Building Briefs – February 6th

The project to deliver a bright, modern leisure and community centre for the people of Girvan and South Carrick is now nearing completion.

With the exterior now largely complete, contractors are in the process of fitting-out the interior of this flagship project ahead of its official opening.

The Quay Zone – which will be operated by South Carrick Community Leisure (SCCL) – will transform leisure and community facilities across the area, with a 25 metre swimming pool, soft play area, superb fitness gym, flexible multi-purpose studio/community space, changing facilities and café.

The £5.4 million facility is due to open to the public in March 2017.

Plans progress to redevelop former North Ayrshire industrial sites

North Ayrshire Council is progressing plans to redevelop two former industrial sites in the Garnock Valley.

Further funding for regeneration of the former Glengarnock Steelworks at Lochshore as well as Stoneyholm Mill in Kilbirnie has now been secured.

A full-time project officer will now be deployed to develop a feasibility study, outline business case and a costed delivery strategy for the sites.

Plans for the Glengarnock Steelworks site includes a mix of residential properties, employment, leisure and open space or country park uses.

In addition, the B-listed Stoneyholm Mill site could be potentially be turned into a mix of residential, office, workshop and community use. It is expected that any regeneration of the mill would require external grant funding.

Works set to begin for A737 Dalry Bypass

A team of archaeologists will be working across the A737 Dalry Bypass site from Monday 6 February for around 10 weeks to investigate the site for historical Scottish artefacts.

Further works, including fencing and vegetation clearance, are also due to begin in the coming weeks.

The A737 Dalry Bypass involves the construction of a new bypass to the east of Dalry and its associated junctions to connect with the existing A737 road. It will encourage improved economic and employment opportunities through better journey time reliability for motorists and businesses along the length of the A737.

The Bypass will also separate long-distance traffic from local traffic, leading to improved safety for local road users and communities.

Aberdeenshire councillors urged to back £1.7m plan for historic mill restoration

Councillors are expected to rubber stamp £1.7 million plans to breathe new life into an 18th century landmark.

Kincardine and Mearns councillors will discuss four options for the Mill of Benholm, near Johnshaven.

The A-listed building was run as a cafe until 2014, when a number of health and safety concerns were uncovered in the kitchen and it was forced to close.

Although owned by Aberdeenshire Council, the mill was run by the Mill of Benholm Trust, which provided work experience and training for adults with special needs.

In a report to councillors, director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer outlined the four options available. Three of these would have led to development at the historic attraction with the final option seeing no redevelopment, and the building being sold on the open market by the council.

Councillors have been asked to show their support for option two at the site, which is a partial redevelopment costing £1.7m. This will involve restoration and improvements which would deliver heritage and community benefits. They include reopening the cafe.

Option one would have seen full restoration, including a new cafe, training facilities and an improved car park at an estimated cost of £2.3m. However, it is felt this would be beyond the capacity of the community to deliver and would be unlikely to get funding.

Option three would cost £670,000 and would make the site safe to reopen to the public, but would rely on volunteer input and continued council support.

A9 Ground Investigations to start next week

Ground investigations are to begin on a challenging section of the A9 between Dalraddy and Slochd.

Part of the A9 Dualling programme, the work will begin on February 13 and are expected to take seven weeks.

Although most of the work will not be carried out on the existing road, the traffic management measures will be in place to allow work beside the carriageway to be carried out safely.

Old Aberdeen snooker club site may become student homes

Proposals to convert an old snooker club into student accommodation have been backed by planners.

Property developer Downing lodged plans for a 374-bed block on John Street, near the Woolmanhill roundabout.

The site was once the Ambassador Snooker Club which shut in 2009.

Three letters of objection were made against the scheme, which claim current student accommodation creates noise concerns. But planners have said the development would “represent a positive enhancement” to the area.

Councillors will vote on the proposals on Thursday.

Highland villages road improvement project plans

Plans have been unveiled for a village improvement scheme in the Highlands.

The scheme would see improvements carried out to the road environment in both Inverarnie and Farr. It encompasses both the B851 and B861 within the existing 40mph restrictions.

Proposals include providing village gateways as priority give-way layouts, to reinforce a change of road environment to drivers from open rural road to a village setting.. Other plans include; formalising the road width and provide a new surface course; improve the verge treatment and roadside drainage provision; and provide a shared-use path allowing safer access for vulnerable road users.

A public forum on the scheme will be held from 4pm – 7pm at Farr Community Hall on Thursday, 16 March.

Forfar steps refurbishment to begin

Forfar’s Bankhead steps will be closed from Thursday 9 February while refurbishment work is carried out.

The steps, which go from Bankhead Terrace to Robertson Terrace, are heavily used by pedestrians. They will remain closed for about three weeks until work is complete.

Plans approved to extend Highlands wind farm

Plans have been approved to extend a wind farm in the Highlands.

Falck Renewables Wind Limited is planning to build 10 new turbines at the Millennium Wind Farm site 8km west of Fort Augustus.

The scheme is expected to generate up to £4 million in community benefit as well as create 40-50 jobs during the construction phase.

In addition, it will generate 35MW of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of almost 20,000 homes.

Report sets out future development of Scottish Rail network

Potential proposals have been unveiled for the future development of Scotland’s railway.

The Scotland’s Rail Infrastructure strategy report, published by the Rail Delivery Group, sets out a range of proposals to consider when planning for the short and long-term future of the railway network.

Highlights include enhancements at Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley stations, the construction of new stations, tracks and chords and investments to reduce journey times or to allow more trains to run.

In addition, the report examines how capacity and frequency on the network can be increased, along with strengthening industry collaboration to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

The report will help inform the Scottish Government’s ongoing consultation on its High Level Output Specification, which is to be published this summer.

To read the report, visit here.

Aberdeen bridge rebuild project to begin

A £530,000 bridge reconstruction project is to begin in Aberdeen.

The Rob Roy Bridge will be closed due to resurfacing and repair works from 6am on Saturday, 04 February until 6pm on Sunday, 05 February.

Works involve the demolition of the reinforced concrete section of the bridge, which will be rebuilt to modern standards. The scheme is scheduled to be finished by mid-February.

In addition, Kennerty Road is being resurfaced at the same time resurfacing is taking place on the bridge. As a result, the road will be closed between its junctions with Kennerty Mills Road and Millside Street from 6am on Thursday, 02 February until 6pm today, 03 February.