Building Briefs – March 16th

Scotscraig Golf Club unveils renovation project

One of Scotland’s most respected heritage golf clubs has unveiled a comprehensive renovation project that has reinstated many original features of the famous links and heathlands layout.

Celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2017, Scotscraig Golf Club is the 13th oldest golf club in the world boasting an 18-hole championship course originally laid out under the guidance of Old Tom Morris and later by James Braid.

It features a championship course in a traditional loop that has undergone an extensive development programme which has returned all of the green-side and fairway bunkers to their original size and removed and controlled extensive areas of gorse.

There have also been a number of significant on-course changes, most notably on the fourth, 12th and 16th holes, which have collectively resulted in one of the most important development plans completed in the club’s 200-year history.

The first round of improvements were completed last year and involved rebuilding 21 green-side bunkers and a comprehensive redesign, rebuild and expansion of the fourth green and its associated sand trap. The second stage has seen 26 fairway and approach bunkers rebuilt in a more natural form and four new bunkers introduced on the par five 16th. New bunkers were also added at the 11th and 12th holes and two new championship tees will be unveiled on the finishing holes later this year.

Scotland’s largest telehandler reaches the heights on major infrastructure project

Scotland’s largest rotating telescopic handler has been deployed to Scottish Power’s South West Scotland Renewables Connections Project in New Cumnock as part of the latest phase of construction works.

The Magni RTH 5.35 has a reach of up to 35 metres, some 5 metres more than industry standard, and can lift loads or personnel up to 1,000kg using its extended boom lift.

The Grangemouth-based plant hire company, Jarvie Plant Group, who bought the first ever telehandler in Scotland in 1960, has supplied this piece of equipment to the project.

The current phase of the works is seeing 270 new pylon bases and towers constructed along the B741 and A743.

The RTH 5.35 is currently being used to “top off” new electricity pylons in areas where the topography of the land does not allow conventional apparatus, such as cranes, to be used.

The mammoth infrastructure project started over 3 years ago and involves four key stages to connect seven proposed wind farms with sub stations at New Cumnock, Coylton, Glenglass, Black Hill and Meikle Hill.

Over 40km of overhead and underground power lines are also being installed.

Procurement process for new partnership centre in Whitburn approved

West Lothian Council’s executive committee has approved the process for securing a contractor which is a significant step forward in delivering the new partnership centre for Whitburn.

Whitburn currently has three buildings delivering council services, the Burgh Halls, Library and Museum, and the Community Centre.

The plan is to develop the Burgh Halls on the main street, maintaining the current historic façade, and building on a new extension to replace the current arrangements to the rear of the building, which will create a new entrance to the west elevation of the building, ensuring that the Civic Square becomes a focal point for the community.

The proposals include a vibrant and welcoming open plan area for visitors and which incorporates the council’s Customer Information Services (CIS) office, including Access2employment, together with an open plan library and community museum.

New partnership centres are also planned in Linlithgow, Blackburn and East Calder.

Clark Contracts shortlisted for major UK construction awards

Clark Contracts has been selected as a finalist in the ‘Training Excellence’ category of the 2017 Construction News Awards.

The Paisley based construction, refurbishment and maintenance contractor is the only company who is registered in Scotland to join the UK wide shortlist of 138 organisations across 19 different categories.

Clark Contracts’ entry covers achievements in 2016, featuring its pioneering work with Glasgow Caledonian University in developing a new Masters programme and the work of its Academy on e-learning, mentoring, supply chain initiatives and developing bespoke skills assessments for apprentices.

The company also achieved Gold accreditation as Investors in Young People and the President’s Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Milestone reached on £1.1bn Caithness-Moray transmission scheme

A major milestone has been reached on the £1.1 billion Caithness-Moray transmission project.

SSE has successfully cleared rocks and boulders along the proposed route for two high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables which will carry up to 1,200MW of electricity between Caithness and Moray.

The cables will be installed from a purpose-built cable laying vessel in two phases, the first from Noss to the midpoint of the cable route and the second from Portgordon to the end of the previously laid cable.

Following this, the newly dug trench will be backfilled using the seabed material previously excavated during the trenching operation.

Once completed in 2018, the Caithness-Moray project is forecasted to deliver a £634.5 million boost to the UK economy.

Work begins on roundabout for £10m Highland retail park

Work started this week to build a roundabout on the A82 which will service the new £10 million North Road Retail Park in Fort William.

The roundabout will be constructed at the existing Lochaber smelter junction.

And as part of the programme of work involved for the new retail park site, a cycle path, Toucan crossing – which will allow both pedestrians and cyclists to cross – and a bus shelter layby will also be built.

Morbaine Ltd, the Cheshire-based developer, is constructing the multi-million pound retail park, which will contain M & S Simply Foods, Home Bargains and Aldi stores, and hopes it will be open for business in the Autumn.

The contractor I & H Brown will be undertaking the initial work for the developer, which isn’t expected to affect traffic on the busy A82 initially. But the footpath on the north side of the road will be diverted to the south side from April 24.

The contractor will also carry out drainage work and will install new street lighting.