Building Briefs – March 26th

• HBF appoints Neil Jefferson as MD

He will take up his new role in early 2020.

Neil is currently chief operating officer at warranty provider NHBC where he has held senior roles during more than 20 years.

• Taylor and Fraser becomes first company in Scotland to attain new accreditation

Paisley heating contractor Taylor and Fraser has become the first company in Scotland to be certified with the new ISO 45001:2018 accreditation by SGS for Mechanical and Electrical Services and General Construction Works.

Taylor and Fraser said the standard will improve its overall health and safety initiative and also allow it to continue to tender and be considered for projects across a breadth of industries.

• Haudagain drive-thru cafe plans approved

Plans for a drive-thru cafe at a retail park close to Aberdeen’s Haudagain roundabout have been approved by the local authority.

Lodged by Herbel Northern Ltd, the proposal for a new cafe with a drive-thru was submitted in January.

Aberdeen City Council has imposed a number of conditions on the developers.

Before any work will be allowed to start on the site, a detailed tree protection plan must be submitted to the local authority, to ensure there won’t be any unnecessary damage to nearby greenery.

A report of measure, which will be employed to control the smell coming from the restaurant, will also need to be submitted before the building can be occupied.

Conditions surrounding landscaping and pedestrian access were also handed down as part of the agreement to grant permission.

The developer was also asked to ensure a proposed bin store was created before the cafe came into use.

• Bothwell Road improvements enter final phase

Junction improvements on Bothwell Road, Hamilton are set to be complete by Friday.

The £500,000 package of works has been designed to reduce the number of accidents involving turning vehicles and to improve the capacity of the junction.

The final phase of carriageway surfacing works got underway this morning with the resurfacing of Caird Street.

To ensure safety for road users and workers a contraflow system is in place with temporary traffic signals are scheduled to be removed by the end of the week.

• Orkney announces major road closures

Orkney Islands Council has announced major road closures in Kirkwall from next week as part of the ongoing works in Broad Street.

Works will be moving to the top of Castle Street and the middle of Broad Street, including finishing touches installed at key crossing points which will include raised textured stone features.

This will lead to the closure of the junction of Broad Street, Castle Street and Albert Street to all traffic for up to five weeks - and therefore the full closure of Broad Street and Albert Street for the duration.

The works are part of the Kirkwall Townscape Heritage Initiative’s (KTHI) Places and Spaces project.

• Fifty-turbine wind farm plans submitted near Sanquhar

A full planning application has been submitted to the Scottish Government for a 50-turbine wind farm.

Developers Community Windpower said its Sanquhar II project is a “natural extension” of a nine-turbine scheme already operating in the area.

The proposed wind farm is located west of Sanquhar and south of Kelloholm in Dumfries and Galloway.

The company said the majority of the turbines involved would have a tip height of 200m (650ft).

• Essential gas network works underway in Burnside

Essential works to upgrade the gas network in Burnside, have gotten underway following discussions between SGN and South Lanarkshire Council.

The essential work involves the replacement of old, metal gas mains with new plastic pipes to ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply.

The first phase of works in the area is currently underway in Greystone Avenue, between Stonelaw Road and Cleveden Drive. During this phase, work is also taking place in Blairbeth Road, between Bradda Drive and Fishescoates Avenue.

This project is the second of three projects scheduled to take place in the Rutherglen area. The first stage of the programme got underway in the area towards the end of last year and is still ongoing.