Building Briefs - October 31st

The foundations have been laid for a new art gallery on one of Edinburgh’s most notable landmarks.

The Observatory on Edinburgh’s iconic Calton Hill is to become the new home of the Collective Gallery and a space for national and international artists.

The £4 million restoration project will include conservation of the observatory’s original 19th century William Henry Playfair designs, its original telescopes and astronomical instruments and its grounds; the creation of a subterranean gallery, and the building of a new restaurant.

The gallery has received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the City of Edinburgh Council, Creative Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage.

New homes to be built by Abertay Housing Association

Almost 60 homes will be built at Finavon Street, Dundee on behalf of Abertay Housing Association after planning permission was secured by planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore.

The proposals will see a cleared brownfield site developed to deliver 56 energy-efficient affordable homes to supplement Abertay’s existing housing stock.

Robertson Partnership Homes will deliver the houses, with construction expected to start early in 2017.

Barton Willmore are providing architecture, town planning and landscape design services for the project.

The proposals promote a range of different property types including semi-detached and terraced houses, flats and maisonettes to help meet housing demand in the area. In addition, a significant number of the units proposed are specifically designed to provide amenity and supported living accommodation.

The design proposals have been developed with a strong emphasis on understanding and contributing to the existing character of the area, generating a strong development edge that responds to the visual prominence of the site. The architectural approach focuses on creating buildings with attractive simple proportions with a limited palette of robust materials, resulting in a development with a distinct identity.

Bob Sander, operations director for Abertay Housing Association, said: “Abertay is delighted to now be able to move forward and redevelop this former housing site. The site will provide much needed high quality new houses and flats for Fintry which will help to raise its profile and boost the local economy”.

Jon Parry, associate architect in Barton Willmore’s Edinburgh office, added: “Barton Willmore is proud to have provided a multi-disciplinary team which has supported Abertay Housing Association in the promotion of this exciting project. The proposals will deliver a strong new western edge to Fintry, with gateway buildings formed at the important routes into Fintry from Fintry Drive and Fintry Road.”

Designs shown for new Aberdeenshire community centre

Plans to create a community centre in the Aberdeenshire town of Inverurie will take a significant step forward next week when initial designs for a proposed Community Campus will be unveiled by the local authority.

The new development will include school and sports facilities, a games hall, dance studio, fitness suite, swimming pool and more.

The council is seeking permission from the education, learning and leisure committee in December to begin a consultation on proposals to relocate the specialist St Andrews School to the new campus.

The authority has already committed to £25 million as part of our capital plan to contribute towards the cost of the new campus, and we have secured a further £24.8 million from the Scottish Government.”

Members of the public will be able to have a say on the project at Inverurie Academy between 10am and 9pm on November 9.

They will be invited to meet representatives from Halliday Fraser Munro, the architects behind the scheme.

Commercial plans for former Dundee waterfront offices

A new restaurant and cafes at Dundee’s Waterfront could be completed by next spring with construction work set to begin next month at commercial units on the city’s Shore Terrace.

Councillors are set to consider a tender worth more than £720,000 to alter the former housing offices which face on to the recently opened Slessor Gardens.

Councillor Will Dawson, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said the development would be a major benefit to the Waterfront area.

If approved work will begin in November with completion estimated for next April.

The development will involve altering and sub-dividing the former housing offices.

Single storey cottages added to Chapelton Landscape

A range of single storey cottages have been added to the new Chapelton development located 10 miles south of Aberdeen.

Following high demand from prospective buyers and the local community housebuilder, Stephen, took the decision to add the house type to their Chapelton property portofolio.

Just weeks after announcing their plans two full reservations and eight advance reservations of the 20 properties of this type have already been placed.

The two and three bedroom, single storey cottages are available as both semi and detached homes and are currently available for purchase off plan. They have been designed to complement the existing mix of properties available in Chapelton, which have been developed by housebuilders AJC, Stephen and ZeroC.

With over 90 homes now occupied and a range of commercial properties including a tearoom, nursery school and hair and beauty salon now open, the Chapelton community is growing quickly, the developers said.