Building Briefs – November 22nd

• Muir Homes sponsors children’s football team

The donation is part of its commitment to investing in the local community.

Muir Homes - whose development, Riverside of Blairs, is being built on the banks of the River Dee, a few minutes from Milltimber Primary school - decided to donate the money following a request from a parent at the school.

• Apartments planned at derelict Edinburgh mansion

A developer has submitted plans to convert Edinburgh’s Redhall House into six duplex apartments.

Dildar Singh Gold also wants to build two detached houses within the grounds.

If given the green light by councillors, landscaping improvements will take place at the front of Redhall House and the area of open space to the south.

• Construction set to start on Fife decom project

Construction is expected to start next month on a multi-million-pound project to prepare a yard in Fife for handling North Sea decommissioning jobs.

Decommissioning firm CessCon Decom said it was developing one of the UK’s most “advanced” scrapping facilities at Energy Park Fife (EPF) in Methil.

The quayside will be extended and equipped with a strengthened concrete laydown and dismantling area boasting water collection and treatment facilities.

The base could be ready to welcome large topsides, jackets and subsea infrastructure from the second quarter of 2020.

• Charity to transform old Police box into bike hire facility following asset transfer

A former police box in Alexandria will be transformed into a hub for hiring bikes after it was transferred to charity The Vale of Leven Trust.

The organisation took ownership of the property in Main Street, Bonhill, after a successful community asset transfer application.

The property ceased being used by police in 1968, before being transferred to the County Council of Dunbartonshire.

It has been let to commercial tenants since then, but has been vacant for more than five years and requires upgrading.

The trust now plan to use bring the building back up to standard for use before using the building for storing bikes which will be available for members of the public to hire and use along the River Leven’s cycle paths.

The community asset transfer was approved at yesterday’s meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council’s infrastructure, regeneration and economic development committee.

When finished, plans show the property will have room for a total of 18 bikes, with a bike repair station, and sink and toilet area.

• Inverness councillors decide on Town Centre Fund projects

A list of projects has been identified by the Highland Council’s city of Inverness area committee which will now go forward to the council’s Town Centre Working Group for consideration to potentially receive Town Centre Funding.

The Town Centre Fund seeks to encourage town and city centres to diversify and flourish, giving new purpose and creating footfall. The council has been given a £2,965,000 capital grant from the Scottish Government and is obliged to legally commit all funding before end March 2020 and to be spent by end October 2020.

The indicative sum of £596,901 has been allocated to the city of Inverness area.

Councillors have agreed the following projects for the Town Centre Working Group’s consideration on 26 November 2019.

WASPS are seeking a £160,000 contribution towards the second phase of the Inverness Creative Academy project. This will enable greater public access to the facility, including: meeting spaces for tenants and the community; publicly accessible exhibition, workshop and events spaces around a large social enterprise café; 54 affordable creative industry workspaces; 26 flexible co-working spaces for freelancers, start-ups and visiting organisations; and an access ramp, lift.

The Inverness Common Good/Highland Council is seeking £250,000 funding towards the redevelopment of the Victorian Market Hall to create a quality food and beverage offering. The project includes 18 units and flexible entertainment space.

Cromal Hill Recreation Trust need £40,000 to refurbish the pavilion at Cromal Hill, Ardersier. Works include new windows, doors, showers flooring, kitchen units and external refresh.

Inverness College UHI is seeking £126,000 towards the installation of a full-size 3G

Synthetics sports pitch at Inverness Campus on plot 13. The pitch will be designed for rugby and football. It will be floodlit, fenced and constructed to World Rugby, FIFA and Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA) standards.

Fishermen’s Hut, Bught Park: Inverness Angling Club is seeking £20k towards the rebuilding of an outdated and un-serviced hut at Bught Road used by the Inverness Angling Club which is noted in the planning application 18/05911/FUL - My Ness art installation.