Building Briefs – September 27th

• £2.5m funding approved to relocate Parkhead Library

This funding comes from the Community Hub Fund, and will cover the increased capital cost of incorporating the library within the proposed new hub that the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is preparing to design and build in Parkhead.

The opportunity to include additional council services that could be delivered from the new hub - at the former Parkhead Hospital and Health Centre site - that would house several different parts of their services, was explored by council officers.

The existing Parkhead Library building was completed in 1906, and is a key feature of Parkhead Cross, with the two-storey building with dome standing at the corner of Tollcross Road and Helenvale Street. This is one of the city’s Carnegie-funded libraries, and is well-used with almost 70,000 visits in 2018.

• Dundee to receive additional external wall insulation investment

Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood services committee will hear on Monday how the latest £3.9 million phase of an external wall insulation (EWI) programme will provide warmer, more energy-efficient homes at over 400 properties.

Almost £40m has already been spent across Dundee since 2016 to ensure homes are easier to heat and more energy efficient.

This latest round of external wall insulation will be funded by Dundee City Council, the Scottish Government and SSE.

The programme could benefit homes in Kirkton, West Kirkton, Dryburgh, Dudhope and Stirling Park.

This project comprises of 406 properties occupied by council tenants as well as the occupiers of private properties.

If approved the project will receive funding from Dundee City Council, Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland – Area Based Schemes (HEEPS – ABS) funding.

SSE is managing the work and delivering the programme on behalf of the council.

• Work to start new Port Seton sports hall

Preparations are being made for the start of construction work on a fantastic new sports hall at the Port Seton Centre.

The new facility will allow the centre to offer more activities and a wider range of sports, including indoor basketball, badminton, tennis, football and gymnastics.

The new sports hall will be built as an extension to the existing building, on what is currently a children’s play area.

This means that, from 30 September, some existing play equipment will be removed from the area to facilitate the building works. In due course, much of the equipment which is being removed will be relocated to a new play area elsewhere within the park, to coincide with the installation of some new play equipment which is to be ordered.

• Former Fraserburgh bookshop and bank to become hotel and restaurant

Plans for a new hotel and restaurant in the heart of Fraserburgh have been approved.

The former Clydesdale bank and John Trail Bookshop on the town’s Mid Street will be transformed by the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT).

The group, which works to bring derelict, disused and redundant Aberdeenshire buildings back to life, have been given full planning permission for the project by Aberdeenshire Council planning chiefs.

• Wetherspoon unveils fresh hotel plans

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon has changed its plans to open a hotel near one of Glasgow’s most famous nightclubs.

A scheme had been approved for land next to the company’s Crystal Palace pub on Jamaica Street, despite concerns raised by the owners of popular Sub Club.

However, a new application has been submitted which would replace the original plans. It still includes turning empty floors above the pub into a 28-bed hotel but no longer involves a nine-storey, 69-bed hotel on adjacent land.

Instead, the chain has asked Glasgow City Council for permission to open a beer garden on the land between the pub and Sub Club.

The whole scheme would see a £3 million investment from JD Wetherspoon, creating 20 jobs.