Building Briefs - September 6th

• Miller Homes launches Scotland’s first local showhome

The showhome which is now open features products from Perth businesses including Quince & Cook, Heather Rose Spirits, Wilt & Wild, Mhor Coffee and The Watermill Bookshop, and is the first of its kind.

The four-bedroom Marwood showhome has been brought to life by Envision, with interiors carefully selected to complement the home’s contemporary design and an open-plan layout.

Quince & Cook, one of Perth’s most loved homeware and cookery stores, provided a selection of colourful pantry accessories for the laundry room in the showhome.

In the kitchen, local artisan coffee company, Mhor Coffee has provided a striking red Hario V60 and some of their delicious ground coffee to brighten up the worktops. Established in 2020, this new company has already made its mark on the Scottish coffee scene and is a favourite with Perth locals. 

Premium drinks company, Heather Rose Spirits, can be found in the kitchen’s cocktail corner. Their signature colourful ceramic bottles of small batch gin and rum produced at Strathearn Distillery, just a 15-minute drive from Bertha Park, showcases the very best local spirits and will give buyers a wealth of cocktail inspiration.

Perth-based florist Wilt & Wild has created a stunning dried flower arrangement for the laundry room in shades of bright green, red and orange to complement the home’s bold colour pops. 

Upstairs, in the kid’s bedroom, children’s books from The Watermill Bookshop are on display alongside a range of playful accessories, guaranteed to impress the whole family.

• £125k structural repairs within Cullen harbour under way

Structural repair works are under way at Cullen harbour.

Voids behind the timber piles to the south of the harbour are being infilled, and the seawall is being refaced. Sections of the wall have fallen into disrepair, with concrete coming loose from the structure. These areas will be broken apart and filled in with a suitable marine concrete.

Works are due to be completed by November 2021 and during this time pedestrians are asked to avoid the north pier and footpath around the harbour basin. Fencing and a diversion route are being put in place to protect both the public and those working on site.

• Kilmac makes electric vehicle commitment

Tayside civil engineering contractor Kilmac has invested in 15 electric vehicles for management and engineers.

Fast charging points have been installed at its Gemini Crescent head office in Dundee and at employees’ homes.

Kilmac managing director Athole McDonald said the 15-strong fleet of electric vehicles was a “stepping stone” for the business, which has a headcount of about 130 following recent appointments.

He hopes Kilmac’s fleet of 50 vans can also make the switch in the next 12 to 18 months.

• Martin Plant Hire agrees easyHire partnership

Martin Plant Hire has signed a franchise agreement with a technology solutions provider backed by the founder of easyJet.

Martin Plant Hire partnered with easyHire – a cloud-based tech platform and franchise network for the tool hire industry – following the purchase of the exclusive brand rights to easyToolhire Scotland.

The Glasgow-headquartered company will be supported over the course of a five-year period, with more than seven figures already invested into a new easyToolhire website.

The new agreement, which includes investment from both parties, will see easyHire help Martin Plant Hire drive online business, improve efficiencies and increase sales.