Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for September 2009
30/09/2009
There has been further improvement in the Scottish housing market according to NHBC, as new homes registrations show a rolling quarter on quarter rise compared with last year. While new home registrations for the three month period June to August 2009 were marginally lower than the last rolling qua
30/09/2009
Detailed research to identify sites beneath the North Sea where carbon dioxide can be stored safely will be backed with Government funding, Stewart Stevenson announced today. The Scottish Government will contribute £75,000 towards the Scottish Centre for Carbon Storage study. Scotland can accommo
30/09/2009
Brechin's ancient cathedral wall is currently being repaired, using traditional techniques, by a squad of young people supervised by Angus Council training services. The four-week project to repoint the Cathedral Wall on Channonry Wynd, Brechin began on 14 September. The wall is approximately 50 me
30/09/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland (CIH), in partnership with the Scottish Government's Scottish Centre for Regeneration, has opened the entry process for the CIH Scotland Excellence in Regeneration Award. The award recognises the vital role that high quality regeneration projects can pla
30/09/2009
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has let a refurbished workshop office and yard facility in Aberdeen for £80,000. Acting on behalf of Aberdeen Harbour Board, Shepherd let the facility to Hutton's Ship Chandlers. The property at 10 Sinclair Road is located in the harbour area of Aberdeen and comprises
30/09/2009
Halcrow Group Ltd will continue to audit the management and maintenance of the Scottish Trunk Road network for the next seven years, Transport Minster Stewart Stevenson said today. The announcement comes on the award of a performance monitoring contract following a tender exercise for the seven yea
30/09/2009
Aberdeen-based office design and fit-out specialists ASM has scooped a major award in the Northern Star Business Awards 2009 – the flagship event of the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce. The Bridge of Don locally-owned company, founded as a two-man operation in 1992, took the overall award i
30/09/2009
Calum Macpherson has been appointed manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the Moray area. He took up the post on Monday 28 September following the appointment of previous manager Martin Johnson to area manager with the HIE Inner Moray Firth team. After graduating from Aberdeen U
29/09/2009
A decision on the use of compulsory purchase orders to make way for Donald Trump's golf resort will not be made this week by Aberdeenshire Council. The meeting on Thursday will not debate the issue after Trump International, requested that a report not be submitted in order to allow further time fo
29/09/2009
The long-term damage caused by property speculation on croft land must be tackled, Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said today. However an occupancy requirement, which would mean houses built on former croft land have to be used as main residences, will not be included in the Crofting Bill.
29/09/2009
An innovative 'village' development has led to a housing co-op taking a major prize. The Tenants First Housing Co-operative has been named as the winner of the Social Residential Housing Development of the Year in the Herald Property Awards 2009. The award was for the Roanheads Village development
29/09/2009
A poster competition is being drawn up to pick a primary school pupil to 'push the button' to demolish the three multi-storey blocks in south Edinburgh next month. The blocks in Gracemount - Gala, Soutra and Fala Courts - are due to be demolished on Sunday October 25th. Three local schools - Grace
29/09/2009
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands are piloting an American web project widening access to carbon footprint analysis to small operators. Measuring carbon footprint for goods and services has primarily only been affordable to major companies, but the new free website offers small businesses the
29/09/2009
Work on Edinburgh's newest care home is due to start tomorrow morning. The Kings Inch Care Home is the fourth to be built by The City of Edinburgh Council. The 60 bed care home is due to open in spring 2011. The care home will be sub-divided into smaller group living units of 15 bedrooms, each wit
29/09/2009
A leading north east firm is celebrating the first birthday of its website which has helped win new business across the globe. TAP Ltd incorporates Aberdeen Pressure Washer Centre and operates from Duff Street in Turriff and Inverurie’s Thainstone Centre. The company – which employs 15 people – wil
29/09/2009
The Edinburgh Association of the Scottish Building Federation has won its annual golf match against the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Winning for the second year in a row they beat off some tough competition at The Royal Burgess Golfing Society, Edinburgh. The two teams of eight s
28/09/2009
The confidence of the Scottish construction sector remains weak as a further 8,500 jobs have been lost from the industry in the first eight months of 2009. The new figures calculated by the Scottish Building Federation follow a similar survey conducted at the end of 2008 which showed an 8% reductio
28/09/2009
Scottish Housing Associations are to benefit from access to a £50 million European lending facility, the Scottish Government and the European Investment Bank announced on Sunday. Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said gaining access to alternative sources of funding at competitive rates si
28/09/2009
Over 12,000 pupils across Scotland will be lifted out of poor condition schools following announcement of the first 14 secondary schools to benefit from the £1.25 billion school building programme. Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop made the announcement today as she
28/09/2009
Fife Council has backed the commitment by Scottish Power Generation to the installation of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) plant at Longannet Generating Station. The changes to the plant will significantly reduce the levels of nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere as part of the electric
28/09/2009
Arrochar and Tarbet came together to celebrate in style at the weekend to mark the official presentation of their title as Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2009. With a host of VIPs in attendance to present a total jackpot prize of £9,500 for community investment, the day was a terrific success.
28/09/2009
A residential home for older people in Dundee has been given a special commendation for its dementia friendly design. The new Janet Brougham House, a residential home for 24 older people, was awarded a finalist's certificate in the dementia design innovation category at the national Dementia Awards
28/09/2009
A joint action plan has been agreed between The Highland Council, the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to promote strategic road projects in the Highlands. A council delegation met Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, infrastructure and Climate Change in Edinburgh earlier this week
28/09/2009
A Lanarkshire based company trading throughout Scotland and UK, Automatic Protection Ltd, is striving to meet accreditations in the Fire Protection Industry to provide customers the knowledge they are in safe hands utilising APL. They have recently reached their CHAS accredited contractor status th
25/09/2009
A further boost to the rural economy was announced today at Scotland's first-ever Rural Gathering. The Scottish Government intends to fund up to ninety per cent of projects in rural communities, such as small businesses, renewable energy projects and community gardens and festivals through the LEAD
25/09/2009
Securing a sustainable future for Scotland's islands is the topic of a major speech to be delivered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise chairman William Roe at a conference in Inverness on today. He will outline HIE's vision of the area's future and the steps that are being taken to secure it to an
25/09/2009
A major Edinburgh-based construction firm has won this year's RoSPA Scotland Trophy in recognition of its work to prevent accidents and ill health. Balfour Beatty Construction Scottish & Southern Ltd was named the winner of the prestigious accolade at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Acciden
25/09/2009
Opposition is mounting to the introduction of a national mandatory tenancy deposit scheme. The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL), the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA) and the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland (CIH) have expressed their disappointment that, despit
25/09/2009
Robertson Capital Projects has been shortlisted to become the private sector delivery partner for the first Scottish Futures Trust's Hub scheme. The trust received 15 applications for the South East initiative - worth £300 million over the next ten years - and has narrowed it down to Robertson Capi
25/09/2009
Energy blls are full of jargon and leave customers struggling to understand how much they owe, a Which? Switch satisfaction survey shows. When Which? submitted a selection of energy bills to the Plain English Campaign, they were described as being peppered with 'gobbledygook'. Terms like 'calorif
25/09/2009
Scottish Ministers have met key housing bodies to "set the record straight" about funding affordable housing across the country. Housing Minister Alex Neil and Finance Secretary John Swinney said that the Scottish Government will invest more than £1.5 billion over three years in affordable homes ac
25/09/2009
Delta Climate Control has announced the creation of four new jobs with more in the pipeline after winning two major contracts. The company which is based in Ecclefechan specialises in energy efficient heating and cooling systems, such as air source heat pumps and cellar cooling systems. Two of th
24/09/2009
An estimated 6,767 affordable housing units were granted planning consent during the 2008-09 financial years. Official statistics on the quantity and location of affordable housing securing planning consent were released yesterday by Scotland's Chief Statistician. Of the housing units 64 per cent
24/09/2009
Plans to build five new schools in the Outer Hebrides moved ahead yesterday as Comhairle nan Eilean Siar agreed the design of the new facilities in principle. The Education Committee today heard that there had been a lot of interest from potential tenderers and it was important to move forward wit
24/09/2009
Campaigners have lodged papers at the Court of Session in Edinburgh which may halt the construction of a new power station in Ayrshire, it has been reported. Action group, Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston (Conch), has appealed for a judicial review of the plans for the coal-fired power
24/09/2009
Members of the Scottish Building Federation took a step back in time earlier this week when memorabilia from the construction industry was unveiled at an event in Edinburgh. Telling the history of the Scottish Building Federation, which was founded in 1895, the historical evening was focused around
24/09/2009
People are more satisfied with their mortgage lender than a year ago, but the big lenders are still underperforming, according to a new survey from Which? Money. The survey found that the average customer satisfaction score for mortgage lenders increased from 58% last year to 62% this year, and man
24/09/2009
Specialist software design company C-SAM Ltd has crowned a move to a new HQ with contract wins valued at more than £250,000. Aker Solutions have commissioned C-SAM to provide a competency and training scheduling system for its Dyce based operation. Bibby Offshore is being supplied with procureme
24/09/2009
Pupils from Graeme High School in Falkirk recently got a chance to show off their artistic side when CALA Homes set them an interior design challenge. A group of 10 second-year pupils took part in a competition to design a teenager’s bedroom for one of CALA's new Crichton show-homes at its Kinnaird
24/09/2009
Shetland Islands Council has recently completed the rebuilding of 6 properties in Lerwick which were originally constructed through the Cruden system. As extensive refurbishment was necessary, the cost effective solution was to completely demolish the houses and rebuild them with a more up to date
23/09/2009
John Graham, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland, has announced that he will retire at the end of this month. John has worked with the civil service for 37 years, the last five of which have been spent as heading up Historic Scotland - an executive agency of the Scottish government charged with
23/09/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland has launched a new web-based practice briefing, on equality, diversity and housing. This free publication is aimed at providing good practice guidance for housing organisations on the impact of equality and diversity issues in the communities that they s
23/09/2009
Delivery of a vital improvement project on the A82 has taken another step closer with publication of statutory papers for the Crianlarich Bypass. Publication of the Draft Road Orders and the Environmental statement mark the start of the consultation process for this vital upgrade of the A82. The p
23/09/2009
A leading technology firm has recently celebrated its fifth birthday with a move to new, larger premises and turnover of £500,000. G5 Technologies employs seven people including Directors Steve Brand and David Pang. The firm specialises in hardware, infrastructure cabling, networking and virtualisa
23/09/2009
Sustainability expert Envirowise will host two city workshops next month in a bid to educate architects, clients and contractors to develop a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) allowing them all to reap the benefits of working more closely with their supply chain. The Scottish government funded prog
23/09/2009
Grove Academy pupils in Dundee should be enjoying their fully completed school before Christmas. A report outlining progress on Dundee City Council's £90 million PPP programme will show how seven schools out of eight have already been completed and occupied. The last phase of the Grove Academy rep
23/09/2009
Culture Minister Michael Russell has gone behind the scenes to see one of Scotland's most impressive country homes and its remarkable collection of Chippendale furniture. Dumfries House was bought by a consortium led by HRH The Duke of Rothesay in 2007 and was opened to the public the following yea
23/09/2009
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has been instructed by Ore Valley Housing Association to let six newly developed retail units on Main Street, Lochgelly. A busy former mining town in south/mid Fife, Lochgelly is currently undergoing significant regeneration, including a number of new housing developmen
22/09/2009
Tens of thousands of new jobs could be created in Scotland in the next five years under plans to invest in greener technology. The jobs would stem from a major expansion in the number of companies developing state-of-the-art ways to tackle pollution, manage waste and reduce carbon. Endorsing the E
22/09/2009
Aberdeenshire Council is preparing to make another application to the Scottish Government for funding assistance to build more new council homes. The council was one of only eight from 32 to be successful in the last round of funding, securing £900,000 towards 36 new homes in in Tarves, Mintlaw an
22/09/2009
There's been a warm welcome for a planned high speed train network in Scotland. The City of Edinburgh Council, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise have all welcomed the public launch of Greengauge 21's Fast Forward studies, which sets out a strategy for developing a high speed rail network
22/09/2009
The Scottish Transport Minister is to be quizzed over a planned compensation scheme for companies bidding to construct the Forth bridge. Mr Stevenson will be questioned by Holyrood's finance committee over a deal aimed to address a shortage of bidders which could see firms who fail in bids to build
22/09/2009
East Ayrshire Tenants and Residents Federation recently held an open meeting at the Fenwick Hotel which was attended by over 40 members from across East Ayrshire. The purpose of the meeting was to update members of the progress made by the Federation since its inauguration in September 2007 and cel
22/09/2009
St Paul's RC Academy in Dundee was officially opened and solemnly blessed by the Right Reverend Vincent Logan, Bishop of Dunkeld, last Tuesday. The secondary has been constructed under Dundee City Council's £90 million PPP programme and replaces the former Lawside Academy and St Saviour's High Scho
22/09/2009
Ambitious plan to rejuvenate Rothesay's historic town centre have taken another step forward with the appointment of a dedicated Project Officer. Lorna Pearce will lead the efforts to ensure that the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) project – part of Argyll and Bute Council’s ground-breaking CHO
22/09/2009
Edingburgh Stone supplier Hariom Trade International has launched Cultured or Natural Stone Panels products, suitable for wall cladding, interior/exterior uses, terraces, new builds, commercial and domestic works. Only stone has a synergy with nature that makes it the natural choice for outside the
21/09/2009
Scottish Building Federation Chief Executive Michael Levack has warned that the Scottish construction industry could be heading for a second slump unless something is urgently done to fill a black hole in future capital investment. Commenting on Friday's publication of the Scottish government's dra
21/09/2009
The Highland Council's trade apprenticeship scheme is being hailed a big success as it enters its fifth year, with trainees proving to be a valuable addition to the Building Maintenance Team within the Housing and Property Service. A total of 22 young people have been trained over the last four yea
21/09/2009
Following a long running dispute with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Angus Council is to receive a full refund of over £860K for landfill tax found to have been wrongly charged. The council had been forced to pay the charge in 2008 following an assessment by HMRC that the council had unde
21/09/2009
A farm in East Lothian has secured a grant to convert pig muck into electricity. The Ruchlaw Produce Company in Dunbar, which employs 45 people, has been given £560,000 to turn slurry and vegetable waste into power. The waste is fed into an "anaerobic digester" creating methane and carbon dioxide
21/09/2009
A team of green fingered employees from leading international law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing's Edinburgh office will roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty as they plant hundreds of bulbs as part of a regeneration and redevelopment project in Oxgangs, Edinburgh. On Tuesday 22nd September, th
21/09/2009
Aberdeen residents will be invited to an open consultation evening on Wednesday, 30 September where they will be able to view the location options for Aberdeen's 50m pool and give their feedback. On display at the meeting will be drawings by FaulknerBrowns Architects, who were appointed in July to
21/09/2009
Drew Connell has scooped this year's much coveted Scottish Building Federation's Past President's golf trophy, beating off some tough competition at Rosemount Golf Club, Blairgowrie to take the 2009 title. Taking place on the 27th August, the event involved eight of the Federation’s Past Presidents
21/09/2009
A joiner has been named Fife's top young entrepreneur at the regional finals of the 2009 Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' Awards. Jim Bell (25), founder of Jim Bell Joinery was announced as the regional winner and was presented with a £1000 cash prize
18/09/2009
As a result of the Scottish Government's decision to bring forward investment to help Scotland through the worst of the recession, the draft Housing and Regeneration budget for 2010-11 will fall. While overall planned spending on affordable housing across the three years of the Spending Review rema
18/09/2009
Plans for a multi-million pound education and business park which could accommodate thousands of high quality jobs in Inverness have taken a major step forward. The Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has agreed to invest up to £25m to open up the 120-acre Inverness Campus site at Beech
18/09/2009
A new survey has found that four in ten (41%) Scots are worried about being able to afford their home heating bills this winter. And more than half (56%) know someone else that will struggle to do so, such as a grandparent, elderly relative, neighbour or friend. The results of the survey of 1,045
18/09/2009
A housing charity has issued an urgent appeal to MSPs to "seize the opportunity" on housing spending for Scotland. Housing investment was the main casualty in the Scottish Government's third annual budget on Thursday, with spending on new homes falling by £204 million or 30% from this year to next.
18/09/2009
Students at Greenfaulds High School in Cumbernauld have noticed a boost in their Higher grades, with a little help from an innovative educational pilot that brings class time into the 21st century. The initiative, jointly funded by ScottishPower and North Lanarkshire Council, introduces MP4 players
18/09/2009
The Scottish Government has become the first administration in the world to produce a carbon assessment alongside its budget. In a unique move, John Swinney, published the first Carbon Assessment of the Budget for 2010-2011 together with the draft economic budget brought to Parliament yesterday. H
18/09/2009
Acting on behalf of landlord Esar Retail Investments, Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has leased a 10,300 sq ft self contained retail unit with development potential in Bathgate to Poundmart for 10 years at £50,000 per annum. Occupied formerly by Woolworth's, the outlet is located at 54/58 George Stre
18/09/2009
Making Scotland's internationally acclaimed 2012 homelessness commitment a reality will be at the heart of Shelter Scotland's annual conference on the legislation, which is being held next month. Delegates will hear from experts in the field on how Scotland will meet the commitment to give everyone
17/09/2009
Sisk+Corus Modular Construction (Sisk+Corus), the UK's first provider of end-to-end modular construction solutions to the hotel and student accommodation sectors, has secured a multi-million pound contract to build a 198-bedroom hotel in Glasgow city centre for innovative hotel operator citizenM.
17/09/2009
Remains of Aberdeen's last surviving World War Two prisoner of war camp have been found during work to reclaim the Ness and Tullos Hill landfill sites. Previously unknown features of Tullos Hill Camp, which were thought to have been lost forever, have emerged from the soil in which they have been b
17/09/2009
Acting jointly on behalf of Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Currie European Network Distribution, J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors and Andrew Reilly Associates are marketing a modern distribution depot within the airport complex for let. Located within the perimeter of the airport, the 57,000 sq ft d
17/09/2009
The Northern Constabulary has confirmed the identity of the contractor who died as a result of an industrial accident at Causewaymire Wind Farm in Spittal, near Thurso. Colin Sinclair (27) of Calder Drive, Thurso was carrying out maintenance work on a turbine at the wind farm. The joint investigat
17/09/2009
Aberdeen-based company Sand Monitoring Services Ltd (SMS) has been awarded a multi-million pound contract from a leading global oilfield giant for the deployment of sand and solids monitoring services to Europe, Africa and Caspian area. The two year contract with a one year extension involves a fra
17/09/2009
The conversion by Archial Architects of a former barrel vaulted warehouse into a 12 luxury flat development at the Clocktower, City Quay Dundee has today been named as the winner of the prestigious Dundee Civic Trust Award. The £2.9 million project, undertaken on behalf of Unicorn Property Group, s
17/09/2009
A young businessman has been named Lanarkshire's top young entrepreneur at the regional finals of the 2009 Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' Awards. Keith Gallacher (22), who runs the South West of Scotland Complete Weed Control franchise was announced
17/09/2009
Thousands of jobs can be secured if the Scottish Government is able to bring forward capital funding into the 2010-11 financial year, First Minister Alex Salmond told senior UK Ministers yesterday. The acceleration of almost £350 million into the Scottish Government's spending programme for 2008-09
16/09/2009
New sailing facilities in Argyll and a farm shop and restaurant complex in Dumfriesshire are among the latest beneficiaries of the Rural Priorities grants scheme. Overall, 640 projects have been approved in this round, with a total value of £36.8 million, a significant investment for rural Scotland
16/09/2009
A City of Edinburgh Council report has outlined its position on proposals for a new Forth Crossing in advance of consideration by the Scottish Parliament of a Bill giving powers to construct a new bridge. The report will be considered at the Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee next
16/09/2009
As part of the Progress Report on the Strategy for Sustainable Construction the Government and industry yesterday revealed the achievements made so far on their commitments to change radically the way the UK construction industry designs and builds. The report shows that a number of significant ach
16/09/2009
A supermarket chain has announced plans for its first store in Forfar – creating up to 270 new jobs in the town. Asda, along with project partners AWG Property and Deanway Development, have lodged a notice with Angus Council announcing its intention to submit a planning application for the St James
16/09/2009
Conservation Areas Appraisals have been carried out for Letham, Allandale and Muirhouses highlighting the unique qualities of the built heritage in these three villages and residents will soon have an opportunity to comment. It is intended that clearer planning guidance will follow to ensure that t
16/09/2009
Bereaved relatives and families may soon have a new way to remember their loved ones with the introduction of a new Wall of Remembrance at Falkirk Crematorium. A meeting of the Falkirk Council Leisure, Tourism and Community Committee heard yesterday that public feedback had indicated that relatives
16/09/2009
Kilmarnock's regeneration has received a boost with work now taking place on site to create a new office development at 21 West Langlands Street. The development of a new two-storey modern office development with associated car parking, received full planning consent in July, and will bring new li
16/09/2009
A double glazing repair company has launched a new product to the conservatory roof market, Tec-Sun solar inserts for polycarbonate roofs. Mautra's new product eliminates the glare of the sun by 80% and rejects 98% of the suns UV which reduces the heat in a conservatory during hot weather but als
15/09/2009
The RICS house price net balance turned positive for the first time in two years, according to their latest UK housing market survey. The net balance of Chartered Surveyors reporting rises rather than falls in house prices reached a positive reading of 10.7 percent from a negative reading of 5.7 p
15/09/2009
Members of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee will this week (Wednesday 16 September) consider bidding for funding to reintroduce the first programme of council housing building since 1995. The Committee is being asked to consider submitting a £1.275 million funding bid to th
15/09/2009
Leading property investors and developers this week visited Irvine Bay to see for themselves the huge potential of the area. Irvine Bay Regeneration Company was behind the visit, after holding two successful events for the property industry in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The visit to Irvine Bay attrac
15/09/2009
Orkney Islands Council will hold a major conference and training event in partnership with the Scottish Government this week (September 17 and 18) on the planning and design of rural houses, at the Pickaquoy Centre. High profile speakers include the Scottish Government's Chief Planner Jim Mackinnon
15/09/2009
A public meeting has been arranged at the end of this month to discuss the masterplans, which will guide the design of Fort William's waterfront from the West End car park to the mouth of the River Lochy. It will be held in The Highland Council Chamber, Lochaber House, Fort William, starting at 6.3
15/09/2009
East Lothian Council has welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Government that rail services in the area will be significantly improved in 2010. Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson has announced that new services between Edinburgh and Dunbar will be introduced from the start of the winter tim
15/09/2009
The River Clyde has been voted Glasgow's best reinvention by the city's residents. A Scottish Opinion poll for Registers of Scotland (RoS) found one third of Glaswegians believe the Clyde’s regeneration has ensured it will remain at the heart of the city for years to come. The research follows the
15/09/2009
The North of Scotland's largest medical centre and community health facility has been handed over to its owners by Springfield Properties at Southfield in Elgin. The £7 million facility at Thornhill Road, New Elgin, was constructed by Springfield for AW & JG Adam who worked in partnership with NHS
14/09/2009
A new wind farm in Sutherland has been given approval to extend. The eight turbine extension to the Kilbraur wind farm near Golspie will increase capacity from 47.5 Megawatts (MW) to 67.5 MW. When fully operational, the wind farm will provide electricity for around 31,000 homes. The extension wi
14/09/2009
A UK-wide campaign promoting the many benefits on offer when buying a new build property takes place this week (12-20 September). With nine out of ten people still firmly believing that buying their own home is a sensible investment in their future, New Homes Week aims to highlight important facts
14/09/2009
National Park rangers and volunteers have been involved in the refurbishment of an antique fingerpost positioned at Kingshouse in rural Stirling. The fingerpost was reassembled last week, four months after work started, with some vegetation cleared in order to get a clear view of the signage from a
14/09/2009
Ayr-based building contractors William Skinner & Son have successfully completed a £1.5 million refurbishment of the prestigious St Nicholas Shopping Centre in Aberdeen. The St Nicholas Shopping Centre and its sister centre the Bon Accord form the established prime shopping location for the City of
14/09/2009
East Dunbartonshire Council today launched a Local Energy Saving Scheme (LESS) which aims to make every single private home in the whole of East Dunbartonshire more energy efficient. The Council is amongst the first local authorities in Scotland to launch the scheme which is set to dramatically cut
14/09/2009
Youngsters and staff of Golfhill Primary School in Denniston, Glasgow, will move into a newly refurbished wing of Whitehill Secondary from August 2010. Following a public consultation process, which started in April this year and agreement at today’s (11 September) Executive committee, around £2.5
14/09/2009
Residents, community councils and community representatives in the Aird and Loch Ness Ward have the opportunity to say what they think the area should be like in the future at the Aird and Loch Ness Ward Forum on Thursday 17th September. During the meeting there will be an opportunity to discuss ho
14/09/2009
The Highland Council is holding a meeting next week to advise parents and members of the community resident in Milton of Leys of plans for a new primary school. The meeting is being held at Inshes Primary School, Inverness, on Tuesday 22 September, starting at 7.30 pm. Councillor John Holden will b
11/09/2009
SummitSkills' SkillELECTRIC 2008 champion Richard Sagar has returned victorious from WorldSkills in Calgary, Canada – the largest skills based competition in the world – beating off tough opposition to win Gold in the Electrical Installations contest. Twenty-two year-old Richard from Langholm in Du
11/09/2009
Engineering and fabrication specialist L&N (Scotland) has won a welding contract for key components on one of the world's largest floating, production, storage and offloading vessels (FPSO) for harsh water. The contract was awarded by SBM Offshore and is worth in excess of £500,000. Aberdeen-based
11/09/2009
Tenants First Housing Co-operative has received funding that will allow it to continue its pioneering ethnic minority housing project for a third year. The funding, which has been received from the Lintel Trust, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Council, will enable Tenants First Housing Co-operative
11/09/2009
Two weak bridges in Leven, Fife, are to be replaced at a total cost of £765,000 over the next two years. The work at Carberry Road and Maitland Street will not only open up both bridges to more traffic by removing weight restrictions, it will also cut down on the risk of the Scoonie Burn flooding.
11/09/2009
Adult apprentice Garry Devoy (37) from Paisley is the winner of Glasgow Metropolitan College's Apprentice of the Year, a competition for apprentice plasterers, for the second year in a row. Garry, who is employed by local construction, refurbishment and maintenance company, Clark Contracts, was pre
11/09/2009
Trade, Investment and Business Minister Lord Davies of Abersoch is urging Scottish firms to take a fresh look at India, a market with a middle class that is 300 million strong and that produces half a million technology graduates every year. "India is on the move and we must move with it," Lord Dav
11/09/2009
Scottish company A. Proctor Group of Blairgowrie have provided Roofshield for the re-roofing of St. Wilfrid's Church in Barnsall. The church is steeped in history, with the oldest part of the church, the South Chantry - or Lady Chapel - dating back to the 12th Century. The Parochial Church Council
11/09/2009
A young interior designer has been named Forth Valley's top young entrepreneur at the regional finals of the 2009 Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' Awards. Callum Murray (23), founder of Fresh Interior Solutions in Bo'ness was announced as regional winn
10/09/2009
Highlands and Islands Enterprise and consultants GVA Grimley are unveiling a vision of how the John O'Groats five hectares site could be developed. The masterplan, which has been shaped by the views of residents, businesses, tourists and public agencies, offers various design options. They all fea
10/09/2009
Some 480 tonnes of debris have been removed from the A83 Rest and Be Thankful road following a landslip. Clearance works on the Argyll road resumed at 7am yesterday morning, and an additional 250 tonnes have now been removed. Good progress is being made to clear the carriageway completely. Once al
10/09/2009
International real estate advisor Savills is expanding its retail team in Scotland with the appointment of Estelle Forrester, who will be based at the company's Glasgow office on West George Street. Estelle, who joins Savills as a Director, has over 11 years experience in the retail industry having
10/09/2009
Angus Council is to develop a masterplan for the area to the north of the county's only commercially operating port in Montrose. The masterplan will take account of land use and planning briefs for important buildings; opportunities for the port's expansion and improvements to the infrastructure se
10/09/2009
Historic Scotland is to visit the Wandel and Lamington Parish to identify the area's important buildings and to review the existing listings in the parish. This will ensure that these areas have the appropriate statutory protection, and all information is current and up to date; the parish has not
10/09/2009
Work recently started on the £200,000 project to replace windows at Brandon Court in Motherwell. Exactly 69 of the 106 flats on the west and south sides of the block, which have been most affected by water damage, will have all windows replaced. Councillor Barry McCulloch, Convener of Housing and
10/09/2009
The fast emerging marine renewables industry is already creating a green jobs boom in the far north of Scotland. Progress is particularly encouraging for public-sector partners working to develop the industry according to Highlands and Islands Enterprise joint head of energy Elaine Hanton. With new
10/09/2009
Scottish businesses can get the latest advice on how to use technological innovation to stimulate growth in the recession, and identify new funding possibilities at a two day conference taking place in the Highlands. Innovate Scotland is being run by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in partne
09/09/2009
Work has begun to clear a landslip on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful road on the west coast of Scotland. Several hundred tonnes of material has been displaced from the hillside and is now resting on the A83 in Argyll. Earthmoving equipment has been deployed and a Geotechnical Engineer has in
09/09/2009
Glasgow is one of 11 major UK cities calling for the development of a high speed rail network. The announcement was made today as they launched their HSR\\UK lobby. Leaders from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield, bel
09/09/2009
A major £2m cash award will urge people to "Shop Local" and will help improve a number of town centres across the Falkirk Council area, a meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee heard today. Falkirk, Bo'ness, Stenhousemuir, Grangemouth and Denny will all see improvement works carried out this
09/09/2009
Waitrose has confirmed that it will welcome customers through the door of its first Glasgow store on 12 November. The retailer will start on site next month to convert the old Somerfield store on Byres Road in the city’s West End, to a Waitrose. And this week will see meetings with all 70 existing
09/09/2009
Vulnerable families in South Ayrshire living in temporary accommodation have benefited from a vital service thanks to a funding lifeline. Barnardo's Scotland's South Ayrshire Families Service received a £30,000 grant from the ScottishPower Energy People Trust last year to fund a year-long initiativ
09/09/2009
Aberdeen City Council's Audit and Risk Committee has considered a follow-up report into an investigation carried out into property sales by the city council. The report, by accountancy firm Henderson Loggie, is an update on the progress made by the council in addressing concerns raised last year in
09/09/2009
Commercial property experts, FG Burnett, has been instructed to sell a prime retail investment in Buckie, Morayshire. The 9,000 sq ft unit in East Cathcart Street is the former Lidl store which is now on a long term lease until 2023 to national retailer The Factory Shop. Lidl have recently opened
09/09/2009
Satelliet-Browns, a leading leisure industry furnishing specialist, has reorganised its sales force to help customers beat the recession. Peter Carter, formerly Regional Sales Manager South, has been appointed National Sales Manager, while his opposite number in Scotland, Joseph Doyle, has been app
08/09/2009
Greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland, including international aviation and shipping, have fallen by more than 18% since 1990, according to the latest official statistics published today. Published figures for greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland indicate that total emissions, which include internat
08/09/2009
The £20 million Scottish Borders Campus at Galashiels, designed by Archial Architects, has been officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal. The Scottish Borders Campus is the new home for many of the Borders College further and higher education courses as well as Heriot-Watt’s higher education pro
08/09/2009
A vision for the future of one of Scotland's best known tourist spots, John O'Groats, is to be unveiled to the community on Wednesday. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) commissioned the creation of a masterplan which would reflect the views of local residents, businesses, visitors and local pu
08/09/2009
Skye Members of The Highland Council visited the Island of Raasay earlier this week to inspect progress on the Council's biggest current construction contract – a new £12 million ferry terminal to link the island with Sconser, Skye. The terminal is being built at Churchton Bay and will provide a sh
08/09/2009
Landowners have been warned they must act now to secure compensation if their property is likely to be affected by the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR). An estimated 3700 individual plots of land and between 350 to 400 landowners or householders could be affected by the proposed A
08/09/2009
New foundations continue to be laid in North Lanarkshire as part of their multi-million pound house building programme and plans are in place for the project to be rolled out to a further three sites in Airdrie, Wishaw and Cumbernauld. As the £31m programme gathers pace, new affordable homes are pl
08/09/2009
Burns enthusiasts from all over the world recently took part in a ceremony of re-dedication for the newly restored Burns Monument on Regent Road, Edinburgh. The ceremony on Sunday (6 September 2009) celebrated the painstaking restoration of the impressive neo-Greek temple, which has been restored b
08/09/2009
Aberdeen City Council is holding a community exhibition this week to display the draft masterplan and development framework for future development at Greenferns. The Greenferns Masterplan area is north-west of Northfield area and, with the exception of Bucksburn House, is owned by the council. The
07/09/2009
University of the West of Scotland's £70 million Ayr Campus is one step closer following an official turf cutting ceremony at the new campus site on 28 August 2009. The ceremony officially marked the start of construction of the new 18,000m2 campus, which is being developed in partnership with the
07/09/2009
One hundred redundant apprentices in Scotland have now been supported back into work under the Scottish Government's 'Adopt an Apprentice' scheme. Launched in June, the scheme provides £2,000 to employers who recruit a redundant apprentice and commit to employing them until the completion of their
07/09/2009
Measures to ensure that local businesses and communities derive the maximum benefits from the development of the renewable energy sector were discussed at a meeting in Inverness recently. Senior representatives of Orkney Islands Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the Crown Estate and
07/09/2009
The Highland Council is amending its plans for easing flooding in Inverness city centre by reducing the scope of the initial works. The Council wants more time to finalise plans for flood prevention measures in the upstream section of the multi-million scheme, allowing work to commence on the lower
07/09/2009
Glasgow City Council has launched a consultation on its draft Local Housing Strategy, to look at the future of all of the city's housing across all tenures (2011-2016) and set a clear direction for investment in this sector. The consultation runs until 18 December 2009, during which time responses
07/09/2009
The MoD has announced that sub-contracts worth over £52M for a wide range of equipment for the two Queen Elizabeth Class Future Aircraft Carriers have been placed, helping to secure jobs and sustain work for industry across the UK. "As well as the everyday essentials such as washing machines and T
07/09/2009
Progress towards Scotland's landmark commitment to provide homes for all unintentionally homeless households by 2012 has picked up pace, according to figures published on Friday. Officials statistics for this year show fourteen councils met national interim targets, compared to just one council ach
07/09/2009
Acting jointly on behalf of Stonedale Securities, J&E Shepherd and DTZ has let Units 2 and 3, totalling 11,000 sq ft at the Tradetown development in Ayr to Dingbro, a wholesale distributor of motor vehicle components, for 25 years. The letting leaves 4,000 sq ft currently available for lease. Cr
04/09/2009
A huge increase in the use of temporary housing for homeless people has exposed the desperate shortage of homes to rent, according to leading housing charity, Shelter Scotland. Commenting on the Scottish Government’s annual homelessness statistics released today, Shelter Scotland congratulated loca
04/09/2009
Highland Councillors have unanimously supported the choice of Beechwood – to the east of Inverness - for the site of a new university campus. The Council sees the development of a new, high-quality Inverness campus as an essential part of the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Inst
04/09/2009
One of the largest architecture practices in Scotland and the UK, Archial Architects, has designed a £1.2 million transformation of the historic Trades Hall of Glasgow. Becoming involved at the initial stages of a building plan established to explore ways of generating new revenue streams for the
04/09/2009
Galliford Try, the construction and housebuilding group, has secured several contracts in the health sector worth a total of £48.6 million. Galliford Try has been selected by NHS Grampian as the principal supply chain partner to design and build three new healthcare centres worth a total of £22.3 m
04/09/2009
Property company Urban Splash, in partnership with Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, has held a public consultation last weekend, giving people the chance to see final plans for the redevelopment of Irvine Harbour. The event, which was held on Friday and Saturday at the Ship Inn, Irvine was attended
04/09/2009
Fashion and homeware retailer, Matalan, is to move into Moray with the announcement that it will be the first tenant at the Elgin Retail Park on Edgar Road. Elgin is one of three locations that have been chosen by the company for new stores as part of an expansion drive sparked by an increase in tr
04/09/2009
Morgan Glen in Larkhall has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve. The move - the first of its kind in South Lanarkshire's 12-year history - means Morgan Glen - covering approximately 40 hectares (99 acres) from Millheugh to Strutherhill - is now officially 'a place with special local natural i
04/09/2009
A company that fits windows, doors and conservatories all over Scotland is urging the trade not to just replace the fittings, but to recycle instead. Enviro Windows do a special recycling of old windows and doors, which is something virtually unheard of in the industry and believed to be a major pl
03/09/2009
Work has begun on the first council houses to be built in Dunbar since 1974. Ogilvie Construction has begun work on the 2.2hectare site following a competitive tender process. The finished development will combine 44 houses, including a number of wheelchair-adapted properties, with 44 two-storey
03/09/2009
First Minister Alex Salmond today set out the Scottish Government's programme for the coming year. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister outlined the Government's priorities contained in the document 'Towards a More Successful Scotland'. The First Minister said that action
03/09/2009
The Argyllshire village of Arrochar and Tarbet is celebrating as the scenic community is crowned the Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2009, receiving a total jackpot prize of £9500 for community investment. Astounding judges with its vision for the future, the community deservedly scooped the pre
03/09/2009
Construction union UCATT are urgently contacting the Health and Safety Executive about safety concerns following the death of a worker on Tuesday in Aberdeen. The 63-year-old worker died after he fell from scaffolding while working on the former Grampian Hotel Site in Carmelite Lane, Aberdeen. The
03/09/2009
J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has opened a new office in Dumbarton as its programme of investment in the expansion of its branch network throughout Scotland continues apace. Headed up by Steven Ferguson, the new office, 130 High Street, is Shepherd’s twenty ninth office in Scotland – and its thi
03/09/2009
A construction worker who became trapped in a building project that he was working on has been freed after falling from scaffolding - thanks to a 'loophole'. The builder had to be rescued through a small hole as the premises he was working in had no doors fitted. He was badly injured after he fell
03/09/2009
Proud staff at a water quality engineering firm have helped to deliver a crucial stage in a major Midlands drinking water project. Workers with Scottish Borders-based firm Panton McLeod are delighted at the role they’ve played in undertaking the disinfection of a new £31.5m GAC plant at Frankley W
03/09/2009
Better known for dealing in tracked dumpers, both hire and sales, Kattrak International Ltd have recently been appointed Ammann-Yanmar dealers, which gives the company a far greater product range which now includes excavators and compaction equipment. Ammann - Yanmar has become one of the three Eur
02/09/2009
Outline planning approval has been given for development on five areas of land within the Menie estate, near Balmedie, that could form part of wider plans for Donald Trump's major golf resort development. The Formartine Area Committee, meeting in Ellon yesterday, heard that applicants Trump Intern
02/09/2009
Thirty seven projects across Scotland today received £3.5m to tackle climate change in their communities. Collectively, the innovative projects will reduce carbon emissions by over 250,000 tonnes - the equivalent of taking over 83,000 cars off the UK roads. Successful applicants in round five of t
02/09/2009
Thousands of energy sector representatives are expected to arrive in Aberdeen for Offshore Europe 09, which runs from Tuesday, 8 September to Friday, 11 September at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. This biennial event is the most prestigious business conference and exhibition held in
02/09/2009
Lornshill Academy will be officially opened on Wednesday 9 September by football pundit and former pupil Alan Hansen. The former Scotland and Liverpool star, who was born in Sauchie, attended the original Lornshill Academy in the 1970s. He'll return to Clackmannanshire next week to formally open th
02/09/2009
Miss Scotland, Katherine Brown, visited Inverness yesterday to check progress on a new luxury hotel development being built by Robertson Highland. Miss Scotland, who has just returned from Italy, was in Inverness attending a progress of works ceremony organised by Robertson Highland. Following he
02/09/2009
Planned investment of £23.5 million to ensure Scotland capitalises on the economic, social and cultural advantages of the 2014 Commonwealth Games was announced today. At the launch of A games legacy for Scotland at The People's Palace, First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola St
02/09/2009
Ogilvie Construction's winning football team were presented with the much coveted Scottish Building Federation football trophy when they visited Falkirk Football Stadium on Friday. Falkirk's Managing Director, George Craig presented the six-strong team with the trophy in front of the Club's new Sou
02/09/2009
Work continues apace on the new £31 million sports facility situated on the former Ravenscraig steelworks in North Lanarkshire. Part of a larger masterplan for the regeneration of this area of Scotland, this new indoor sports facility which will serve the local community as well as provide a traini
01/09/2009
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband has outlined the Government's latest measures to help householders save money and energy as he welcomed 10:10 – a new campaign to cut carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. Around 90,000 homes in some of the poorest areas in the UK should see an average sav
01/09/2009
South Ayrshire Council has submitted applications for funding to the Scottish Government's Town Centre Regeneration Fund (TCRF). The bids, totaling £5 million, outline exciting development proposals for Girvan, Maybole, Troon and Ayr town centres. During 2009/10, the Scottish Government has made
01/09/2009
The former stately mansion home of Wilhelmina Alexander - better known as The Bonnie Lass O' Ballochmyle - as penned by national bard, Robert Burns, is on the verge of opening again, saved from the brink of destruction by a £5 million restoration project. Historic Ballochmyle House, near Mauchline,
01/09/2009
J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has appointed 34-year-old Graham Johnstone as a building surveyor based at its Glasgow office. A graduate from Napier University with an extensive track record encompassing periods at Faithful + Gould, Lloyds TSB and Henderson Surveying, Mr Johnstone's appointment i
01/09/2009
Sand Monitoring Services Ltd (SMS) based in Aberdeen is hosting a free lunch and learn Sand Management Event on 9th September as part of Offshore Europe 2009. The event, which will be held at SMS's new office premises, is designed to emphasise the importance of sand management by highlighting new t
01/09/2009
A flood prevention scheme worth £20.9 million was opened today in Forres. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Richard Lochhead formally marked the completion of the Forres (Burn of Mosset) Flood Prevention Scheme to help protect homes and businesses. Mr Lochhead said: "Many
01/09/2009
Housing charity Shelter Scotland is today calling on Scottish Ministers to make the upcoming Scottish budget a 'Budget for Homes' by investing an extra £200m a year in new affordable homes to rent. The charity is calling on Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney to make homelessness and bad hou
01/09/2009
Kirk Natural Stone now offer a unique, highly versatile natural stone facing system which can be used for any building project. The System was recently on display at the Ecobuild show at Earls Court where it offered a refreshing long term sustainable alternative to short term building solutions su
