Building Briefs - April 22nd

• Glasgow site with residential development potential for sale

Suitable for owner occupation, the attractive three storey townhouse at 4 Fitzroy Place, extends to 2,710 sq ft with parking for three cars to the rear.

Offers in excess of £375,000 are invited. Alternatively, rental offers in excess of £35,000 per annum are invited.

• Whitburn Community Centre closed for £1m repairs

Structural issues identified at Whitburn Community Centre will result in the temporary closure of some areas of the building.

The area closures are expected to be in place until Spring 2022 and result in approximately £1 million of repairs, which West Lothian Council has approved.

A structural engineer has recently assessed the condition of the roof structure at Whitburn Community Centre as part of a planned programme of surveys of council assets to assess the condition of roof decks constructed with this material. The issue stems from a material called Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) - commonly used in buildings built in the 1960s to 1980s and used in parts of Whitburn Community Centre building.

The structural engineer has concluded that the RAAC roof planks in the Sports Hall area represent a risk of failure. They have recommended that, as the roof planks are at the end of their useful life, they should be replaced. They have also recommended that works are done on a concrete beam at ground floor level.

As a consequence, no activity can take place in the games hall, changing rooms and first floor meeting rooms.

No visible signs of distress were found in the RAAC roof planks in all other areas inspected and these areas will remain open or will reopen once COVId-19 restrictions allow.

• Highland hotel undergoes £1.3m refurb

The Ballachulish Hotel in Glencoe has undergone a “significant transformation” after a £1.3m investment by its owners Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels.

Dating back to 1877, the four-star hotel will re-open its doors on April 26 having renovated its 53 bedrooms, as well as updating other facilities and restaurants.

• CALA sells third of Winchburgh homes off-plan

A new development within a location undergoing a huge investment programme is capturing the imagination of eager buyers, with almost 30% of homes already sold off plan ahead of a showhome launch this summer.

CALA Homes (East)’s latest project, Oakbank, is a collection of 74 four and five-bedroom detached and semi-detached homes in the West Lothian village of Winchburgh.

Part of the £1 billion Winchburgh masterplan, Oakbank is enticing buyers with an abundance of green space, attractive pathways and access to the new, 85-acre Auldcathie District Park as well as a linear park within the development.

Homes will blend space inside and out, with attractive bi-fold doors opening out to private gardens and patios. 

Spanning 352 hectares, the Winchburgh masterplan is one of the largest placemaking projects currently underway in the UK, delivering new homes, improved transport links, employment opportunities, state-of-the-art schools and outdoor spaces to the historic town.

• Dundee set for 3G sports pitches investment

Nearly £250,000 is set to be invested in two new synthetic pitches in the city to allow for multi-sports use in Dundee.

Councillors on Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood services committee will be asked to approve £245,000 towards the construction costs of a 9-a-side 3G pitch at the Dundee North West Community Sports Hub on Charlotte Street and a 7-a-side 3G pitch at Fairfield Community Sports Hub in Fairfield Park.

The council’s financial contributions are included in the Capital Plan 2021-26 and the report’s recommendations fit in with the Dundee Sports Pitch Strategy.

The committee meets next on April 26.