Building Briefs – June 7th
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BAM Construction opening doors to the public
BAM Construction is inviting people to take a preview tour behind the doors of the new Imaging Centre of Excellence at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital as part of a UK industry initiative.
The new pioneering building, codenamed Project ICE, will accommodate the UK’s first 7 Tesla Clinical MRI Scanner which is used in the research of brain conditions, as well as provide specialist clinical research facilities enabling scientists to carry out advanced research and clinical trials.
Visitors can book a free tour of the building on Thursday 16 or Friday 17 June from 11am until 12 noon by logging on to www.opendoors.construction. Under 18s will need to be accompanied by an adult.
The £20 million ICE building is being delivered on behalf of the University of Glasgow and will be complete at the end of the year.
Housing market hits £148.2bn in 10 years
The total value of the residential sales market in Scotland from 2006 to 2016 was just over £148.2 billion, according to a new report published today by Registers of Scotland (RoS).
The fourth annual publication of RoS’ 10-year property market report details the trends in the land and property market over the decade’s peak years, and in the wake of the economic downturn.
Supported by official statistics, RoS’ 10-year property market report draws data from every property transfer in Scotland, including those that do not include a mortgage, making this the most comprehensive property transaction report in the country.
Further key findings revealed in the report over the last 10 years include:
* a 16.9 per cent increase in the number of residential properties sold for over a million pounds
* a drop of 36.9 per cent in the number of sales being registered with a mortgage
* an increase in commercial leases, from 908 in 2006-07 to 3,026 in 2015-16.
Breakfast seminar on Scottish planning review
A free breakfast seminar outlining the key findings and implications of the recently published review of the planning system will be held on Tuesday 21st June hosted by PR and public affairs agency, Orbit Communications.
The recently published report, ‘Empowering Planning to deliver great places’, is the result of the Scottish Government’s plans to review nearly every aspect of the planning system with a view to significant reform.
The overarching goal of the review, undertaken by an independent panel, was “to achieve a quicker, more accessible and efficient planning process in order to build investor and community confidence in the system.”
This was focused on six key themes – development planning; housing delivery; planning for infrastructure; development management; leadership, resourcing and skills; and community engagement. The Scottish Government is now considering the recommendations put forward by the review panel and will publish its response in due course.
This event aims to look at the key outcomes of the review, whether it has met expectations set and how these recommendations might be progressed to the benefit of the Planning System as a whole.
Speakers will include:
Tickets for the event will be on a first-come-first-served basis and will be held at RICS offices, 125 Princes Street, Edinburgh. The seminar will be an 8am for 8.30m start and will finish at 10am. This includes a buffet breakfast and free gift.
Those interested can book to attend that event here.
Plan to transform Aberdeen’s Glover House
The home of the “Scottish samurai” who revolutionised Japan is set to be turned into a £2 million research hub.
Industrialist Thomas Blake Glover founded the car manufacturer Mitsubishi and is regarded as one of the founders of modern Japan.
Despite this, his family home in Aberdeen has been allowed to fall into disrepair since it closed to the public in 2012.
But under new plans to be decided by city councillors today, Glover House could be transformed.
Mitsubishi gifted Glover House to Grampian Regional Council in 1996 and a trust was created to run the attraction.
Glover’s former home in Japan attracts an average of two million visitors every year, but the Grampian-Japan Trust’s attempts to turn Glover House into a successful museum failed and it was shuttered in 2012.
It is now being taken back into the hands of the council ahead of the planned redevelopment.
Modern apprentices on the up
The number of Modern Apprentices (MA) in training in 2015/16 has increased to 25,818, exceeding the Scottish Government’s annual target for the 5th year in a row, employability minister Jamie Hepburn said today.
Figures published today by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) show that 196,626 people in Scotland have started an MA since 2007.
The latest figures also show that 79 per cent of apprentices are aged 16-24, with the majority of apprentices being at SVQ Level 3 and above, providing the opportunity for young people to begin exciting careers while achieving industry recognised qualifications.
Scotland’s largest solar farm formally opened
Scotland’s largest solar farm, which will provide power for more than 3,500 homes, is due to be officially opened.
The 13MW scheme, which was constructed on 70 acres of land at Errol Estate in Perthshire and includes 55,000 solar panels, went live in May.
Paul Wheelhouse, the Scottish government’s minister for business, innovation and energy, will formally launch the solar farm.
Its construction began in January. It generates energy all year round.
Errol Estate was one of the first locations in Scotland to be identified as a potential solar farm site, with the land being promoted for development by Thomas Macmillan of Savills in 2011.
Elgin Energy secured planning permission for the farm, and was responsible for designing the scheme and grid connection.
The farm was built by Canadian Solar, which will also operate the project.
Elgin High School piling works to begin
Piling works are due to begin on a new £28.8 million high school in Elgin.
Balfour Beatty is building the new complex, which is due to be completed by June 2018.
Before construction work can start on the main teaching block, steel piles need to be driven into the ground with a hydraulic ram.
Work will be carried out between 7am - 7pm from Monday to Friday, and from 7am – 4pm on Saturday.
Glasgow and Edinburgh hotels shine while Aberdeen flounders
Glasgow and Edinburgh’s hotel sector had excellent revenue growth during March while Aberdeen continued to be in the doldrums according to the latest report by accountants and business advisers, BDO LLP.
The firm’s monthly hotel survey found that year-on-year revenue grew 12.0 per cent in Edinburgh during March and was up 8.3 per cent in Glasgow. Inverness had almost static revenue increasing just 0.1 per cent whereas Aberdeen’s fell by 43.0 per cent. Occupancy rose in Edinburgh by 3.4 per cent during March but was down 17.1 per cent in Aberdeen; 2.0 per cent lower in Glasgow and 1.5 per cent down in Inverness.
Occupancy across all parts of the UK, with the exception of Wales, fell fairly uniformly at a rate of between 1.5-1.8 per cent. However, Scotland was the only part of the UK that saw an overall revenue drop of 4.0 per cent and this was due to the very large decrease in Aberdeen’s performance. In regional UK revenue rose 1.5 per cent; was up 1.9 per cent in England and increased 5.8 per cent in Wales.
Community footbridge installed in Scottish Borders
A new community footbridge has been installed at Blyth Bridge in the Scottish Borders.
The walkway was built as part of Scottish Water’s £7.6 million improvements project on the Talla Aqueduct.
It was erected over a redundant water pipe as a goodwill gesture towards the local community following work carried out in the area between February 2014 and July 2015.
The bridge was built through a collaboration between Scottish Water, Farrans Construction, Colin Devenney Plant Hire, G S Howieson Agricultural Contractor and A&L Ltd. Mechanical Installations.
Mosaic artwork installed on Brechin Flood Prevention Scheme
A new artwork scheme has been developed as part of a multi-million pound flood scheme in Angus.
The River Street community mosaic artwork, five in total, has been installed on a new flood wall which protects Brechin from flooding.
The Brechin Flood Prevention Scheme is the single largest civil engineering project in the region.
It will provide one in 200 years’ current-day standard of defence and consists of:
The project is due to be completed by summer 2016.
Chief executive retires at Lanarkshire Housing Association
Lanarkshire Housing Association Ltd (LHA) has announced that James Stevenson has retired as chief executive after more than 33 years’ service with the Association.
Originally employed as a development officer in 1982, Jim was promoted to director in 1992 and finally re-designated as chief executive in 1998 following an organisational restructure. During his career Jim has been responsible for growing LHA’s housing stock from approximately 100 houses to its current level, with over 950 units in management.
Simon McManus, LHA’s corporate services director has been appointed as acting chief executive whilst a permanent replacement is recruited.
Stewart Milne Group Bike4forty team donates £20,000 to The ARCHIE Foundation
A group of amateur cyclists from Stewart Milne Group who took part in a 730 mile cycle from Manchester to Aberdeen have raised £60,000 for charity with £20,000 being donated to the ARCHIE Foundation.
The “bike4forty” challenge, part of the group’s 40th anniversary celebrations, saw the eight members of staff travel 738 miles over nine days to raise funds for The ARCHIE Foundation, Beatson Cancer Charity and the Christie Cancer Charity based in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Manchester respectively. The cyclists aimed to raise £40,000 for the charities but over the course of the challenge surpassed that target, raising a total of £60,000.
The Stewart Milne Group staff who took part in the cycle were Aileen Beverly and Joe Morris from Aberdeen; Gary Milne and Alan Sneddon from Edinburgh; Niall Campbell, Patrick Gardiner and Stuart Henderson from Glasgow; and Manchester-based Stephen Daintith.
The Archie Foundation makes a difference to the healthcare of more than 175,000 sick children across the north of Scotland, in hospital and in the community, by buying specialist equipment, supporting families, creating amazing hospital environments, enhancing staff training, buying toys, funding research, providing specialist staff and responding in emergencies.
Safety first for Inshes Primary School pupils
Pupils at Inshes Primary School have put their creative talents to good use to reimagine safety slogans and signs.
The slogans were created as part of a competition run by Robertson, whose Northern and Civils operations are currently working on a renovation of the nearby Inshes Retail Park.
The three winners of the competition will see their posters displayed on perimeter fencing at the site during the work, as part of a drive to make the area a safer place.
Ashley from P2 won for her road safety sign, while Emma from P7 won for her danger out of hours sign. Matthew from P4 won with his danger on site sign and Rhea and Jenna, both from P7, won for their sign for the site compound.
All of the winners received framed versions of their original posters and a £15 book voucher.
Inshes Retail Park is owned by Aberdeen Property Trust, with Corran Properties acting as Development Managers. The £3 million redevelopment of the park will create more than 140 retail jobs, with Robertson Group employing up to 50 across the construction phase.
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