Building Briefs – May 27th

  • Emtec prepares for completion of works at Yotel Glasgow

Emtec Building Services is responsible for the full design, supply and installation of all the MEP services within the new YOTEL hotel in Glasgow’s Argyle Street.

Building Briefs – May 27th

Located opposite Glasgow’s Central Station, the new YOTEL Glasgow will see the Westergate building transformed into a 256-room hotel that will be equipped with YOTEL’s unique design and technology-driven hospitality offering. The hotel will also feature Glasgow’s first destination rooftop bar complete with bowling alley.



Emtec commenced works on November 2018 and is on target for the completion date of November 2019.

The firm said: “Emtec are delighted to play such a vital part alongside Ogilvie Construction on such a prestigious project and look forward to the grand opening.”

 

  • Press and Journal announces major partnership with Aberdeen’s new event complex

The Press & Journal has revealed Aberdeen’s new £333 million event complex will officially be named P&J Live.



DC Thomson Media, which owns The Press & Journal and Evening Express, has agreed a deal with the venue’s operator SMG Europe to become the inaugural naming-rights sponsor for the state-of-the-art concert, exhibition, conference and banqueting venue due to open this summer.

The facility, developed by Aberdeen City Council and development partner Henry Boot Developments (HBD), will bring some of the biggest stars in music and entertainment to the Granite City, as well as conferences and exhibitions with attendees from across the globe.

 



  • Ryden helps fund new garden for dementia charity in Stockbridge

A newly refurbished space for use by clients of a dementia charity has been created thanks to funding from commercial property consultants Ryden.

Building Briefs – May 27th

Lord Provost Frank Ross and Susan Millar LifeCare open the new St Bernard's Garden

Designed as an inviting space to enrich the lives of those living with dementia - for some quiet relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of Stockbridge High Street or as a place to socialise with others - LifeCare’s small garden outside St Bernard’s Dementia Club on Cheyne Street also features a vegetable patch aimed at empowering their clients to stay active through gardening.



A plaque marking the official opening was unveiled by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh at an afternoon tea celebration with LifeCare staff and volunteers last week.

Marc Giles, partner at Ryden LLP, added: “We are delighted to have supported the development of the LifeCare dementia garden, which we hope will have a really positive impact on the lives of those who can use this facility. All of those from Ryden directly involved with this project genuinely enjoyed the experience and we look forward to maintaining our relationship with LifeCare and helping to deliver many more positive initiatives.”  

 

  • Scottish housing market hits 11-year-high despite Brexit uncertainty

Scottish property sales have risen to their highest level in 11 years as buyers brush aside fears over Brexit.



New figures from Aberdein Considine’s Property Monitor report show that homes collectively worth £3.4 billion changed hands during January, February and March this year – the highest since the credit crunch hit the global economy in 2008.

Sales for the quarter are up £80 million (2.3%) on last year and £225m (7%) on 2016, the year the British electorate voted to leave the European Union.

With negotiations stalling and parliament gridlocked, economists had expected the property market to slow across the UK.

However, 19,491 Scottish homes were sold in the first quarter of 2019, up 2.8% year-on-year thanks to significant sale growth in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian.



The average cost of a property in Scotland is also 8.6% higher compared with the same period in 2016, with prices now at £166,334, albeit price growth has slowed to just 0.2% year-on-year.

Despite the sales growth, the report does show a sudden halt to the house-price growth in Scotland’s biggest cities.

Edinburgh, which was enjoying its best period of property price growth since before the recession, has recorded falling prices so far this year. However, with an average sale price of £258,822, the capital remains the most expensive place to buy a home in Scotland.

Glasgow, like the capital, was also benefiting from a strong period of house-price growth – but has seen prices fall 1.7% so far in 2019 to £152,079.



Average prices continue to fall in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Scotland’s other major market. But after years of decline caused by the oil and gas downturn, confidence is returning. Sales in Aberdeen alone are up by nearly 13% year-on-year.

So far this year, it has been more provincial areas which have grown to boost the national market.

East Lothian recorded a substantial 38% rise in the value of properties sold, reaching £109,039,078, which is a year-on-year increase of £30m.

Neighbouring West Lothian also demonstrated why a significant number of new housing developments are planned for the region with the number of homes sold up almost 12%, and the value of property changing hands rising 19% to £111,392,371.



The cultural and economic renaissance which is currently taking place in Tayside has also continued to have a direct effect on housing, particularly in Dundee. The city followed up a nine% rise in the value of properties sold in the final quarter of 2018, with a further 16% jump in the first months of 2019. Average prices also rose 10% at £134,845.

 

  • Work to start on Aberdeen city centre improvement project

Construction is to start on Monday June 3rd on a public realm scheme designed to enhance the accessibility, setting and use of the Schoolhill area in preparation for the reopening of Aberdeen Art Gallery later this year. 

Aberdeen City Council has allocated £550,000 to the project, which received additional support from the regional transport partnership Nestrans. The project also received funding from Transport Scotland in partnership with the active travel charity, Sustrans Scotland.

The scheme, approved last year, will provide a new layout to balance the place and traffic movement needs in Schoolhill; accessibility for all with a graded entrance plaza to the Art Gallery; steps and ramp to the Art Gallery and a greater footway area to the setting of the War Memorial, replacing concrete slab terraces with local granite.

The construction period will be approximately 10 weeks and at times a one-way system will be in operation on Schoolhill.  

Plans are being drawn up and funding sought for Stage 2 of the public realm project, which would include retaining the existing mature trees and extending the plaza along the northern edge of Schoolhill to create a new city centre destination. 

 

  • Stirling announces major rural broadband investment

Stirling Council is investing almost £90,000 in three superfast broadband projects as it continues to make significant progress in transforming the connectivity of rural communities.

Trossachs Community Trust will receive £50,000 to design, build and operate a mixture of wireless and whitespace technology which will provide 30 businesses and 72 properties with world class connectivity.

Carron Valley and District Community Council have been awarded £30,000 to build and operate a fixed wireless network, allowing 17 businesses and 48 premises access to the digital technology.

Meanwhile, the Auchenteck group will use £8,750 of funding for a community partnership project, bringing a full fibre solution to eight households.

Backed by £300,000 of annual capital funding, the local authority is supporting rural communities in the development of alternative broadband solutions, boosting economic growth and allowing residents access to vital services.

One Full Time Equivalent rural broadband project officer, supported by the council and the Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER programme, is also in place until March 2020, to provide technical, project and funding support to communities.

Across Stirling, there are 18 innovative schemes at various stages of completion. Three projects have gone live - Balquhidder, Argarty & Kilbryde, and Stockiemuir - enabling 250 households and 60 businesses to benefit from the technology.

Free public Wi-Fi in Aberfoyle town centre is also now up and running, benefiting businesses, communities and visitors in the area.

 

  • Consultation on flood risk at Stonehaven

Aberdeenshire Council is working with JBA Consulting and Dougall Baillie Associates to evaluate coastal flood risk within Stonehaven Bay.

The second public engagement event relating to the Stonehaven Coastal Flood Study takes place on Thursday, 13 June at Stonehaven Town Hall (2-8pm).

Protection options have already been discussed with the local community, with a view to working out which ones might be appropriate along the waterfront.

Now the project team is looking for further input from the local community and other stakeholders on the shortlist of options being considered for different sections of the frontage.

Representatives from both JBA Consulting and Aberdeenshire Council will be on hand to provide further information on the study and to talk through the potential options.

This will be the final opportunity to provide comments before a preferred option is selected and presented to Scottish Government for appraisal.

 

  • Proposed flood defences for Grangemouth

Falkirk Council has announced two public exhibitions for the proposed flood defences for the Grangemouth and surrounding area.

The events will have displays and members of the project team to answer your questions on the extent, type and location of the proposed flood defences.

The scheme would cover parts of the River Avon, River Carron, the Grange Burn and the Forth Estuary.

The events are Tuesday 28 May (11am – 7:30pm) at Carron and Caronshore Bowling Club, Carron Drive, Carron FK2 8SN and Thursday 30 May (11am – 7:30pm) at Bowhouse Community Association Centre, Bowhouse Road, Grangemouth FK3 0EU.

 

  • Highland Council secures largest ever Salix loan in Scotland to fund energy improvements

The Highland Council has secured a £3.5 million interest-free loan from Salix Finance to invest in energy efficiency measures across the council estate.

The loan, which is the largest Salix has awarded in Scotland, match-funds the council’s self-financing investments in energy efficiency to create a £7m Energy Efficiency Fund.

The fund is ring-fenced for investment in projects that will reduce the council’s energy spend and carbon emissions. This will include switching internal and external building lights to efficient LED lighting, installing Solar Photovoltaics, and upgrading inefficient oil boiler systems.

Work is being undertaken by council officers to refine the projects and determine the best sites to maximise financial and carbon savings. Thanks to these upgrades, the council forecasts a potential saving of over £600,000 per annum on energy bills and annual carbon savings of over 1,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Lighting and heating upgrades are also anticipated to make considerable improvements to the working and learning environments for both staff and school pupils.

To date, Salix has worked with the public sector in Scotland to invest over £51m in energy efficiency projects, saving an estimated £146m over the lifetime of the projects.

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