Building Briefs – September 22nd

Scottish councils ‘on track’ to double new house building

Scotland’s councils are ready to respond to the Scottish Government’s call to deliver 35,000 new social rented homes during this parliament with plans in place to double the number of new homes they provide each year.

New figures presented to government officials by of the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) have shown that the 26 council landlords have plans in place to for over 14,000 homes by 2021 including the 1,085 homes added in 2016/17.

Local authorities delivered 5,512 homes between 2011-2016 and are set to invest over £1.3 billion, around 60% of which will be paid for by tenants through their rents, with most of the remainder will be provided as grant from the Scottish Government.

At the meeting to review progress towards the 50,000 home target, ALACHO also raised some of the challenges that councils, housing associations and the private sector face in delivering new homes and the risk to the supply of new supported housing caused by welfare reform and the difficulties in delivering new homes in remote and island communities.

In evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s local government and communities committee, ALACHO has called for a 15-20 year cross party commitment to increase the number of social rented homes across Scotland.

(Full story… )

First phase of £5m Priesthill home improvement programme completed

Work on the first phase of a £5.12 million improvement programme for almost 200 homes in the Priesthill area of Glasgow has now been completed.

Glasgow City Council, which part-funded the improvements, was asked to intervene when concerns were raised by residents and elected members about the condition of the properties, known locally as the Barratt Circle, as well as the high incidence of private lets and associated issues such as anti-social behaviour.

The properties, mostly former council inter-war stock at Glenmuir Drive, Househillmuir Road, Linnhead Drive and Ravenscraig Drive, were refurbished by Barratt in the 1980s and marketed for low cost home ownership suitable for first time buyers.

A number of issues, including owners not paying for factoring services, has led to varying levels of disrepair and around 25 of the current homes lying vacant.

It is expected that Rosehill Housing Co-operative will become factor for the properties, and the imbalance of tenure (too high a proportion of private landlords) will be addressed through the council’s acquisitions strategy, which will focus on empty properties and problematic private lets.

The council will consult with the owners on the third phase - environmental works - once work on the second phase is underway.

(Full story… )

Councillors decide against Aberdeen affordable housing plans

Grampian Housing Association has revealed its “disappointment” after a decision by Aberdeen City Council blocked its plans to develop affordable homes designed to attract graduates to the area.

The housing association’s bid for a vacant site on Nelson Street would have seen First Foot Properties build around 150 single units.

The fields and changing pavilion currently at the site were deemed surplus to requirements and put up for sale earlier this year.

Grampian Housing Association’s proposed project, which would have cost around £15 million and be the first of its kind in Scotland, was created with recent graduates starting their careers in the public sector in mind.

The homes would have been owned and operated by the housing association.

However a rival plan by the Alhikmah Foundation charity for the site including new football and cricket pitches was backed by the city council’s finance committee this week.

(Full story… )

Kitchen replacement contract starts at Forth Housing Association

CCG’s expert planned maintenance division Asset Management has commenced a kitchen replacement contract on behalf of Forth Housing Association.

The contract comprises full kitchen replacement, electrical works, and decoration to 29 properties bringing the kitchens up to SHQS standard. Located in the Bannockburn and Plean areas of Stirling, works will be undertaken over a three and a half week construction period, moving to completion in early-October.

CCG Asset Management was appointed directly by Forth HA through the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) KB3 Framework Work stream 2. The OJEU compliant framework allows public sector organisations to be given immediate access to suppliers in order to fast-track project start dates.

(Full story… )

AWPR - New A90 section to open between Bridgend and Foveran

It is expected that drivers will be able to use a new road layout on the A90 between Bridgend and Foveran from the week commencing Sunday 24 September, as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project.

Traffic from the existing A90 between Bridgend and Foveran will be diverted to run on a new 3km section of carriageway. The new section will be subject to a 50mph speed restriction and will provide one lane of traffic running in each direction, similar to the existing A90 at this location.

The contractor will be closing the existing A90 to traffic to and from the B9000 Newburgh to Pitmedden Road, for around eight weeks.

These changes to road layout and the road closure will enable the contractor to undertake works on the existing A90, including the construction of a new roundabout and additional carriageway for the new A90.

£6m Moodiesburn mixed tenure development launched

Coinciding with Scottish Housing Day 2017, partnership housing provider Lovell and Link Group have officially launched Mollins Gate, a brand new 55-home mixed tenure development on a previously disused site in Moodiesburn near Glasgow.

Local ward councillors for Moodiesburn Willie Doolan, Greg Lennon and Michael McPake were joined by North Lanarkshire Council enterprise and housing committee convener, Allan Graham, for an exclusive tour of the £6 million development and an opportunity to meet some of the new residents.

Lovell originally began work on the development in March 2016. The development comprises 17 one-, two- and three-bedroom homes for social rent and 15 two-bedroom flats for shared equity sale by Link alongside 23 modern two- and three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached homes for private sale, all of which were pre-sold by Lovell in June of this year.

(Full story… )

Work starts to strengthen Cowal bridge

Work is under way to strengthen a bridge in Cowal.

Kilbridemore Bridge at Glendruel will also be widened to allow larger vehicles to use it.

The work will increase the bridge’s current three-tonne maximum gross weight (MGW) to the maximum of 40 tonnes.

The road – at the north end of the U022 – will be closed for the majority of the work, which is due to be completed by December.

The work will mean the bridge will be able to take heavy goods vehicles such as timber lorries. Most bridges are now designed to take 40 to 44 tonnes as standard.

It is part of the council’s wider bridge strengthening programme, which is strengthening bridges that have a limit of under 40 tonnes, which will allow unrestricted movement of transport on Argyll and Bute’s roads network.

Rural Stirling starts new homes in Callander

Rural Stirling Housing Association celebrated Scottish Housing Day with a start on new homes in Callander.

Work started on the 23 badly needed new flats for social rent at Station Road.

(Full story… )

Inverness and Nairn planning and building standards team on the move

The Highland Council has announced its Inverness and Nairn Planning and Building Standards team will relocate to Inverness Town House.

The city centre site has recently undergone a three-year £4.2 million refurbishment.