Other buildings already identified for restoration work through the scheme are the former Liberal Club at 32 High Street, and buildings at 5 George Street, and at 44-46, 51 and 53 High Street.

 

Opening of revamped Aberdeen Music Hall delayed until 2018

The opening of Aberdeen’s revamped Music Hall has been delayed until 2018.

The 194-year-old venue’s £6.7 million upgrade was scheduled to be finished in December 2017.

But now the building is not expected to be ready until spring 2018 and will not open until autumn.

Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) only struck a deal with contractors Kier Construction in July, four months after the Music Hall closed its doors.

A spokesman for APA said: “The Music Hall transformation began as planned in April 2016 and there are several months of preparation on site before construction can begin.

“We’ve been decommissioning the building and moving staff out, gone through a lengthy public procurement process to appoint contractors, appointed construction project managers, undertaken investigative work to minimise risk before we go on site and we’ve been applying for permits for the site compound.

“Contractors will be on site at the end of this month undertaking final survey work and we hand the building over to them on October 10.”

The improved Music Hall will include a new-look auditorium, a 100-seat performance space and a new cafe and bar.

APA has so far raised about £5.2m towards the cost of the project, including £1.5m from Creative Scotland and £1m from Aberdeen City Council.

 

New Aberdeen school takes a step closer

A new primary school for Torry took a step closer to reality yesterday when councillors on Aberdeen City Council’s education and children’s services committee voted in favour of the proposal.

The new school, which would include early learning and childcare facilities and a Community Hub, is scheduled to be built on the site of Torry Academy.

The plan follows a review of education provision in the Torry community, recognising the rising school aged population resulting from new housing developments and increased birth rates in the area.

Meanwhile a report was commissioned to decide upon the best option for a proposed new school campus in Tillydrone.

The campus would incorporate a nursery, a replacement building for St Peter’s School and a non-denominational school.

Council officers have been instructed to prepare the report which will evaluate ground conditions at two possible sites, St Machar Park and St Machar School and propose the best value option. The report’s findings will then be put to a full council meeting.

 

Second phase of Cernach Housing Association upgrade works to begin

CCG Asset Management will undertake the second phase of Cernach Housing Association’s kitchen upgrade programme this month.

The work will see 40 tenants benefit from a brand new kitchen with a choice of fixtures and fittings to suit their existing household.

The works will be undertaken over a 5 week period.

 

Hadden breaks ground on East Lothian primary school extension

East Lothian Council planning spokesperson Councillor Norman Hampshire and Stephen Lynas, business development director from Hadden Construction, were joined by children from Law Primary School to mark the beginning of work on the new expansion project in North Berwick.

The south-facing, two-storey extension will house 16 classrooms with breakout areas, two tutorial rooms, a general purpose/music room, a library, resource rooms and general storage, a meeting room and new staff offices.

The extension will be home for children in Primary 4, 5, 6 and 7 and will enable the current school buildings to be reconfigured to meet the needs of Primary 1, 2 and 3.

The new shared accommodation will include a new three-court hall with a full-height moveable wall, creating a movement and dance studio, further changing and toilet facilities, an extended dining area and an after-hours entrance for community use with a janitor’s office adjacent.

There will also be a new main entrance and improved car parking.

The work is expected to be completed by summer 2018 and will cost £8.5 million.

 

MacRoberts further strengthens its construction team

Scots law firm MacRoberts has promoted one new partner internally and attracted one new partner externally to further strengthen its construction group.

David Wilson, who has been with MacRoberts for 16 years, was previously a director within the construction group. David has extensive expertise in advising clients in all types of construction disputes, and has extensive experience of pursuing and defending parties in construction disputes in the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session and in Arbitration and Adjudication. David will be based in Glasgow, but will also work across the firm’s other offices in Edinburgh and Dundee.

Gavin Thomson, who is joining MacRoberts from Pinsent Masons, qualified as a solicitor in 2001, and spent 14 years at MacRoberts rising to the position of Senior Associate. Gavin has extensive experience and expertise in construction and engineering disputes of all kinds. He is accredited as a specialist in Construction Law by the Law Society of Scotland. Gavin will be based in Edinburgh, but will also work across the firm’s other offices in Glasgow and Dundee.

 

University of St Andrews given wind farm green light

The University of St Andrews has been given the go-ahead to start work on its wind farm at Kenly.

Although it cannot build the six turbines themselves until a method is found for preventing radar interference, a Scottish Government-appointed reporter decided other work could start on site.

There are concerns this could prolong construction nuisance for neighbours or that work may start and be abandoned, but reporter Don Rankin said there was only a small risk of this occurring.

However, the now amended planning condition which prevented progress until a radar mitigation scheme is agreed was just one of the barriers facing the project intended to make the university carbon neutral.

 

Hemingway to provide design advice to Perth City Development Board

The Perth City Development Board has appointed Wayne Hemingway to the position of technical advisor.

The Board has previously benefitted from input from Wayne in relation to the development of the Perth City Plan and both the Board and Perth & Kinross Council had expressed an interest in continuing to collaborate to assist the growth of the city.

Wayne has a diverse and extremely experienced background that can be utilised to implementing the ambitions and plans of both the council and City Development Board. He is currently working with the council and the Scottish Government as part of the Year of Architecture Innovation and Design, promoting architectural guidance, placemaking, local investment and cultural development.

In his role Wayne will be provide advice and guidance on a number of areas including:

• Procurement of design services in respect of public realm and conversion and development of buildings

• Review of design proposals in respect of the public realm and conversion and development of buildings

• Review of management proposals in respect of use of space and buildings.

 

Tickets to tour iconic Glasgow hospital one last time

Glasgow residents are being given a final chance to see inside the old Victoria Infirmary thanks to its new owners Sanctuary Group.

Sanctuary is offering 200 people a short tour of the former hospital site on Sunday 18 September.

Visitors will be shown wards and operating theatres in the main building. The 25 minute tour will begin in the B-listed administration block and end in the mortuary.

The tours on Sunday 18 September will run every 20 minutes from 10am. The final tour will take place at 1.40pm.

A maximum of two tickets can be requested by emailing TheVictoria.Glasgow@sanctuary-housing.co.uk with a preferred time. Tickets will be issued on a first come basis. Applicants will receive an email to let them know whether they have been successful.

As the lifts do not work the tour is unsuitable for wheelchairs, prams and those who struggle to walk.

Sanctuary Group, which acquired the site last month, plans to build around 400 homes for sale and for mid-market rent. The demolition programme begins next month but the site’s key heritage features will be retained.

 

Mactaggart & Mickel Group make a splash with swimming champion at Renfrewshire schools

Scottish open water champion, Mark Deans, has been making a splash in schools around East Renfrewshire this week in a bid to inspire young people and encourage them to view sport as a viable career path.

Following his success at the recent Scottish National Open Water Championships, at which he won the Men’s Open 10k race, Mark, 21, who was born in Paisley, visited Mearns Primary School, Howwood Primary School and Uplawmoor Primary School, offering local children a glimpse into the life of an athlete.

As part of the exclusive visits, facilitated by housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel Group, Mark spent an hour with the children showing them the discipline and dedication that it takes to be a top athlete, and highlighting the rewards of hard work.

As a two-time Scottish open water champion at 2km, 5km and 10km distances, and the first ever winner of the 420m Red Bull Neptune Steps race, Mark is one of Scotland’s leading open water swimmers.

Sponsored by Mactaggart & Mickel Group, Mark visited schools with ties to some of the luxury housebuilder’s developments. The company has a strong presence throughout Glasgow and the West, and has further shown its commitment to building local communities through a series of sponsorships, donations and projects.

 

Clyde Extension Wind Farm project milestone

SSE has reached a project milestone on its Clyde Extension Wind Farm scheme.

The first turbine components of the development have arrived and the scheme is on schedule to be complete in mid-2017.

The existing Clyde Wind Farm currently has 152 turbines and the extension is set to add a further 54 to the site.

The first phase of the turbine erection process is underway, with the preassembly crane installing the bottom two turbine sections.

The remainder of each turbine will be erected using a main crane which is scheduled to arrive later this month. Following this phase, commissioning works will then be undertaken ahead of generation.

 

Argyll road resurfacing works complete

Resurfacing work on a £80,000 road improvement scheme on the A816 between Kintraw Farm and Salachery has been completed.

The roads team at Argyll and Bute Council carried out the work which was finished on time and within budget.

The work is part of the council’s £27million investment in Argyll and Bute’s road network over the past four years.

 

Lightways to replace Erskine Bridge aircraft lamps

Lightways is to begin upgrading aircraft navigation lamps on the A898 at Erskine Bridge.

The contractor will start replacing the lamps at the top of the two Bridge towers with new LED lights on Saturday, 17 September.

As a result of the works, offside lane closures will be required in both directions on 17 and 18 September and again on 24 and 25 September 2016. Traffic management will be in place from 6am – 6pm each day.

The scheme is part of a £3.25 million investment by Transport Scotland to upgrade lighting on the bridge.

The project is being delivered over a 28-week period and will result in up to 70 per cent of energy savings.