Building Briefs – August 8th

• Student Roost adds new student accommodation in Aberdeen to B38 Group facilities management contract

Student Roost appointed B38 Group last summer to provide a range of planned and reactive maintenance services covering mechanical and engineering, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, for the next three years. The provider of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) now offers student homes in 19 towns and cities with the latest phase of its Pittodrie Street property in Aberdeen mobilising in May 2019.

B38 Group offers a comprehensive facilities management operation for private sector clients and blue-chip organisations nationwide, working across the retail, manufacturing, logistics, corporate, education and healthcare sectors.

• Morrison Construction sponsors Christmas in Queensferry celebrations

Morrison Construction has provided £1,000 in sponsorship towards the Christmas in Queensferry celebrations, to be held on November 28.

The main stage and the Queensferry Community Brass Band will be sponsored by Morrison Construction.

The festive celebration is run by a committee of volunteers and has been a major event in the community for more than a decade.

The ‘switching on’ of the Christmas lights down High Street will take place during the night.

Morrison Construction is currently building the £40 million Queensferry High School, which is due to be completed in spring 2020.

• £1.2m hotel to be built at Troon marina

Marina operator Yacht Havens Group is to invest £1.2 million to create a 10-suite hotel at Troon.

The company plans to open the Salt House Hotel in early 2020.

The hotel will feature new-build and conversion elements, with previous retail and office space being refurbished as part of the development.

• Bield appoints new chief executive

Dr Lynne Douglas

Bield, Housing and Care has chosen its successor to chief executive Brian Logan.

Dr Lynne Douglas will take the reins after Mr Logan stepped down following nine years in the role to take up a new challenge as chief executive of Capability Scotland.

A highly-regarded and hugely experienced senior leader, Dr Douglas has held the role of director of Allied Health in NHS Lothian since 2007.

Her current role includes professional and strategic responsibility for the NHS Lothian’s adult and children’s Allied Health Professionals, which has a £74 million strategic budget, while her portfolio overall focuses on the interfacing of social care, education and third sector organisations to deliver improved outcomes for the public.

She also drove forward two pioneering NHS strategies – Food, Fluid and Nutritional Care and Falls Prevention and Bone Health Strategy – which have been credited, in particular, with significantly improving the wellbeing of older people in Lothian.

One of her principal roles will be to implement Bield’s five-year business strategy which aims to position it as the leading provider of affordable, quality homes and services for Scotland’s older generation.

• Thousands have their say on proposals for Edinburgh’s future

More than 8,000 consultation responses have been shared on major changes envisioned for Edinburgh.

Proposals for Edinburgh City Centre Transformation, Meadows to George Street and Low Emission Zones were consulted on during May, June and July following widespread publicity.

A range of measures proposed under each of the projects are designed to help the city cope with an increasing population and evolving lifestyle choices. These aim to enhance quality of life and provide sustainable, active and accessible transport options.

Feedback was sought on Edinburgh City Centre Transformation plans to improve public spaces in the centre and to prioritise movement on foot, by bike and on public transport. The updated proposals, which will include a costed 10-year delivery plan, will be put before the Transport and Environment Committee on September 12.

The Meadows to George Street consultation called for people’s views on plans to transform the transport corridor, improving key streets to significantly enhance the quality of walking, cycling and public spaces. A detailed consultation report will be released in early autumn.

The council also consulted on plans to become the second city in Scotland to introduce a Low Emission Zone – and the first in the UK to propose a citywide boundary for most vehicles - improving air quality for people across Edinburgh by tackling pollution from traffic. Feedback on the proposed boundaries, grace periods and vehicle types is now being analysed and will be reported to committee in October before a final proposal is submitted at the end of the year.

Project leaders will now assess consultation responses to make sure views are reflected in and influence the various final proposals, each of which will be put before the Transport and Environment Committee in the coming months.

• Sir Jackie Stewart to officially open museum dedicated to Jim Clark

Formula One legend Sir Jackie Stewart OBE will officially open the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns on August 29 with invited guests from the world of motorsport and the unveiling of a plaque to celebrate the occasion.

The museum honours and charts the life and racing career of the Scottish Borders farmer and double Formula One World Champion Jim Clark, who Sir Jackie has always maintained was the finest racing driver he ever competed against and a close personal friend.

More details of the special opening event will be released in the coming weeks, with plans being developed for a static display of Jim Clark and Lotus sports cars and an opportunity for the public to hear Sir Jackie talk about his friendship and racing career with Jim.

The event will start at 12 noon and to facilitate the official opening the museum will be closed to the public until 3pm, but will then be open into the evening.

The new museum has seen a major £1.6 million redevelopment over the past 15 months following a five-year fundraising campaign and has welcomed over 2,000 visitors since opening to the public in mid-July.