Building Briefs - March 24th
Reading time: 12 minutes
- Work to start on second homes-for-life development in Edinburgh
Keys have been handed over this week to community benefit society Common Ground Against Homelessness (CGAH) for a property in Peffermill, which will become a second homes-for-life development in the capital.
(from left) Francis Barkey, board member, CGAH; Helen Carlin, founder, CGAH; Tom Muir, chair, CGAH and Wendy Sneddon, chair, Rowan Alba
CGAH will refurbish and lease the property to Rowan Alba, providing homes-for-life for nine former street homeless men, mirroring the successful homes-for-life approach as pioneered by Rowan Alba at Thorntree Street in Leith, where the average length of stay is seven years.
The unique model delivers secure tenancies to older people with a history of repeat homelessness and alcohol dependency issues. Funds for the Peffermill property were raised through the sale of community shares at the end of 2020, supported by Community Shares Scotland. The share offer exceeded its £650,00 target, raising £715,00 in just seven weeks.
Grant funding was also obtained from Nationwide Building Society, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, Crisis: Home for All Grants and The Screwfix Foundation.
The development of Peffermill is expected to be completed by early 2022 and will open its doors soon afterwards.
- New Monifieth Learning Campus consultation launched
Angus Council has launched a public consultation for the new school for Monifieth.
By approving the budget on March 4, Angus Council committed to building a new school in Monifieth, in line with its Schools for the Future Strategy.
Convener of schools and learning, Cllr Derek Wann, said: “We want to hear from everybody who will be in some way involved with the new school.
“We want to hear your views on the opportunities for the new building so that we can build the best possible school we can within the available funding.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity. By working together, we can create the best possible outcome for learning and the community in Monifieth.”
This survey which runs until midnight on April 21, is part a much wider consultation with current pupils, staff, parents and carers, cluster primary school communities, community groups, and other potential users of the new school.
The survey and the supporting information are all available here.
- Planning permission granted for new recycling facility in Cumnock
A new public recycling centre is to be built at Caponacre in Cumnock after East Ayrshire Council granted planning permission for the new facility.
The recycling centre will provide safe, easy access to recycling facilities for the local community.
The council will be engaging with interested parties and the local community in the coming weeks on plans for the site and the Ayrshire Roads Alliance will be working with Netherthird Primary School and ECC Parent Council on a review of Safe Routes to School to address any concerns they may have regarding the movement of vehicles to the recycling centre.
- Significant planning notifications considered by Moray Council
Proposed housing, a large quarry extension and an aerospace technology centre proposals have been highlighted to Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee.
The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) for each of the projects were put to councillors for consideration this week ahead of any applications being submitted.
A change to the types of houses being built on Barhill Road, Buckie was also submitted and approved by elected members, subject to a number of development conditions. A further 100 houses are also potentially in the pipeline there in future.
A 15-hectare extension to the existing Lossie Forest Quarry was highlighted alongside further residential and community development of the Glassgreen area of Elgin. This will see development in line with the draft Elgin South Masterplan, which was also discussed and will now go to public consultation stage before coming back before Council later in the year.
Members also heard about the 37.4-hectare area of land adjacent to RAF Lossiemouth being earmarked for siting an Aerospace Advanced Technology and Innovation Centre.
Moray Council was also invited, by the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents & Deployment Unit, as a consultee, to comment on an extension to the existing Berryburn windfarm by nine further turbines. It was agreed that Moray Council would not raise an objection to the application on planning grounds but recommended conditions should be imposed on any consent granted.
- Artisan Real Estate nominated for double honours at property awards
Artisan Real Estate’s commitment to Scotland during the pandemic has been recognised with two prestigious nominations at the upcoming 2021 Scottish Property Awards.
The developer has been shortlisted for both the Property Company of the Year and the Business Resilience awards, reflecting Artisan’s continued multi-million investment in pioneering regeneration-based development projects in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Despite the obvious challenges and restrictions imposed on the industry in 2020, Artisan enjoyed significant progress across both the residential and commercial property markets in Scotland. By the close of 2020, the developer invested a total of £400 million in its developments in Scotland - including £300m in Edinburgh and £100m in Glasgow.
Welcoming the awards’ nominations, Clive Wilding, Artisan’s property director, said: “Artisan has witnessed significant progress across both our commercial and residential portfolios during the past year, and I’m delighted this has been recognised by our industry peers with these two prestigious award nominations. Our relentless drive for development success was not slowed by the pandemic. Rather the lessons learned during lockdown gave the company renewed impetus, inspiration and creativity in its desire to build new progressive communities to suit the requirements of post-pandemic living.”
He added: “Artisan now has an opportunity in Scotland to set a new benchmark for high quality urban regeneration in sensitive city-centre environments – whether it be commercial, residential or mixed-use. Our track record across Scotland has given us a strong understanding of the importance of sustainable low carbon living combined with high quality placemaking, which is at the heart of all Artisan’s developments.”
The winners of the 2021 Scottish Property Awards will be revealed on Thursday at a virtual ceremony hosted from Glasgow.
- Enhancements planned to historic Preston Tower
Plans for restoration work at historic Preston Tower are taking shape.
A number of improvements are planned at the late Medieval towerhouse - which was originally constructed in the 15th century and then repaired and extended upwards in the 17th century – and nearby doocot.
Restoration of the buildings in Prestonpans is focused on improving access and encouraging more people to visit in future while contributing to local regeneration.
Due to evidence of protected species at the site, the project will to be delivered in two phases.
The first phase will see the restoration of the doocot and the installation of new architectural lighting and the installation of new interpretation/information boards are all planned, which will be developed in collaboration with the local community.
The project, which is expected to cost up to £900,000, is being supported by the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Fund and progressed by East Lothian Council in collaboration with building owners the National Trust for Scotland and with the support of the Preston Seton Gosford Area Partnership, and the National Lottery-funded Great Place Project.
A project manager from building surveyors Doig and Smith has been brought on board to lead the project team, as well as project consultant Groves Raines Architects.
- School children near BHA development welcome Hart Builders donation
Hart Builders has donated £2,000 to Ayton Primary School as part of its commitment to investing in the local community where it is currently building phase one of a new development for Berwickshire Housing Association.
Pupils from Ayton Primary School thank Hart Builders
Located in Beanburn, Ayton, the primary school is close to the 31 new homes which will provide a mix of bungalows, wheelchair accessible properties and three and four-bedroom family homes.
The Beanburn project is the fifth project to be delivered by Hart Builders in partnership with Berwickshire Housing Association and will bring the total number of homes they have delivered jointly to 129.
Due to complete in this year, all properties are set in generous plots and will offer modern and spacious homes that are energy efficient, keeping running costs low for tenants.
- West Dunbartonshire Council agrees 2021/22 budget for COVID-19 recovery
West Dunbartonshire Council has set its budget for the year ahead with a focus on helping the area recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021/22 budget reflects the significant impact of the pandemic and details of spending for the coming year included investment in additional community empowerment officers to assist residents and groups to shape recovery plans and enhance their areas.
In addition, there is funding to support victims of domestic abuse with £40,000 for two local Women’s Aid refuges.
A further £152,000 is being spent on accelerating maintenance and repairs to buildings including schools, early learning and childcare centres and community centres which had to be put on hold due to pandemic restrictions, with £200,000 invested in improving pavements in the area to enhance walking routes.
A number of key projects will be progressed in the coming 12 months including the opening of a new education campus in Renton and completion of a new gym, changing facility and running track in Dumbarton.
There will be investment in the Antonine Wall Heritage Fund which is delivering a project to bring the history of the World Heritage Site back to life as an interactive attraction including Roman themed playparks along the length of the structure. Funding has also been committed to improve the Dennystoun Forge Gypsy Traveller Site in Dumbarton.
Taxi and private hire car drivers will have their current single year licences extended to cover two years at no additional cost reflecting the impact of the pandemic on the trade.
It was agreed at a previous council meeting in February that Council Tax levels would be frozen for 2021/22.
- Nationwide: Annual house price growth rebounded in February
Annual house price growth in the UK rebounded to 6.9% in February from 6.4% in January, according to the latest Nationwide House Price Index.
Prices were up 0.7% month-on-month, more than erasing the small decline seen in January.
The index also reported the average house price of £231,061, marking the highest on record.
Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, said that this increase is a surprise, adding that it seemed more likely that annual price growth would soften further ahead of the end of the stamp duty holiday, which prompted many people considering a house move to bring forward their purchase.
Mr Gardner added that many peoples’ housing needs have changed as a direct result of the pandemic, with many opting to move to less densely populated locations or property types, despite the sharp economic slowdown and the uncertain outlook.
- Deadline for public comment on Moray Firth Local Development plan document extended
The Highland Council has extended the deadline for views on the new Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan until 5pm on April 30.
The Main Issues Report sets out possible ways of delivering more affordable housing, directing development to more sustainable places, better matching infrastructure network capacity and new development (for example schools), and making sure that larger developers address the need for self-build and genuinely wheelchair liveable accommodation for the disabled and ageing population.
For example, the document suggests that within the City of Inverness that developers provide 35% not the current 25% of their sites for affordable housing.
It also suggests that a higher proportion of future building should happen in the biggest, best connected places and a lower proportion in the countryside and the smallest villages.
The document further proposes that fewer but more viable sites are earmarked for future building and by viable it means economic for the builder to build but also for the public sector to support that new development with adequate roads, schools, refuse collection and alike.
- Lochaber projects awarded Highland Coastal Communities Fund
Eight successful projects have been awarded £432,032 Highland Coastal Communities Fund by The Highland Council’s Lochaber committee.
Lochaber councillors agreed to prioritise projects from remote, rural areas and projects that will alleviate tourism pressures.
Applications for the Lochaber (HCCF) were oversubscribed with eleven projects exceeding the total amount of funding available. The following applications were awarded:
Ardgour Community Council - Ardgour Area Path Network - £10,935
Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust - Increasing Infrastructure Resilience and Capacity at the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Complex - £73,650
Eigg Trading - An Laimhrig- Eigg Community Hub Redevelopment (phase 2) - £100,000
Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company - Dredging of Foreshore - £70,447
Glencoe and Glen Etive Community Council - Glencoe Village Car Park: Phase 1 Feasibility Study - £12,000
Isle of Canna Community Development Trust - Coroghan Barn Redevelopment Feasibility Study - £15,000
National Trust for Scotland - Sustainable Infrastructure in Glencoe and Glen Etive - £50,000
Road to The Isles Facilities Group - Silver Sands (Tougal) Car Park Improvement - £100,000
The Highland Coastal Communities Fund is designed to support economic regeneration and sustainable development around coastal areas in Highland. The fund is derived from revenue generated by Scottish Government Crown Estate marine assets.
Projects are expected to prioritise economic recovery, community resilience, mitigate the impact of climate change or address the challenges of rural depopulation. The successful projects will also demonstrate sustainability or viability, value for money, additionality, local support/benefit to their community and evidence the positive impacts for their coastal community/economy.
Applications from Arisaig Community Trust for The Arisaig Aire - £100,000; Bruce Boyd – for Muck Community Store - £14,000; and Caol Regeneration Company for Thomas Telford Corpach Marina - £100,000 were deferred.
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