Building Briefs – July 26th

A community heating network in Stirlingshire and an innovative cooking and lighting energy saving programme on Lewis are among six charity projects to have been awarded over £280,000 in funding for sustainable energy projects in the first round of grants from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme.

Energy Saving Trust, which was appointed by Ofgem to distribute the Energy Redress Scheme monies to eligible charitable organisations, announced the first phase of funding following a rigorous assessment period. The Energy Redress Scheme is funded by voluntary payments made by energy companies following enforcement and compliance action by Ofgem.

The overarching aim of the Energy Redress Scheme is to distribute available funds to support energy consumers in vulnerable situations and the development of products or services which would provide a benefit for certain groups of energy consumers.

The first round of funding will see £40,000 go towards a community heating network in Stirlingshire, £75,000 for the creation of a one-stop energy advice service in Rochdale, Tameside and Bury, and nearly £40,000 for the creation of a new programme to help make heating controls accessible for visually impaired people in Northumberland.

Other successful applications include £63,000 for a 20-month programme to help 5,000 vulnerable residents in Wirral, £35,000 for an innovative cooking and lighting energy saving programme on Lewis, and £28,000 to create a voluntary energy champion programme in Wigan.

Accountancy firm’s seven-figure investment in new Aberdeen HQ

A north-east accountancy firm has invested a seven-figure sum in a new Aberdeen office in the city’s west end.

SBP Accountants & Tax Advisers has moved its city operation to 42 Queens Road in a £1.1 million investment and commitment to growth in the region.

The 242.9sqm building is double the size of its previous office in Carden Place and will accommodate 13 members of SBP staff.

The office move comes following a successful three years for the business which has seen the client base, fees and staff numbers more than triple.

New £71,000 path opens at Cairngorms National Park

Construction work has been completed on a new £71,000 Ballater path at Cairngorms National Park.

Minister for rural affairs and the natural environment, Mairi Gougeon MSP, officially opened the path this week as a part of National Parks Week (23-29 July).

The new stretch of path, on the south side of the River Dee, was constructed after the area was badly affected by flooding following Storm Frank in 2015. It encompasses three quarters of a mile from the entrance to Pannanich Woods past the Mackenzie Memorial to the Bridge of Muick.

Work was completed by Scottish Outdoor Access Trust with funding from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Essential work to take place on Stromeferry Bypass

Construction work is to take place on the A890 Stromeferry Bypass in the Highlands, starting on September 3.

The work will be conducted on the rock face to the west of the avalanche shelter on the road, and will involve the installation of a road to rail bypass road. It is expected to be installed within two weeks.

Road closures and traffic management will be in place for up to 12 weeks.

Repair works to commence on Inverness footbridge

Repair works are to commence on the Whin footbridge in Inverness on August 13.

Work was supposed to begin on the project on 23 July, but it was postponed until further notice.

Brandon Landscaping will carry out refurbishment works on the footbridge, including engineering, stonework and decking repairs. The bridge structure will also be painted.

The works are part of overall programme at the Islands repairing erosion, paths, bridges, and tree works.

The project is expected to take up to six weeks to complete.

The Whin footbridge will reopen in September.