Building Briefs – February 11th

Cllr Karen Clark, Cllr Ann Allan, Gordon Stewart of Graham Construction, Sanctuary in Scotland director Gordon Laurie and Cllr Alisan Norrie
Cllr Karen Clark, Cllr Ann Allan, Gordon Stewart of Graham Construction, Sanctuary in Scotland director Gordon Laurie and Cllr Alisan Norrie

Aberdeenshire housing project progresses

Local councillors have visited an affordable housing development set to transform part of Peterhead town centre.

Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association is managing the £7.6 million project, which will see Aberdeenshire Council receive 42 of 62 new properties.



Work began on the site of the former Craigewan nursing home in September. Sanctuary’s contractor Graham Construction has been constructing timber frame kits since the completion of groundwork in December.

The majority of timber frame kits will be built by April, with roof and brick work set to continue meantime. The project is expected to complete in the autumn.

Aberdeenshire Council will receive 31 mainstream properties and 11 flats for supported housing for clients with learning disabilities. The remaining 20 houses will be available for social rent and managed by local housing provider Tenants First, a member of Sanctuary Group. The Scottish Government provided £1.3m and Aberdeenshire Council £216,000 in grant funding towards the project.

 



Consultation to go ahead on regeneration of Clydebank East

Councillors have approved plans to work with tenants and residents on developing a new strategy to help regenerate the Clydebank East area.

The strategy would include community consultation on options ranging from full demolition to partial demolition and refurbishment of the 336 properties in the Clydebank East area, and the possibility of building new council properties.

The Clydebank East housing area consists of 270 multi-storey flats within three blocks at Edmonstone, Howcraigs and Newshot Courts, and 66 flats within four maisonette blocks at Clydeholm Terrace, Yokerburn Terrace and Hamilton Terrace. In total, 158 of these properties are currently vacant and all are classed in terms of housing asset management as “poorly performing”.



Under the proposals, which could take place over a three-year period, West Dunbartonshire Council would work with tenants and residents in developing a housing-led regeneration strategy for the area.

 

Unfinished suburban flat sells for £1.3m

One of the most expensive flats ever sold in Scotland has been snapped up for its asking price of £1.3 million before it is even finished.



The bespoke dwelling was built to order f or an anonymous buyer in an art deco block of flats in a sought after Glasgow suburb.

The flat, in the Broom area of Newton Mearns, is believed to be unique while the building retains many features from the 1930s.

Part of an exclusive development in Sandringham Court development, it has been carved out of two existing penthouses and boasts a full wraparound terrace with city views.

The identity of the buyer has not been revealed but he is expected to collect the keys in mid-March in time to avoid the new Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, which will save around £60,000.



The apartments were developed by Kelvin Properties and sit within one-and-a-half acres of gated, landscaped gardens with facilities including a concierge service, new elevators and video entry.

Scotland’s most expensive home is said to be Edinburgh’s Yester House, which last changed hands for £15m. But the title of Scotland’s most desirable flat belongs to a £7.3m four-bedroom penthouse at Hamilton Grand, in St Andrews, which offers unsurpassed views of the 18th hole at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

 

£250k St Andrews port revamp plan



Historic St Andrews harbour could soon have a modern new look with a £250,000 revamp.

St Andrews Harbour Trust, which owns the port, plans to install floating pontoons to replace the existing berths.

It is anticipated that enhanced facilities will attract more users and visitors to the harbour, boosting its appeal as a destination for tourists and improving it for users from the area.

Applications for planning and listed building consent have been lodged with Fife Council for the installation of floating pontoon moorings for marine leisure vessels and an access ramp.



If approved, it is hoped the first phase of the project — with a price tag of £124,000 — will be complete by summer.

 

150 homes to be built on old car plant site in Paisley

More than a hundred new homes are being built on a residential land site in Paisley sold to Persimmon Homes.



Miller Developments sold the site off Paisley’s Linwood Road to Persimmon who said it would signal further regeneration to the area.

A total of 150 homes will take the place of the former Rootes car factory - the third sale of residential land to the housing developer.

It has already been granted residential planning permission and work is well under way.

 

Options for the Hermitage Park redevelopment to go on public display

People in Helensburgh will be able to input into the plans for the redevelopment of Hermitage Park at public events on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th February.

The events run from 10am – 12noon and from 6pm – 8pm on the Friday and from 10am – 4pm on the Saturday in the Victoria Halls. There will also be a marquee in Colquhoun Square from 12pm – 2pm on Friday.

Argyll and Bute Council is seeking public views on three proposed options and for people to put forward a ‘list of wants’. A weighted matrix has been developed to allow the design team to assess public opinion on the options. This considers things like: achievability; affordability; support for the wider initiatives; popularity; consistency with the council’s economic development aims; sustainability; likelihood of increasing use.

In early January, the council, working with the Friends of Hermitage Park, received confirmation from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) that their bid for a grant of up to £2,087,000 to regenerate Argyll and Bute’s only urban park had received first round approval.

This first round approval includes a grant of £169,700 to carry out the development phase of the project.

Following this consultation the design team will be developing the single park plan together with accompanying documents for submission to the HLF in August 2015.

 

Buchanan Street Subway station in line for £3m revamp

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is to ask members to back a £3 million upgrade of Buchanan Street station in Glasgow city centre.

The refurbishment includes a new ticket office, brighter and more energy efficient lighting, new signage for passengers and a complete overhaul of the decor replacing all the floor, ceiling and wall materials.

Meanwhile work on the improvements to Kelvinbridge station announced last month are now underway.

The work on drainage and water sealing will continue into the spring and hoardings will remain in place until the autumn to enable the contractor to ensure that no further works are required ahead of modernisation.

 

Dundee city square set for near £4m upgrade

Dundee City Council has set aside almost £4 million to carry out a series of maintenance projects on buildings in and around the city square.

Although the bulk of the work is not due to happen until 2017/18, the allocation of the cash comes less than two years after a major £2m refurbishment was completed on the square.

The works will be predominantly maintenance of buildings, including some on Crichton Street and Castle Street which share facilities with the square like heating systems.

Details included in the council’s plan show that a total of £3.75m will be spent on the project. It is thought the preliminary work could begin as soon as next year.

Work completed in the 2013 refurbishment of the City Square included new seating, lighting, drainage and improvements to disabled access.

The square’s fountains were also relined, and new paving installed, while the Caird Hall was fitted with new steps.

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