Building Briefs – January 17th

• Dumfries library to undergo major maintenance works

The stain glass window, situated to the rear of the original building, will be removed and restored by a specialist.

Damaged sandstone mullions will also be replaced, while polycarbonate roof lights will be removed.

Periods of full and partial facility closure will be implemented during the project.

The works are scheduled for completion by Friday 15 March.

• Hotel opening in pipeline following completion of new Edinburgh sewer

A new overflow pipe connecting two Victorian brick sewers within the world heritage site of Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park has been completed by Scottish Water Horizons.

The project took place over six weeks. It involved working at a depth of four metres on sewers up to 1.8 metres tall within the ancient grounds – overlooked by nearby Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland for centuries.

The work was carried out to support the development of a new four-star 90-room hotel in historic Market Street on a site which has lain derelict for the past 50 years. There had been major concerns about the risk of sewer flooding due to a lack of sewer capacity in the area which is on the tourist trail.

Meticulous planning and close collaboration were vital for the success of the project. The team had to work in close partnership with the custodians of the park, the government cultural agency Historic Environment Scotland.

Independent site surveys, reports and regular ongoing meetings were key to enabling approval for the work to go ahead including from Scottish ministers who gave the green light to work at the historic site popular with locals and tourists. It also serves as a prolific location for the start of marathons and charity events such as the annual Moonwalk.

With this being such a popular area, pedestrian access and a high quality reinstatement was a top priority. During construction a temporary footpath was laid to help pedestrians navigate around the works. Following completion, a brand new 250-metre pathway upgrade was carried out.

Working in such an ancient site, there was every possibility the team from McKenzie Construction might happen upon artefacts of a bygone era. Operating under the watchful eye of archaeologists, the team went to great lengths to ensure the job was done sensitively and nothing was disturbed, tapping into a deep well of experience within Scottish Water Horizons.

Evidence of human settlements going back some 10,000 years including cultivation terraces, rig and furrows believed to have been made by medieval farmers have previously been unearthed in the park and more recently there was evidence found of quarries used in the 18th century.

• Permission sought for John O’Groats ‘masterplan’

A developer has sought permission to renew a “masterplan” for John O’Groats.

First approved in 2015, the plan is for a mix of residential and commercial properties on land north-west of the village’s Seaview Hotel.

The original permission has expired and developer JOG2 Ltd has asked Highland Council for it to be granted again for a period of five years.

Its request for permission in principle will be considered by councillors next week.

• Steady performance for Aberdeen office market continues

The total office market take-up in Aberdeen in the final quarter of 2018 was 79,942 sq ft, bringing the annual total to 355,148 sq ft, research from CBRE Scotland has found.

This is slightly down on the total of 405,000 sq ft recorded for 2017, which was bolstered by the letting of 138,000 sq ft at Westhill’s Subsea 7 building by Total.

Q4 2018 saw the city’s largest deal of the year, with serviced office provider Spaces acquiring 26,300 sq ft in 1MSq at Marischal Square, where it will open its first Aberdeen site. Further lettings at Marischal Square during H2 included 9,975 sq ft to the NHS and 8,452 sq ft to global oil and gas supply company Tenaris, while other significant deals saw Noble Drilling acquire 16,591 sq ft speculative office building at ABZ Business Park, and Ineos acquire 9,702 sq ft at Prime Four business park’s Prime View.

• CWA to carry out site investigation work on Glasgow route

Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA) is to carry out site investigation work on Thornliebank Road in Glasgow.

The Scottish Water project will begin on Monday 21 January on a small section of the road opposite Eastwood New Cemetery.

Road traffic management will be in place for five days whilst the work is completed.

• Flagstone repair works to commence in Stromness

Flagstone repair works are to be carried out in central Stromness, Orkney Island Council has announced.

The council has said that roads in central Stromness will be closed for periods of time next week to enable council workers to carry out repairs.

The sections will be closed, as required, between 09:00 to 12:00 and then again from 13:00 to 15:30 while repairs are carried out. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the works.

Repaired areas will be covered by temporary plates to allow the repairs to bed in.

• Essential maintenance on Fort Augustus Swing Bridge

Essential bridge maintenance works on the A82 Fort Augustus Swing Bridge will begin on Monday 28 January, being carried out overnight for ten consecutive nights.

The project, costing approximately £500,000, will involve essential mechanical maintenance including replacing some of the technical components, which are vital to ensure the swing bridge continues to operate effectively when opening and closing across the Caledonian Canal.

The project will take place between 7pm and 6am each night for ten nights starting on 28 January, with no works taking place on Saturday or Sunday nights.

To keep roadworkers as well as motorists safe throughout the upgrades, an overnight road closure will be in place during each night of the project. To ensure safe access to the components the bridge will need to be swung open during the works resulting in the full closure of the A82. A diversion route using the A87 and A887 will be signed from Invermoriston and Invergarry for both northbound and southbound traffic. All traffic management will be removed during the day.

Consultation has been carried out with emergency services, the local authority, local businesses, transport operators, residents and other relevant stakeholders to make them aware of the works and share information about the project.