Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for April 2009
30/04/2009
Swift action by the Scottish Government is helping households and house builders weather the economic recession, MSPs were told yesterday. Housing Minister Alex Neil highlighted measures, backed by record investment, that are increasing the supply of good quality, energy efficient homes that people
30/04/2009
An urgent independent review is needed into a registration scheme which is failing to weed out bad landlords and protect tenants from poor practice. Shelter Scotland's report 'Landlord Registration in Scotland: three years on' also calls for a national publicity drive after research revealed a lack
30/04/2009
Ideas to help disabled passengers get more from Scotland's rail network are being sought as a new £700,000 fund for local projects is launched. Transport Scotland has just announced the latest round of funding from the Access for All Small Schemes Fund, which seeks to deliver innovative projects ai
30/04/2009
Dunn's has been appointed to design and build another Aberdeen outlet for the ever-popular Jimmy Chung's Bar and Chinese Buffet. With a project value of £500,000, the latest Jimmy Chung's, located at Westhill retail park Aberdeen, is the fourth outlet that Dunn’s has designed for the rapidly expand
30/04/2009
Following the 'Council Tender for Trade' event, held at Gean House, Alloa, in October last year, Clackmannanshire Council has changed their procurement policy and will now be placing all tenders over the value of £10,000 on the public Contracts Scotland portal. Procurement Manager Derek Barr said:
30/04/2009
Plans for a new 200-home residential development in Aberdeen's west-end have been granted by councillors. The planning committee voted to grant outline planning permission for the development at Hazledene, which will comprise of a mixture of flats and houses of two to five bedrooms. The site compr
30/04/2009
Scotland's first Marine Bill has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament. Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said the bill is set to deliver more opportunities to boost the economy while improving conservation measures. It follows calls from environmental groups, the marin
30/04/2009
Responses to a consultation about the Aberdeen City and Shire Structure Plan are to be considered by Scottish Ministers. The finalised Structure Plan was submitted to ministers by the Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Planning Authority on behalf of Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Counc
30/04/2009
A new electricity deal will save taxpayers up to £10m a year and help public bodies go greener. Scottish Power and SSE have been awarded innovative new contracts to supply electricity, available to the whole public sector. Cost savings will come from bulk buying and the new arrangements will reduc
30/04/2009
An Icelandic delegation is coming to the Highlands this week in a fact finding tour to explore ways of developing rural economies. Geographical similarities and a shared interest in fostering innovative, resourceful communities have lead to links between the countries' development agencies. Highlan
29/04/2009
A new online system to enable people in all parts of Scotland to apply for developments, appeal against decisions and track progress of proposals has been launched. Finance Secretary John Swinney said that the £11.2m ePlanning initiative will make Scotland's planning system simpler, faster and more
29/04/2009
Despite a record number of entries, Laidlaw Solutions Ltd was voted outright winner in the 'Commercial Buildings' category of the 2008/9 RIBA Specification Awards. The awards identify excellence in the specification of architectural ironmongery, Laidlaw winning with architects Stone and Partners fo
29/04/2009
Last year in Scotland, 11 construction workers died and almost 1,500 were injured at work. Today an event is being held in Inverness to help reduce that toll by providing free health and safety advice to local construction workers. The Construction Safety and Health Awareness day is being held at
29/04/2009
East Lothian Council has agreed in principle to provide loans to developers of affordable housing to ensure the economic recession doesn't 'mothball' such sites in the county. The decision was taken at a meeting of the full Council yesterday in response to the changing economic circumstances, which
29/04/2009
J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has let prime retail premises in Kirkintilloch to the Salvation Army on a five year lease at £18,500 pa. The 1,100 sq ft shop is located at 51 Cowgate, within the town's main retail area, where neighbouring operators include a number of national traders. Jamie Sava
29/04/2009
A 'Ground Force' style garden makeover took place last week when a team of warriors in wellies descended on a play area in Strachur to give the valued community space a new lease of life. The well used play park was in need of a little TLC so a special team of volunteers arrived on Monday to give t
29/04/2009
The boost to the historic character of Whithorn continues apace with the completion of improvements to Bruce Street which now incorporates traditional detailing amid the historic Priory and Church. In the two years since the conservation area regeneration scheme was launched the owners of 30 prope
29/04/2009
Commenting on Scotland's first Apprenticeship Summit, hosted yesterday by the Scottish Government at the Signet Library in Edinburgh, the Scottish Building Federation has welcomed the initiative. But it warned that the ambition to create 1000 new modern apprenticeship places over the next 3 years co
28/04/2009
Three major construction contracts amounting to £100m have been awarded today to improve rail infrastructure in Scotland. The contracts are part of £300m of Scottish Government investment to deliver the new Airdrie-Bathgate Rail link. Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said that the contracts,
28/04/2009
The first physical step towards regenerating one of Aberdeen's most deprived areas went ahead today, with the demolition of a block of tenements. The demolition of the 36 Hayton Road flats, which were built in 1937, also paves the way for the council to begin building the first new general-needs co
28/04/2009
More than 100 individuals in Scotland are to be offered a place in a new Home Energy Apprenticeship Programme. The Scottish Government will support Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) in a Home Energy Apprenticeship Pilot Programme which will build a framework of energy professionals to support the
28/04/2009
A bad atmosphere at work isn't just unpleasant to work in - it can actually increase the likelihood of depression among workers. Employers in construction businesses are now being warned to tackle stress in the workplace before it becomes a major problem. New research has been studied by experts a
28/04/2009
A Scottish company is forging a reputation as a global leader in training managers, engineers and technicians who work in industrial and hazardous environments. The EPIT Group has formed a new company in Kazakhstan, called KAZEX, employing local staff to utilise their expertise which will enable co
28/04/2009
An Aberdeenshire biomass company has become one of the first in Scotland to be registered under the pioneering Government-backed Microgeneration Certification Scheme. Portlethen-based Grampian Heat and Power (GHP) is one of the first Scottish companies to be accredited, and is one of several North
28/04/2009
Charter-Integr8 shutters were specified to "add a splash of colour" to Newark Primary School in Scotland. The school enjoys a prominent position in the local landscape and the use of Charter-Integr8 shutters (finished in vibrant red and green) is an important part of its bold and striking design.
28/04/2009
Leading energy company E.ON has launched a Sustainable Energy Fund for green-thinking community groups across the UK, offering grants and advice for sustainable improvement energy projects. The fund replaces E.ON's SOURCE fund. Over the last couple of years SOURCE has helped many charities and comm
28/04/2009
Scotland must take innovative action to adapt to the impacts of climate change, Stewart Stevenson said today. The Minister was speaking yesterday as he launched the second stage of the consultation on Scotland's new Climate Change Adaptation Framework which looks at how Scotland should plan for t
28/04/2009
The director of Shelter Scotland has described proposals for the radical reform of Right to Buy as the "right thing to do". Graeme Brown was responding to the plans announced by the Scottish Government yesterday to end Right to Buy for new build affordable homes in Scotland. He said: "There's no p
27/04/2009
Moves to end the Right to Buy for new build social housing in Scotland were formally published today. The reforms, part of the consultation on the Draft Housing (Scotland) Bill, are aimed at safeguarding social rented housing for future generations. It is estimated that between 2012 and 2022 these
27/04/2009
A key stage in the multi-million pound transformation of Dundee's waterfront could be underway within weeks if councillors back the move this week. Members of the city development and policy and resources committees will be asked to approve the £20m, five year third phase of the project, including
27/04/2009
A major fire at Lochbroom House, Ullapool - a residential care home for older people run by the Highland Council - has delayed the re-opening of the home following a £1,200,000 refurbishment. The six residents and the staff, who had been relocated to the Ullapool Hotel during the refurbishment work
27/04/2009
Work on an important historic building in Dysart on Friday marked the launch of an £11m regeneration initiative for the community. The Tolbooth is the first building to benefit from the £1.6m funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, through the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) and the £395,000 fu
27/04/2009
Architect Bea Zimelka, part of the winning TeamBuild 2008 team, has called for young professionals across the country to enter TeamBuild 2009. TeamBuild, supported by ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the industry, sees different disciplines work together to solve a real-life constr
27/04/2009
Beginning today the 15m life-sized tram mock-up will be situated on Leith's Constitution Street. As it will be situated in the exact roadside position, it will provide a real picture of how the tram will work successfully in narrower road spaces and residential areas. It was previously situated o
27/04/2009
Two apprentices from Historic Scotland's Stonemasonry Training facility, Elgin, have been crowned champions of the first Stonemasonry Apprentice Skills Competition, which was held at Glasgow's Metropolitan College over the weekend. Kenny McCaffrey, 38, and Malcolm Hutcheon, 38, both adult apprentic
27/04/2009
Councillors are to visit a five star Aberdeen hotel as they consider an application to extend it. The application seeks permission to make alterations to and extend the Marcliffe Hotel to create 186 new bedrooms (bringing the total number of rooms to 228), a reception, function area, lounge and lei
27/04/2009
Proposals in the Budget, if enacted, will unfairly disadvantage self-catering operators across the UK, claims a leading Ayrshire chartered accountant. Andrew Sinclair is a partner at Ayr-based Sinclair Scott Chartered Accountants. He points out that businesses which let out furnished holiday proper
27/04/2009
Scotland is ready to strengthen its European lead in both renewable energy and oil and gas by including carbon capture and storage, First Minister Alex Salmond said today. The FM, who will be making an announcement on carbon capture later this week, said Scotland has the potential, ambition and nat
24/04/2009
North Ayrshire Council has approved an additional £1m roads funding for this year to put right the damage caused by the worst winter in 20 years. This means that £2.8m will be spent on the 1014 kilometres of road for which the Council is responsible. The Executive was told by Tom Orr, Corporate Di
24/04/2009
Glasgow City Council has approved proposals for the next phase of its strategy to improve educational benefits for the city’s primary and nursery children. The strategy aims to reduce the number of children being taught in crumbling and under-occupied buildings by merging a number of primary school
24/04/2009
Community work in Monifieth is to receive a boost with the announcement that Angus Council is to develop state of the art facilities for use by all age groups at Monifieth High School. The new community wing will replace the current community learning and development offices at Grange Primary Schoo
24/04/2009
Aberdeen City Council has been informed by the Procurator Fiscal that there will be no proceedings following an investigation into property transactions. The city council, in August 2007, asked Grampian Police to investigate a series of property transactions. A subsequent report by the controller
24/04/2009
One of Italy's top clothing brands has unveiled its first UK store at Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow. 7Camicie has taken a 459 sq ft unit on the ground floor of the centre. Since the opening of its first store in Rome in 2001, 7Camicie has fast become one of the biggest-selling fashion brands in E
24/04/2009
Specialist Contractors are operating at their lowest levels for over 10 years according to the latest National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) State of Trade Survey. In the first quarter of 2009, almost half of respondents were working at less than 75% capacity, which clearly shows the effec
24/04/2009
Almost £1.5m is set to be spent on further improvements to council homes in Dundee. The city council's housing, Dundee Contract Services and environment services committee will be asked on Monday (April 27) to approve work totaling £1.48m. The contracts include new heating systems, kitchens and ba
24/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed the announcement by the Department of Energy and Climate Change that an additional £1.4bn will be spent on developing the low carbon economy. It is estimated that the investment will help to create 20,000 new construction jobs in the coming months. The additio
23/04/2009
The construction sector in Scotland has contracted by 1.7%. The figures for the year ending December 2008 were announced by Scotland's Chief Statistician in the final quarter Gross Domestic Product publication which measures growth. The main findings showed GDP rose by 0.5% annually and fell by 1.
23/04/2009
Scotland must be fully connected to any UK high speed rail network, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said today. The Minister was speaking ahead of his meeting with UK Rail Minister Lord Adonis. He said: "There is no doubt that a high speed rail link connecting Scotland, London and Europ
23/04/2009
Robertson Construction Group has been named as one of five Principal Supply Chain Partners on the NHS Frameworks Scotland scheme. The framework is a new strategic and flexible partnering approach to the procurement of publicly funded construction work. Framework partners will build or refurbish a
23/04/2009
HLM Architects has appointed Patrick Clark as Architectural Director in the firm's Scotland office, which has been based in Glasgow for over 40 years. Patrick is a talented designer who previously worked across the UK and Ireland as a partner at Parr Architects before becoming a director of SMC Par
23/04/2009
The private consortium which was planning a major upgrade of Hazlehead Golf Course has decided not to go ahead with its proposals. The MacKenzie Club Ltd (TMC) has informed Aberdeen City Council that it has opted not to proceed because it has been unable to attract external investors to provide the
23/04/2009
Wiltshire-based overcladding specialist D&B Facades have completed the £3.9m refurbishment of the Stirling University's Cottrell Building. The refurb involved installing an external insulated aluminium rainscreen cladding system and replacing the existing single glazing. As the university's facil
23/04/2009
Two options are still in the running for the proposed alignment for the improvement to the A92 between Courthill and Hawkhill at Lunan. Following significant consultation with local landowners and residents among others, Angus Council's Infrastructure Services on Tuesday 21 April agreed to do detai
23/04/2009
Works have commenced on Hillhead Housing Association's second new build development containing 26 houses and flats. The development includes the demolition of 36 tenement flats and the development of a disused gap site at Woodstock/Lammermoor Road. This includes a mixture of large family homes a
23/04/2009
The final phase of Bell's Mills is to be released at the end of April, signalling the completion of this secluded development on the banks of the Water of Leith. Part of the Dean Conservation Area, Bell’s Mills is a 'stone's throw' from the Gallery of Modern Art and Dean Gallery. It sits on the si
23/04/2009
Clackmannanshire Provost Derek Stewart will unveil a permanent memorial to commemorate International Workers' Memorial Day next week. Workers' Memorial Day is an international day of remembrance for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. It is held on 28 April every year.
22/04/2009
Up to 40 new jobs are to be created following significant investment to expand the Shields Road train depot in Glasgow, Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson has announced. £24m has been made available by Transport Scotland to enable construction works to begin early next month on a new purpose-bui
22/04/2009
The recession continues to hit small builders hard with 73% of FMB builders reporting a decline in workloads in the industrial sector, and 66% reporting similarly for the commercial sector during the first three months of 2009, according to the latest State of Trade Survey published by the Federatio
22/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have reacted furiously to the decision of several large insurance companies to try to block compensation for pleural plaques victims in Scotland. Last month the Scottish Parliament passed The Damages Act, which allowed pleural plaques victims in Scotland the opportunity to
22/04/2009
Shetland's key economic development agencies took up residence in their new office last week, the architecturally stunning and energy efficient Solarhus at the North Ness Business Park in Lerwick. The iconic building enables the co-location of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) with Shetland Is
22/04/2009
Proposals for a new £55m secondary school to replace the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway on Lewis have received outline planning permission. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar have agreed to grant the permission despite a warning from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that the proposed site is on the ed
22/04/2009
The King of Cappielow Park Andy Ritchie was back on home turf to mark the official opening of Inverclyde's latest 3rd Generation Fieldturf pitch. A stones' throw from the ground where he made over 200 appearances for Greenock Morton, the former midfielder teamed up with another legend, ex-Scotland
22/04/2009
Long serving Highland Council Resident Engineer, Bob Spence, was guest of honour at the formal opening of the final phase of the A830 Fort William - Mallaig road at Arisaig in recognition of his retirement after 36 years of supervising road, bridge and slipway construction projects in the Highlands.
22/04/2009
Arbroath Bus Station is set for a major overhaul to improve facilities for passengers and office workers on the site. Angus Council's Infrastructure Services Committee have agreed to invest £420K in the bus station improvement programme. The proposed changes, which have still to be approved throug
22/04/2009
Global transport and logistics company DSV Road are to open a new distribution facility at the Eurocentral business park in Lanarkshire later this month. The organisation is building a 55,000 sq ft bespoke facility which will incorporate a cross-dock and storage warehouse along with office space on
21/04/2009
Scotland can move quickly to capitalise on its huge green energy potential following the publication of the EU's Economic Recovery Plan, Energy Minister Jim Mather said. Scottish projects will be able to bid for up to £342.5m of European money for renewable energy and carbon capture projects. Spea
21/04/2009
Plans to extend a five star Aberdeen hotel have been recommended for approval by city planners. An application, which is to be considered by the planning committee next week, seeks permission to make alterations to and extend the Marcliffe Hotel to create 228 new bedrooms, a reception, function are
21/04/2009
Shelter Scotland has welcomed over £110,000 vital new funding from East Lothian Council to continue providing valuable advice services in the area. East Lothian Council has supported the project since it launched in 2000, enabling the service to help around 2,500 clients over the past nine years.
21/04/2009
Renfrewshire Council has announced the completion of the first phase of its £8.14m North Renfrew Flood Prevention Scheme. The scheme is designed to protect 350 homes from surge tides which can add over 2m to the Clyde's normal high tide level. Contracts are now being drawn up for the second phase
21/04/2009
Following a £2.9m refurbishment Carluke Leisure Centre has opened its doors to the public this week. The centre, previously shared by pupils from Carluke High until they moved to their new purpose built school, closed in January 2008 for an extensive refurbishment which has seen the 'dry' facilitie
21/04/2009
Alva's popular Johnstone Park, at the foot of the Ochil Hills, has been given a complete revamp. The £125,000 project means the Hillfoots play park is now more accessible to families all year round. Extensive consultation on the improvement plan was held last year. The old facilities included a bo
21/04/2009
Perth & Kinross Council's has launched the first biomass heating system in a council building at Pitlochry High School. Installed in late 2008, the biomass boiler system provides energy-efficient heating and hot water by burning woodchips, locally sourced just two miles from the school. It will h
21/04/2009
A new £11.6m core research laboratory for the Translational Medicine Research Collaboration (TMRC) was officially opened in Dundee today. The new purpose built laboratory at Ninewells Hospital has the capacity to accommodate up to 120 staff, as opposed to 35 in its previous location. The TMRC is a
20/04/2009
A cash injection of almost £95m in European funding will be directed towards Scotland's economic recovery through programmes to develop the workforce, safeguard and create jobs, and regenerate communities. A total of 129 projects across Scotland will benefit from £70.2m in new allocations from the
20/04/2009
The Scottish Government has announced an additional £25m to support the construction of local authority homes. The money, which is expected to support 3,000 jobs, takes the total government investment in council house building to £50m, the most spent in 30 years. Just last week the Scottish Govern
20/04/2009
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has urged the Scottish Government to take decisive action to stave off a potential meltdown in the Scottish construction sector this summer. Following reports last week highlighting the apparent reluctance of the Scottish Government to accelerat
20/04/2009
Acting on behalf of a private client, Knight Frank's building consultancy team has completed the refurbishment and extension of a 19th century coach house in Aberdeen to create accommodation for an occupational health practice. Knight Frank provided design and project management services to transfo
20/04/2009
Architectural practice Nightingale has won a contract to design the £150m Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children, for NHS Lothian. The partnership between Nightingale Associates and Tribal Healthcare - working with Principal Supply Chain Partner, BAM Construction - beat four other teams to win
20/04/2009
Elderly people in Scotland have received a record number of free central heating systems in their homes, official figures confirmed today. The Central Heating Programme delivered a total of 14,430 systems in 2008-2009, the highest number ever installed in private homes by the programme. During the
20/04/2009
Plans for a 1,014-space car park on land next to Aberdeen Airport have been earmarked for approval. The site, at Newton Cottage Farm in Dyce, is agricultural land currently used for grazing. The airport passenger terminal lies to the north-west of the site, the aircraft stands to the north, and the
20/04/2009
Improvements totaling £400,000 for Parks and Cemeteries are planned for Angus. Play areas in Montrose, landscaping and environmental projects in Kirriemuir and Forfar, plus essential works to cemeteries across the county are to begin this year. The improvement programme is possible thanks to £400k
20/04/2009
A renewable energy specialist is launching a new free eco design advice service for architects and developers to help their projects meet tougher green building standards. Stiebel Eltron is launching its service in response to an urgent and growing need for expert advice on how building projects c
20/04/2009
Stirling Provost Fergus Wood has officially opened the first phase of a new Rural Stirling Housing Association development of 22 homes for rent at the old Tannochbrae Chalet Park site in Callander. The Provost commended the important work of the Association in providing housing opportunities to
17/04/2009
Finance Secretary John Swinney yesterday renewed Scotland's claim to £150m of unspent Fossil Fuel Levy. Giving the David Hume Institute lecture, Mr Swinney emphasised the need to allocate every pound of available public money to support Scottish economic recovery. Speaking on 'Scotland's financia
17/04/2009
The New Cancer Research Facility, Beatson Institute for the University of Glasgow and Cancer Research UK, constructed by Turner & Townsend has won a coveted Civic Trust Award. Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, the Civic Trust Awards are regarded as one of the most respected and valued p
17/04/2009
Graham has been awarded a £3.5M contract to replace an existing Bailey Bridge over the River Irvine in Scotland. The existing bridge erected in 1971 is a 3-span Bailey Bridge that is supported on the original substructure of a railway bridge, which carried the Irvine to Kilmarnock line. The exist
17/04/2009
Cuts in business rates are benefiting 80% of eligible small business properties in Scotland, according to new figures available today. Nearly 94,000 small business properties benefit from some form of relief from the full costs of business rates. Of those, more than 64,000 are in receipt of the sm
17/04/2009
Chartered Surveyors J&E Shepherd has won a tender to supply Falkirk Council with Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for around 1,500 council house properties. Under the terms of the year long contract, Shepherds will produce EPCs in accordance with the requirements of The Energy Performance of
17/04/2009
Crieff is celebrating after a grant of £1,161,500 was secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the cost of transforming the town's MacRosty Park. This award, which represents approximately 60% of the total project cost (estimated at £1,847,000), will enable an extensive and ambitious up
17/04/2009
A funding package totalling £150,000 over the next three years has been put in place for the Kintyre Way. The funds will allow the continued upgrading and marketing of the Way, which is already bringing significant economic benefits to Kintyre. The package includes contributions from Scottish Na
17/04/2009
Plans to build the first Council houses in Stirling for 25 years are soon to become a reality as a result of a funding award from the Scottish Government. Stirling Council has been awarded £600,000, and will commit a further £1.8m, to build 24 new homes for rent this year. Welcoming the announceme
17/04/2009
A 100-room care home in Stirling is the latest development to benefit from a Dragons Dens invention to reduce running costs. The ThermaSkirt system which featured on the BBC 2 programme is an alternative to under floor or LSTs. Combing the skirting & heating into a discrete 20mm deep skirting boa
17/04/2009
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar yesterday urged Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, to use his visit to Stornoway as an opportunity to approve the proposed Eisgen windfarm development. Mr Mather visited the Outer Hebrides to discuss economic and community benefit arising from the Sco
16/04/2009
Britain's last remaining single track trunk road, the A830 'Road to the Isles', has been upgraded to double carriageway standard following a £23m investment. Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said completion marked the end of an era for a road which has been famed for many years for its single t
16/04/2009
Eight of Scotland's most diverse and vibrant arts organisations will begin their move this summer to Glasgow's new centre for the arts and creativity, Trongate 103. Trongate 103 sees the development of an existing six-storey Edwardian warehouse into a creative hub for the production and exhibition
16/04/2009
An appeal has been launched for donations to help restore Edinburgh's oldest statue, the sculpture of Charles II in Parliament, which dates back to 1685. The need for restoration work is being highlighted as part of the Twelve Monuments Restoration Project, a joint initiative between the City of E
16/04/2009
Plans for an East Renfrewshire quarry fix have been delayed. The delayed plans include the filling-in of 40-foot deep caverns under the Braidbar Quarry area of Giffnock to stabilise dangerous ground, the removal of planning blight from some houses in Forres Avenue, and the provision of a new home f
16/04/2009
An iconic former Glasgow convent has been put up for sale. Acting on behalf of Mercy Union Generalate, J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors is offering for sale a convent based in Glasgow city centre. Located at 62 Hill Street, within Garnethill on the northern side of the city centre, the building ma
16/04/2009
East Lothian Council's plans to deliver new Council housing in the county have been given a boost thanks to a £2.6m grant from the Scottish Government. East Lothian has received the largest share of the £25m fund made available to kick start Council house building in Scotland. The funds will subsid
16/04/2009
Aberdeen's historic Duthie Park is to get a new lease of life, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The park in the heart of the Granite City has been given development funding of £71,500. It has also received a stage one pass for a grant of £2,563,000, which means that the money has b
16/04/2009
A project which aims to empower people in Balmedie to have a say on the future of their area gets underway this week. Three local people have been employed as community action researchers, to help give others in the area the chance to determine the village’s future. The project aims to re-establis
15/04/2009
The £65m crime campus which will bring together on one site the key law enforcement agencies is on track for occupation in late 2011. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill yesterday visited the site at Gartcosh to signal the Scottish Government's commitment to the national crime busting campus. The Sc
15/04/2009
Engineering company STATS Group have invested £5m in a new custom-built headquarters on the outskirts of Aberdeen. The four acre site at Midmill Industrial Estate, Kintore, contains 40,000 sq ft of workshops, storage and testing facilities, 10,000 sq ft office space and for the first time brings t
15/04/2009
The Scottish Government has now received 100 registrations of interest to compete for the Saltire Prize from scientists and businesses across 23 countries and five continents, First Minister Alex Salmond said. The First Minister was speaking from Beijing where he met Professor Lu Yongxiang, Preside
15/04/2009
Easter weekend saw the opening of the newly renovated Antlers Bistro - Restaurant, Heritage and Craft Centre in Craighouse on Jura. The building was purchased in 2002 on behalf of the community of Jura by the Jura Development Trust (JDT) with funding from the Scottish Land Fund. Work has been ongoi
15/04/2009
Fife Council has appointed J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors to advise on the disposal of a number of its property assets, including the former Bell Baxter school in Cupar and a number of development sites throughout Fife. The contract, for a two year period initially, covers with immediate effect e
15/04/2009
Despite the challenging economic climate, Aberdeen's St Nicholas Shopping Centre is gleaming from a £2m facelift by joint owners Land Securities and British Land. Central to the scheme is Surveying Project Manager, Colin Kennedy, who is responsible for a number of projects which will refresh and re
15/04/2009
A sales drive set up by a group of the Lothians' leading solicitor estate agents has helped to spark more than £6m worth of property sales. Buyers across Edinburgh and the Lothians have been flocking to the ELPG’s new initiative – the Spring Sales - which has been offering would-be purchasers the c
15/04/2009
Four young James Frew apprentices recently demonstrated their skills and craftsmanship when they unveiled a stone cairn to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Boys Brigade. Over sixty people recently took part in a dedication service for the cairn which formed part of a competition organised b
15/04/2009
Homebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel has been awarded two major contracts, marking its move into new markets – social housing and external contracting. The firm will build 22 affordable 1-2 bedroom apartments for Dunedin Canmore Housing Association on a site at Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh and will also s
09/04/2009
Spending on home improvement in Scotland would be boosted by a minimum of £80m over the next 12 months if the Chancellor announced a cut in VAT on home improvements to 5% when he announces the 2009 UK Budget on the 22nd April. This is one of the key findings from a major new consumer survey, publis
09/04/2009
Wishaw Sports Centre has recently benefited from a major financial investment by North Lanarkshire Council and North Lanarkshire Leisure which has hugely improved the customer changing area facilities. More than £150,000 has been spent in refurbishing the changing facilities including, the shower a
09/04/2009
Scotland will play a leading role in helping China achieve its target of doubling the country's consumption share of renewable energy by 2020, First Minister Alex Salmond said today. He used Glasgow-based SgurrEnergy's success in China as an example of the impact that Scottish skill and technology
09/04/2009
East Renfrewshire housing bosses are encouraging first time buyers to apply to a special scheme set up by the Scottish Government to help them get a foot on the property ladder. Through the £60m Open Market Shared Equity Pilot, buyers can own a home but only pay for a proportion of it - between 60
09/04/2009
East Lothian Council is to spend over £20m improving Council houses, building new affordable homes and improving neighbourhoods across the county. The programme of work will see the Council spend £1.5m on central heating upgrades, £1.25m on rewiring and £1.9m on kitchen replacements for existing te
09/04/2009
Lovell has been chosen to undertake a £3.49m tower block refurbishment scheme in Cambuslang, Glasgow, for West Whitlawburn Housing Co-operative. The improvement programme will see Lovell overclad the 12-storey Roslin Tower - which houses 72 flats - on the West Whitlawburn estate with a new aluminiu
09/04/2009
Enterprise Minister Jim Mather has met Donald Trump in New York during Scotland Week. At the meeting, Mr Trump reinforced his commitment to supporting tourism and jobs in Scotland. Around 2,000 full time jobs are due to be created in the long term at the Menie Estate development in Aberdeenshire.
09/04/2009
A former textile mill on the outskirts of Stornoway will be transformed into a new £2.5m media and creative industries centre in ambitious plans being supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The centre will be a further boost for the Innse Gall area's growing creative industries sector
08/04/2009
Proposals for the National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome, the centerpiece of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, have received full planning permission from Glasgow City Council. The design team is led by Sport Concepts with 3DReid. The project also includes a community sports hall, offices, function
08/04/2009
Over 800 apprentices have been made redundant as employers struggle to cope with the recession. Statistics from Skills Development Scotland showed that from March 23 this year a total of 833 people on the Modern Apprentices programme had lost their jobs. Of those 261 have found alternative employm
08/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed the decision to delay by two months the report into fatalities in the construction industry. The chair of the Inquiry Rita Donaghy was due to have submitted her report to James Purnell the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on April 30. UCATT has learn
08/04/2009
Two surveying graduates from Glasgow Caledonian University have scooped awards from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland (RICS Scotland) for their outstanding university dissertations. The award-winning dissertations provide valuable research into the affects of climate change
08/04/2009
Headland Group, one of the UK's largest archaeology organisations, has had its best ever year with group turnover smashing £12m and post tax transfers to reserves topping £1m for the year ended 31 May 2008. Formed in 1996 in a former lemonade factory in Edinburgh, the group, which has subsidiaries
08/04/2009
The Scottish Youth Hostels Association (SYHA) has been working with the power of nature in Glen Affric to upgrade one of the most remote places to stay in the Scottish Highlands. Glen Affric youth hostel provides a bed for over 2,500 visitors each year, all of whom walk more than eight miles to get
08/04/2009
Crichton footballers have cleaned up after a grant of almost £5,000 from Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership's Community Pride Fund paid for new showers. The money also paid for new team wear and upgraded the changing rooms at their at Hospital Park ground. Mary Hogg, vice chair of DGHP'
08/04/2009
Hard-up homeowners are being reminded to take advice before selling their home to rent-it-back. Last year Money Matters Inverclyde and Inverclyde Council's Housing Benefit Office ran a high profile campaign after a number of householders were duped by unscrupulous companies. Evidence was passed to
08/04/2009
Scottish Borders Housing Association has said "goodbye" to its Director of Technical Services, Duncan Mackay, and "hello" to his replacement, Julia Mulloy. Duncan has been with SBHA for six years, having joined the Association as Planned Maintenance Manager in August 2002, and then advancing first
08/04/2009
Two-hundred-and forty-four tenants in East Renfrewshire Council's eight sheltered housing complexes have received a letter from housing convener Councillor Danny Devlin to introduce a new warden service. Wardens have transferred from social work to housing to give them more time to work with tenant
07/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have warmly welcomed new laws that guarantee full-time workers a minimum of 28 days paid holiday a year. The new regulations on holidays came into effect on April 1st. The additional paid leave entitlement is particularly important in the construction industry where compani
07/04/2009
Glasgow City Council has enlisted the support of Scotland's leading bricklaying company, the JB Brickwork Group, to help deliver on its promise to create hundreds of construction apprenticeships in the run-up to Glasgow's hosting of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Council leader Councillor Steven Purc
07/04/2009
The Scottish construction sector faces a potential meltdown this summer if the Scottish Government fails to accelerate progress on the Scottish Futures Trust. That was the stark message from the Scottish Building Federation today as it highlighted a list of major projects, set up under the previous
07/04/2009
Archial Architects, one of the largest architecture practices in Scotland and the UK, has been appointed to the £60m NHS Lothian Framework. The main procurement route for all healthcare projects in Lothian over the next four years, the NHS Lothian Framework will encompass a range of projects, split
07/04/2009
Over 100 communities across Scotland have now made successful applications to the Climate Challenge Fund. In the latest round of grants, 33 projects have been awarded a total of more than £2.2m to help cut their carbon footprint and save residents cash in the process. This takes the running total
07/04/2009
Synergie have partnered with AHW to build a £4m Fair Isle Bird Observatory. Designs have recently been submitted for planning approval with the Shetland Island Council with the aim of having both consents and funding in place by June 2009 to allow a summer start to the construction. Demolition wil
07/04/2009
Scottish Borders Council (SBC) has made £2.9m available in its budget over the next four years for the preparation and design of flood protection schemes. In addition, £235,000 has been allocated in 2009/10 for the management and maintenance of watercourses and existing flood and coastal protectio
07/04/2009
Aberdeenshire Council has agreed proposals to kick-start the development of three new affordable housing schemes in Braemar, Westhill and Aboyne. The three projects are being developed through three local housing associations - Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership, Grampian Housing Association and Cas
06/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have warmly welcomed the Government's commitment to introduce a statutory register for tower cranes. The need for a statutory register has been a key demand of UCATT and other construction safety campaigners in order to improve crane safety, following a series of high prof
06/04/2009
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has agreed lease terms with BiFab for occupation of the fabrication facility at Arnish Point in Stornoway on the island of Lewis. The Fife-based fabricators have been in discussion with HIE for a number of months and agreement on terms comes as a welcome boost
06/04/2009
Experts believe they may have discovered a 13th-century stonemason's sketch for the building of a section of St Andrew's Cathedral. A series of markings on the underside of a pillar fragment appear to show carefully drawn and scribed lines showing the plan of a wall with a three-lobed attached colu
06/04/2009
The value of development land across the UK fell by an average of 50% during the course of 2008, according to the latest figures from the Knight Frank Residential Development Land index. The latest index figures show that urban and greenfield land values dropped by an average of 17% and 14% respect
06/04/2009
RICS is to set in motion a global consultation to develop an enhanced regulatory framework for valuation. The framework aims to raise professional standards, improve confidence for clients and help secure the accurate valuations that underpin most economic activity. If approved, all members involv
06/04/2009
The transfer of 116 Beechwood homes to Sanctuary Scotland has been successfully completed. The transfer of engagements from Beechwood Housing Co-operative Ltd follows extensive consultation with tenants of the Dundee estate, the overwhelming majority of which voted in favour of the move to Sanctuar
06/04/2009
Steven Purcell, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, recently kick-started a multi-million pound regeneration project that will breathe new life into a North Glasgow community. The £27m Broomfield Road development will transform a 16-acre site through the construction of 198 homes in a new mixed ten
06/04/2009
Owners of empty and difficult to let shops in Ardrossan are being encouraged to seek help from Irvine Bay Regeneration Company. The regeneration company - which works within the five towns of Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine and Kilwinning - is already heavily involved in bringing new life
03/04/2009
NHBC's latest new house-building statistics show they received 14,537 applications to start new homes in the combined private and public sectors in the three-months to the end of February - 59% lower than the same period a year ago (35,733). NHBC's Chief Executive, Imtiaz Farookhi, said: "The priva
03/04/2009
One of Scotland's leading architect practices has been chosen to head up the design team for the new £40m Portobello High School. Edinburgh-based jmarchitects, whose headquarters are in Queen Street, are highly experienced in designing new schools in the United Kingdom. The award-winning architect
03/04/2009
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is running a life skills workshop for professional engineers, which aims to help them to take the first step to project management. The workshop takes place on 7 April at the Satrosphere Science Centre, Aberdeen. The Goal Directed Projecting Ma
03/04/2009
Irvine Bay Regeneration Company today announced a major step forward in delivering the £2.75m regeneration package to transform the centre of Kilwinning. The announcement of the main Contractor on the project was made by Irvine Bay chair Baroness Margaret Ford at the company's Annual Public Meeting
03/04/2009
The world famous bird observatory on Fair Isle is to receive £400,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) towards an ambitious £4m building project, helping one of the most remote and fragile communities in Scotland to grow its business. The 40-year-old building, which attracts thousands of
03/04/2009
The Kirkintilloch Canal Festival has received a prestigious British Urban Regeneration Association award for the record-breaking 2008 Canal Festival. The Waterways Renaissance Awards, run by The Waterways Trust and BURA (British Urban Regeneration Association), aim to recognise best practice in su
03/04/2009
Youngsters in the east end of Glasgow have had the chance to time travel through housing eras thanks to Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and Milnbank Housing Association. Two primary schools - Haghill Park and Alexandra Parade - took part in a series of lessons under the banner "Housing and My Com
03/04/2009
A workplace design specialist Space Solutions is seeing a marked increase in the number of businesses taking steps to comply with new green ratings for commercial premises. However, the firm's Environmental Consultant Rhona Turnbull says the majority of business premises owners are still unclear ab
02/04/2009
Statistics published today by Nationwide and Glasgow Solicitors Property Centre (GSPC) were welcomed by the Scottish home building industry as yet further positive indicators for those thinking about buying a new home. According to Nationwide, Scotland continues to be the most resilient market in t
02/04/2009
NHS Lothian has announced its construction partner in a major milestone for the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children. The new £150m-plus hospital for children and young people will be designed and built by lead contractor BAM Construction Ltd to NHS Lothian’s design brief. Jackie Sansbury, Directo
02/04/2009
Further details on how Scotland's hard pressed high streets will benefit from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund have been released. The new information on the operation of the £60m scheme was issued by the Scottish Government and COSLA today. The fund will complement efforts already underway to su
02/04/2009
Aberdeen is poised to become the first city in Scotland to sign up to a pioneering European carbon-cutting project. City councillors have unanimously accepted an invitation from the European Commission to become a signatory to the Covenant of Mayors - which aims to put progressive cities at the for
02/04/2009
More than a thousand proposals from rural businesses and communities have been awarded £67m from Rural Priorities, as much as the previous three funding rounds put together, it has been announced today. Successful applicants have included a dairy business in East Lothian who will use their grant to
02/04/2009
The opening of a £2.2m apartment complex in Cambuslang for former long stay hospital patients has been launched with a promise that residents will have a new way of life with fun a key ingredient. Cherry Tree Court marks the end of 15 years of work by the council's Social Work and Housing Resources
02/04/2009
Land at Kittoch Field in East Kilbride is to be developed by supermarket group. Asda are now likely to submit a planning application to South Lanarkshire Council to build a major store at the town centre site. Back in 2006 the council unveiled plans to transform East Kilbride Town Centre thanks to
02/04/2009
Barassie Primary School officially opened on Wednesday 25 March 2008 and marks the latest milestone in South Ayrshire's £76m schools programme. The new £8m primary and nursery school, built on the site of the old primary, includes ICT provision, physical education facilities and environmental space
02/04/2009
Perth & Kinross Council has approved a significant payment from a specialist cash reserve that will allow a new affordable housing development to be built. The payment from the Council Tax Income on Second Homes Earmarked Reserve will be made to Perthshire Housing Association (PHA) for the purchase
02/04/2009
Talks on the regeneration plans for Grangemouth centre are progressing. Falkirk Council and development partners Miller Ltd (parent company to Winex Services) are progressing the drafting of the regeneration contractual agreements. Following extensive consultation, Grangemouth residents, businesse
01/04/2009
Over 235 local government construction workers left in limbo after a contract wrangle are to return to their previous employer. The workers were due to transfer from City Building (which is Glasgow City Council controlled) to private company Connaught on Monday 30 March however the transfer did not
01/04/2009
From today, councils across Scotland have to be notified of any families facing the threat of homelessness through eviction or repossession. The Homelessness (Scotland) Act 2003 require landlords and creditors to inform the local authority when they take action to recover property or call in a mort
01/04/2009
A total of 1,600 lorry journeys a year are to be taken off the A82, A887 and the A830 following a funding announcement to cut congestion and emissions. £0.3m of Freight Facility Grant funding has been allocated to John Scott Transport (JST) for the provision of a floating pier and crane to take t
01/04/2009
The latest recruits (three architects and a surveyor) to a unique training scheme for young architecture and building professionals are just about to set off on a journey of discovery to gain first-hand experience of conservation skills and building crafts. This prestigious and highly regarded sche
01/04/2009
Venture capital group, Energy Ventures, showcased 16 portfolio companies it has invested in at a special event attended by 200 oil and gas industry leaders in Aberdeen. The exhibition of outstanding upstream technology companies marked the Norwegian-based company’s investment in new offices and key
01/04/2009
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in Stornoway is to begin a new era of co-location from the beginning of April. The HIE building in James Square, James Street, Stornoway, will soon become the base for three other organisations. From today, the HIE office will also house Business Gateway, Sk
01/04/2009
A wide-ranging plan to improve Falkirk Council's housing service is well on target. Today's meeting of the Housing and Social Care Committee heard that 85 of the 99 targets set in the plan have been met and most of the rest are making good progress towards completion on time or being developed. Th
01/04/2009
Faber Maunsell has been appointed by the Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company to develop a transport strategy for the East End of Glasgow and parts of South Lanarkshire. Clyde Gateway is a partnership between Glasgow and South Lanarkshire Councils, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Governmen
01/04/2009
The Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Councillor Steven Purcell, has unveiled the first of the city's new pedestrian tourist signs in George Square. This key orientation sign is the first of a new signing system consisting of 225 individual signs, featuring
01/04/2009
A new early warning system to help prevent people becoming homeless because of repossession or eviction will only work if it is made a top priority by landlords, creditors and local authorities. Shelter Scotland, the leading housing and homelessness charity, welcomed the new system, which comes int
