Building Briefs - August 16th

• £10m Levenmouth Reconnected Programme opens for applications

LRP links a range of local initiatives, including the reintroduction of the Leven rail link and Leven Programme, to maximise the economic regeneration and social benefits to Levenmouth.

There are two levels of grant funding available:

Small Grants Scheme – funding up to £5000, but to a maximum of 90% of total eligible project costs. Applications can be submitted anytime until the fund closes.

Large Grants Scheme – there’s no limit to the amount of funding an applicant can apply for, but to a maximum of 75%of total eligible project costs. Applications for the first round must be submitted by 12 noon Friday 5 November 2021.

Any groups or organisations interested in applying for this funding can find out more and apply online. 

• Dundas Estates launches new family focused house type

Dundas Estates has announced plans to launch a brand new house type, purpose built for family living.

The Livingston-based developer will begin constructing the four-bedroom detached Gillespie home at selected developments across Scotland.

Gillespie will boast an integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher, with more space and higher specifications than similar house types offered by Dundas.

Spanning 1411sq ft, with a single internal garage and large kitchen dining area, the house type is designed with families in mind with additional features such as a separate utility room and patio doors leading onto a spacious garden area.

The announcement comes after the firm received a spate of enquiries from potential buyers looking for larger detached homes than ever before. A showhome is anticipated to be completed by spring 2022.

The home will also feature high-end internet connectivity through the developer’s relationship with broadband specialist, Hyperoptic.

• BESA Academy proving success of ‘blended model’

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) believes a highly successful first year for its online academy is proof that the industry is embracing the ‘blended learning’ model for technical training.

The BESA Academy opened for business last August and has since seen over 6,000 trainees pass through its virtual doors taking advantage of almost 4,000 hours of online training across its broad programme of training courses, assessments and CPDs.

The Association had been developing the Academy model for some time but fast-tracked the opening to help the sector deal with restrictions posed by pandemic lockdowns and the closure of many ‘physical’ training facilities.

Since the launch it has developed 19 courses for online delivery and supported 10 separate apprenticeships in Scotland and Wales.

All BESA Academy modules are accessible from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop whether the user is at home, at work or on the move. This flexibility has proved very popular. Building services professionals, including apprentices and more experienced engineers, have been using the Academy’s portal to access the resources needed to improve their existing skills and learn new ones while also keeping their qualifications and competencies up to date.

Employers and managers have been able to keep their workforces fully qualified and able to comply with legislation and industry standards despite a shortage of physical training places. Being able to prove competency via the Academy has also helped many with their applications for SKILLcards.

• Council to consult on Dornoch Common Good land

The Highland Council is today launching a Common Good consultation giving the Dornoch community until 11 October 2021 to respond to proposals to dispose, by sale, of two small areas of Dornoch Common Good land.

The details of the areas of land are as follows:

At 1 River Street, Dornoch to correct a deficit in title – area of land measuring 49m².

At 1 Well Street, Dornoch – to existing tenant of land currently leased for use as a garage – area of land measuring 164m².

The council is keen to hear the community’s views on the proposals and all submissions will be given full regard before a decision on whether, and how, to proceed is made. Consultation representations, responses and any final decision will be published on the Council website.

The full consultation document is available here.

• Arts charity to bring Granton Station back to life

Arts and social enterprise charity Wasps is to breathe new life into the former Granton Station after the City of Edinburgh Council’s Finance and Resources Committee approved their lease to occupy the building.

The Edwardian former station is to be transformed into a cultural and creative hub by Wasps, Scotland’s largest provider of studio space for artists and creative industries.

The first spades were put in the ground in June to bring the historic former Granton Station back to life as a high-quality creative workspace within the community, with a new public square in front of the building for pop-up events and recreation. At a cost of around £4.75m, the project is being part-funded through Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund support and town centre funding. This project is part of the council’s £1.3bn wider regeneration of the area.

Wasps is set to move into the building in 2022 to create the cultural hub, providing space to support around 40 jobs, as well as helping around 100 people each year with creative business development opportunities.

The social enterprise charity will deliver a heritage programme for local people and railway enthusiasts on the unique history of the location as well as providing exhibition space to showcase local talent. They’ll also host workshops and a series of outdoor and online events for locals, with the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the area.