Building Briefs – January 25th

• New contract win for Cube Glass

In a highly technical project, it supplied and fitted blast resistant windows, framings and doors to a prestigious new-build development for Versalis, the Italian chemical producer at the Grangemouth oil refinery.

As part of the regulations surrounding safety at the complex facility, buildings situated within 50 metres of the fence line are required to have blast protection.

Cube Glass was instructed by Maxi Construction on the £65,000 project for Versalis, which produces synthetic elastomers and lattices for the automotive industry.

Cube Glass currently has 14 direct employees and 12 sub-contractors and expects this number to increase in the New Year.

• Access For All scheme delivered at Kilmarnock station

Train travel to and from Kilmarnock is set to become a lot easier thanks to a major engineering project at the station.

A set of two lifts were officially opened to the public as part of an Access for All (AFA) project carried out by Story Contracting on behalf of Network Rail.

The lifts will open a whole new world of access to the station for those with young children and mobility issues. Built in the Victorian-era, the station platforms were previously only accessible via a long steep hill or by steps from the newly renovated underpass.

This is the fifth successful AFA scheme completed in Scotland by Story Contracting for Network Rail.

Local MP Alan Brown and MSP William Coffey both attended the official opening ceremony with Network Rail to help cut the ribbon on the two new lifts.

• Dundee port path opened after £376,000 revamp

A six-figure investment in Dundee’s walking and cycling infrastructure welcomed its first users yesterday.

More than £376,000 was put into new surfacing, a boundary fence and improved lighting on a stretch of shared use path through the Port of Dundee.

An agreement between the city council and port owners Forth Ports opened up access through the harbour area via the path.

Forming part of the National and North Sea cycle routes and also the local Green Circular the path is popular with walkers and cyclists.

The project was awarded funding as part of the Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund established by Transport Scotland from funds awarded under European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020. The fund helps develop new active or low carbon travel options across Scotland. The work was carried out by Tayside Contracts.

• Council to consult on disposal of Invergordon Town Hall

Highland Council has launched an eight-week Common Good consultation giving the Invergordon community until 22 March 2019 to respond to the proposal to dispose of Invergordon Town Hall.

The council is keen to hear the community’s views on the proposal and all submissions will be given full regard before a decision on whether, and how, to proceed is made.

Invergordon Town Hall requires significant refurbishment and efforts over a number of years to increase usage and source funding for improvements have proved unsuccessful. Unfortunately maintenance and running costs continue to outstrip income and there is not enough capital funding available to upgrade and improve the building. As a result the viability of its continued use is at risk.  This has led to the proposal to consider the disposal of the Town Hall.

Any funds received in the event of the proposal proceeding will be credited to Invergordon Common Good Fund.

The consultation will close on 22 March 2019.

• Goal in sight for Aberdeen community sports facility

Work is poised to start this year on a new community sports facility after Aberdeen City Council’s capital programme committee approved the business case.

The Torry Cruyff Court will be built in place of an ageing artificial pitch on Tullos Playing Fields, Girdleness Road.

The city council is providing £250,000 to help establish the hi-tech, all-weather activity area.

Scotland’s first Cruyff Court opened in Aberdeen in 2017 when an abandoned play area at Catherine Street Court, off George Street, was transformed.

The brainchild of the late Dutch footballing legend Johan Cruyff, Cruyff Courts number nearly 250 around the world and are found in more than 20 countries.

The Denis Law Legacy Trust spearheaded the concept’s introduction to Aberdeen and will allocate staff time to the Torry Cruyff Court as well as sharing maintenance costs with the Council.

The city growth and resources committee, which meets on February 7, has been asked to formally accept a £50,000 contribution from the Johan Cruyff Foundation towards the facility.