Building Briefs – July 30th

Business booming in Leith as office space take up soars

The regeneration of Leith continues to go from strength to strength, according to statistics from GVA.

In the first half of 2018, transactions in the area totalled 18,500 sq. ft, with a further 35,000 sq. ft. of space under offer. This totals 53,500 sq. ft., an increase of 27% from the 42,125 sq. ft. of space transacted in all of 2017 and a massive 72% rise from 31,000 sq. ft. in 2015.

As well as an upturn in commercial office uptake, Leith has seen a resurgence in bars, restaurants and leisure options in recent years and comparison website TravelSupermarket named it second in the UK in its ‘hippest place’ index for 2017.

Rents are as much as 40% lower in Leith compared to Edinburgh city centre, where there is a lack of Grade A supply against demand.

Expansion planned at Aberdeen’s Chester Hotel

The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen is to undergo a major expansion.

The Granite Suite function room will increase its maximum numbers from the current limit of 200 to 320 for a conference set up.

Work on the extension plans are due to get underway in late December and are expected to be completed in spring.

‘More ambitious approach’ needed to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty

CIH Scotland has called for all homes to be brought up to a minimum of EPC C by 2030 as a new poll revealed public backing for more investment in warmer homes.

In its response to government consultations on energy efficiency, CIH Scotland has welcomed consideration of higher standards for homes in the social rented sector but raised concerns about meeting the cost of improvements without additional funding from the Scottish Government.

In addition, the Institute does not believe there can be justification for differential standards across the sector – with the government proposing a target for private rented homes to reach EPC C by 2030 and for home owners to meet EPC C by 2040.

CIH Scotland notes that the social rented sector has been at the forefront of energy improvements with all homes due to meet the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) by 2020 and new standards for EESSH2 already under consultation.

Setting a minimum energy efficiency standard of EPC C for all homes by 2030 will improve the fabric of homes, help to reduce fuel bills and tackle fuel poverty, and ensure that all tenants and homeowners benefit from better living conditions.

Campaign group WWF Scotland has also called for more investment in warmer homes after it published an opinion poll in which 72% of Scots backed investment in projects to reduce emissions.

According to the survey, 72% of the Scottish public think the Scottish Government should “invest in projects that reduce emissions, like public transport and affordable heat networks, to create a low carbon Scotland”.

The opinion polling data follows the recent publication of a report by the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission which showed that consumers can have low carbon energy at no extra cost by 2050.

Housing and infrastructure ‘most significant challenges’ to future of rural living

Rural communities are increasingly feeling as though they are becoming more remote through the increased unaffordability of housing, according to a new research.

In a public survey looking in to how life is experienced in rural areas of the UK, more than 3,000 people expressed concerns over a lack of affordable housing and an exodus of young people.

Poor mobile and broadband access and poor infrastructure were also major concerns.

The Recharging Rural report published today by The Prince’s Countryside Fund and Scotland’s Rural College received five times as many responses as expected.

Respondents repeatedly expressed their desire for improved infrastructure in the countryside, which they feel will help them to encourage young people and businesses to stay in, or move to, rural areas.

A minority of respondents have seen improvements in broadband and mobile coverage, and in opportunities for community empowerment through asset and land purchase, but the majority feel that remoteness is happening to them through the increased unaffordability of housing, the decline in the number of rural businesses and employment prospects, and the outmigration of young people.

The centralisation of services such as schools, libraries, health services and leisure facilities, coupled with the effect of commuting and mass housing developments, are also seen as contributing to community breakdown.

Respondents to the report make it clear that they are very keen to engage with policy makers and with other communities, and are full of ideas, energy, and creativity that they wish to share.

Based on the survey responses, the report makes several recommendations to rural stakeholders, policy makers, and communities as to how things can be improved in rural areas, with a focus on encouraging cohesive policy across the UK and aiding collaboration.

Scotland’s retirees facing ‘significant’ property shortfall

People approaching retirement in Scotland are facing a significant financial property shortfall, according to new research published by planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore.

The firm’s ‘Later Living – Are We Planning for our Future?’ report reveals that specialist UK retirement properties built so far have mostly been aimed at the better-off, while the majority of current and imminent retirees are far less wealthy.

Barton Willmore’s figures show that most new-build retirement flats and homes are aimed at those with £300,000 or more of property wealth. Yet the fastest growing demographic amongst older people across the UK is actually those with assets of under £163,000 when they retire.

Using the government’s own data, the report calculated that up to 10.1 million people aged 43 to 65 are approaching retirement with too little housing provision – and warns that local planning authorities and the housing market need to work closer together if this shortfall is to be met.

In Scotland, the potential financial shortfall is even greater due to an average property wealth of just £110,000 across all age groups, amongst the lowest anywhere in the UK. This is less than half the average property wealth of £240,000 across London and the South East

New flood barriers to be installed across South Lanarkshire

A host of new flood barriers are to be installed across South Lanarkshire to protect property and infrastructure in the region.

The mobile ‘Floodstop’ barrier is a flood defence system which can be assembled to any length or orientation by connecting one metre long modular units using weighted keys.

The modular units fill with rising flood water and, along with the weighted keys and hard-wearing gasket seals, create a solid flood barrier.

A test of the ‘Floodstop’ barrier took place at Clydesmill Community Fire Station in Cambuslang. South Lanarkshire Council’s Flood Risk Management team rehearsed deploying the system with help from Scottish Fire and Rescue.

356 more Carillion staff lose jobs

A further 21 members of staff from collapsed construction contractor Carillion have been transferred to new suppliers over the past week, with 356 more people made redundant.

In total 13,516 jobs have been saved (74% of the pre-liquidation workforce), however the total redundancies has now reached 2,778 (15%) jobs.