Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for March 2016
31/03/2016
Edinburgh University has revealed plans to create an £11 million energy centre to provide low-carbon electricity for its Easter Bush campus. The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system will provide energy for the Roslin Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. The University is on
31/03/2016
The north of Scotland's electricity network is set to be upgraded due to a multi-million pound investment by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB will provide £500 million to reinforce connections between wind, wave and tidal renewable energy schemes as well as the national power network. T
31/03/2016
Plans for a new energy saving streetlight scheme have been revealed by Stirling Council. The local authority has secured a £9.87 million loan from the Green Investment Bank (GIB) to install new LEDs in 12,000 streetlights over a four-year period. In addition, 4,000 lampposts will be replaced. Str
31/03/2016
Ogilvie Construction has began building a new student accommodation project in Edinburgh. Crosslane Student Developments is working in partnership with Unite UK Student Accommodation Fund (USAF) to build a 237-bed purpose-built development at Lutton Place. The site was bought from the local author
31/03/2016
McLaughlin & Harvey (McL&H) has delivered a £2 million fit-out project for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport's (SPT) new head office in Glasgow. The 18-week scheme was carried out due to SPT's previous HQ being demolished as part of the Glasgow Queen Street station redevelopment programme. Fea
31/03/2016
Work is underway on a new £2.66 million community hub in Aberdeen. A sod-cutting ceremony was held to mark the start of construction at Middlefield on Monday, 28 March. The project involves refurbishing and extending the Lord Provost Henry E Rae Community Centre, which will provide purpose-built a
31/03/2016
Moray Councillors have abandoned plans to build a new rail crossing and link road in Elgin, it has been announced. A vote was held to decide whether to pull the project from the capital plan, which resulted in 13-11 in favour of dropping the proposals. The £8.5 million project would have helped pr
31/03/2016
Work is due to begin on a new £17.5 million secondary school in Falkirk. Final proposals for the building have been approved and the project is due to be completed by August 2017. The new school will replace the current Carrongrange School which will be built on land next to Moray Primary School i
31/03/2016
Work is continuing on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie-Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project at Craibstone, Transport Scotland has announced. A total of 20 beams are due to be delivered over the next two weekends to form the AWPR bridge over the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness trunk road. Special ab
31/03/2016
Contractors are being invited to bid for work involving public space improvements in Perth city centre. The council has now released information to six contractors selected during the first phase of the tender process. The scheme at Mill Street represents the first phase of public realm improvemen
30/03/2016
McLaughlin & Harvey (McL&H) has began work to develop a storage and workshop facility for infrastructure specialists Amey in South Queensferry. The 30,000 sq ft South Anchorage warehouse will act as a core facility for the storage, maintenance and repair of the Forth Road Bridge. The project invol
30/03/2016
Aberdeen City Council and Balfour Beatty have agreed a further eight-week time extension for the £22.3 million Third Don Crossing project. The extension is necessary due to weather issues, re-routing underground utilities and 'unforeseen circumstances'. Construction on the project got underway in
30/03/2016
Argyll and Bute Council has signed a contract with hub North Scotland to develop two new secondary schools in Campbeltown and Oban. The £60 million scheme will see the new schools built next to the existing buildings. Once pupils have moved into the new facilities, the old buildings will be demoli
30/03/2016
Plans to create a new mixed-use development in Clydebank have been approved by West Dunbartonshire Council. The Queens Quay scheme, which will include housing, retail and leisure outlets as well as a health quarter, will be built at the former John Brown's shipyard. The plans were presented by own
30/03/2016
Fife Council has announced it will invest over £225 million to improve council housing over the next three years. The announcement was made during a local authority meeting on Tuesday, 23 March. Every council home in the region is now understood to be fully compliant with the Scottish Housing Qual
30/03/2016
The first tenants have began moving in to a new £2.9 million housing development in Clackmannanshire. The 27-home project was delivered by Campion Homes on Delph Road in Tullibody. The scheme was developed by Kingdom Housing Association and designed by Bracewell Stirling Architects. It is the sec
30/03/2016
Work is due to begin on a road widening project in South Lanarkshire, Transport Scotland has announced. The B756 Bellshill Road in Uddingston is due to be closed for around two weeks from 04 April. The works, between Wilkie Road and Fallside Road, are part of the M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements P
30/03/2016
Scottish Water has installed 1,000 solar panels at a water treatment works (WTW) facility in Edinburgh. The renewable scheme will now provide a quarter of the energy required at the Marchbank Water Treatment Works near Balerno. Each panel is capable of generating 0.2GWh of electricity per annum fo
30/03/2016
CCG is underway with work to develop a new social housing development in Stenhousemuir. The project is being built on the site of the former Police Station and Registrars Office in the town's centre. Features of the Main Street project involves developing 18 council flats over three-storeys includ
30/03/2016
Mott MacDonald has selected Norrie Westbrook to lead its highways business. As a chartered civil engineer, Mr Westbrook has 20 years' experience in the highways sector and previously worked at Mouchel as highways operating group director. In his new role as development director, he will be respons
24/03/2016
Plans for a new £150 million mixed-use development have been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council. The project aims to create a new town centre with housing, retail, leisure and business facilities at Blackdog, which is located on the 'Energetic corridor' near Aberdeen. The proposals, by developers
24/03/2016
Scotland's final coal-fired production facility has closed the last of its four generating units today, 24 March. Longannet Power Station in Fife generated its last megawatt at 3pm when the final unit was 'desynchronised', marking the end of coal-fired electricity production in the country. Built
24/03/2016
Plans for a new 1,500-home development in Elgin have been submitted to Moray Council. The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was jointly submitted by Pitgaveny and Robertson Homes. The Findrassie development is expected to take 25 years to complete and involves developing 112 hectares of greenbe
24/03/2016
Financial close has been reached on a £3 million community hub project in East Dunbartonshire. Contractor CCG is due to begin building the Bearsden Community Hub on 04 April. The project is being developed by hub West Scotland in partnership with the local authority. The new facility is based on
24/03/2016
Over 8,000 home buyers have received support to purchase their own household through the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme, according to Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil. The Scottish Government has invested £500 million to help first time buyers and home owners buy a new-build home since 2013. The
24/03/2016
EDF Energy Renewables (EDF ER) has selected Wind Towers Scotland to supply turbine towers for its onshore wind farm projects in the UK. The Argyll and Bute-based firm signed the five-year agreement with Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing in Edinburgh on Wednesday, 23 March. The company has alre
24/03/2016
Approval has been granted for a new gas fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Stirlingshire. Scottish Ministers have approved the development and operation of the CHP facility at BP Kinneil Terminal in Grangemouth. As part of the Forties Pipeline System, the Kinneil Terminal is a strategic
24/03/2016
An LED lighting replacement project is set to continue across the M8, Scotland TranServ has announced. Almost 200 lights across various trunk roads in Renfrewshire have already been replaced with the energy saving LED lamps. Works on the M8 are now scheduled to take place overnight from Junctions
23/03/2016
A UK Government guarantee of £86 million has signalled the start of a £800 million infrastructure project in Aberdeen. Construction on the Countesswell development project will be carried out by the Stewart Milne Group and is due to begin next month. It will comprise of 3,000 homes along with infr
23/03/2016
Housing developer Places for People has signed a major deal with Aberdeen City Council (ACC) to build thousands of new 'affordable' homes in the region. The £300 million partnership will help to address the shortage of housing in the city. In addition, the deal will see the formation of a limited
23/03/2016
Transport Scotland are inviting construction companies to bid for the A737 Dalry Bypass project in Ayrshire. A notification was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on Friday, 18 March. The notice outlines construction costs in the range of £34 million to £38 million and
23/03/2016
Graham Construction has been selected to deliver a £28 million investment programme at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government approved the full business case submitted by NHS Highland. The three-year Critical Care Upgrade will bring all critical care services,
23/03/2016
A total of £2.6 million in grant funding has been awarded towards the development of Scotland's first Creation Centre. Last month a number of pledges were made for the £4.9m Briggait Creation Centre project in Glasgow. These include over £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), £1m from Creative
23/03/2016
Historical castle remains have been discovered during a multi-million water upgrade project in Glasgow. Archaeologists uncovered the two centuries-old castles in Partick during preparatory work as part of Scottish Water's £250 million waste water infrastructure improvement project. It is believed
23/03/2016
The next phase of design work is due to begin on a road junction project in Aberdeenshire this year. Transport Scotland are seeking to appoint consultants for the next stage of work to develop a new grade-separated junction at Laurencekirk on the A90. Design works include route option assessment a
23/03/2016
The Scottish Government has published its revised Land Use Strategy. The amended 'Getting the best use from our land' plan sets out policies and proposals for Scottish land over the next five years and beyond. As Scotland's second land use strategy, the recently passed Land Reform (Scotland) Bill
23/03/2016
A solar panel firm has been fined after a worker fell through a fragile roof light during repair works at a private home in Kent. Glasgow-based P V Solar UK Limited, of Cambuslang Road, pleaded guilty to three separate breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £153,000 with £29
23/03/2016
Plans for a 3G pitch project in the Scottish Borders are due to go before the Scottish Government in May. Discussions have been taking place over a number of months to develop the facility in Peebles. The report will: • Provide more information on the Peebles 3G pitch project • Set out more deta
22/03/2016
A £315 million City Deal has been revealed for Inverness. The ten-year economic growth plans involves a £135 million Scottish Government investment into the city's infrastructure. In addition, the UK Government will commit up to £53m while the Highland Council and regional partners will contribute
22/03/2016
Work to deliver faster rail journeys between Scotland and London will begin in 2017, it has been announced. Both the UK and Scottish Government's have agreed to further work which will cut the journey time for passengers to three hours. Key features of the project include: • Aim to bring train jo
22/03/2016
New research has shown the entire UK hydro industry is based in Scotland Trade body Scottish Renewables revealed 27 schemes totalling 58.5MW have planning permission north of the border, from Stirlingshire to Sutherland. Overall, each project can potentially create enough energy to power 42,000 ho
22/03/2016
Glasgow City Council has issued a tender for the £250 million regeneration of Sighthill. The local authority is seeking lead contractors to take forward the 'Blue-Green' infrastructure works, which has been highlighted as the 'main driver' for future investment. Plans for the area include building
22/03/2016
Plans have been revealed to develop a new environmentally friendly urban quarter in Falkirk. The new region would be created at the eastern entrance to the town under the council's £67 million Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) initiative. A £17 million package of infrastructure works has been proposed
22/03/2016
Robertson Northern has won a £5.7 million contract to deliver a new office for the Highland Council. The contractor will develop the new building on the site of the former Fort William Secondary school. Space within the development will be created for other public sector partners in a move to help
22/03/2016
Business Minister Fergus Ewing has written to the leader of Fife Council, David Ross, outlining the actions being taken to mitigate the impact of Longannet power station's closure. As Scotland's last coal-fired power station, the Longannet facility is due to close on 31 March. Scottish Power said
22/03/2016
Work is underway on a £29.7 million high school in East Renfrewshire. The new Barrhead High School is being built adjacent to the existing school at the Johnny Kelly Pavilion and blaes pitch site. Originally, the development was delayed due to legal issues surrounding European accounting rules, wh
22/03/2016
OneSubsea has announced it will invest £1.8 million in a new research and development (R&D) project. The investment will allow the company's Standardised Modular Injection System (SMIS) to be developed. In addition, Scottish Enterprise will provide a £434,126 R&D grant towards the project, which w
22/03/2016
Dundee City Council is due to discuss developing new retail units in the city at a committee meeting next week. The units at Shore Street could be built at a costs of up to £1.3 million. A total of four outlets could be created in the former council housing offices on the ground floor of the build
21/03/2016
Property developer Whiteburn has submitted a planning application to develop new offices in Glasgow. Proposals designed by Bennets Associates include transforming the A-listed 64 Waterloo Street into a 100,000 sq ft Grade A office complex to be known as The Still. The main historical elements of t
21/03/2016
Ground investigations are underway on the A96 Nairn Bypass scheme, it has been announced. Drilling works will take place at over 650 locations along the Inverness to Nairn route. During the 20-week period, only six drilling sites will require traffic management on the existing A96, keeping disrupt
21/03/2016
A new Glasgow hospital development has been awarded an accolade at the MIPIM awards. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) both scooped the Best Healthcare Development. The £842 million project was designed by IBI Group and built by Brookfield Mul
21/03/2016
West Dunbartonshire Council is due to discuss development plans for Queens Quay in Clydesbank. Detailed proposals for the former John Brown's shipyard 'masterplan' will go before councillors on Wednesday, 23 March. Plans for the 23 hectare site include residential, retail, commercial and leisure d
21/03/2016
NHS Lanarkshire has revealed plans for a 'major' new healthcare redevelopment. Work is underway to design proposals on replacing the existing Monklands Hospital in Airdrie. NHS Lanarkshire is now seeking funding to carry out the project. A number of options are available, including redeveloping t
21/03/2016
Electronic tendering provider Millstream has secured a £1.2 million contract to continue operating the national e-procurement website Public Contracts Scotland (PCS). The five-year deal allows the company to remain sole operator of the portal for all public sector tenders, ranging from construction
21/03/2016
A contracting company has been fined after a worker suffered burns while working on a primary school refurbishment project in East Kilbride. Stewart and Shields Limited, of E King St, Helensburgh, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 34(3) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2
21/03/2016
The Scottish Government has revealed £14 million is available from the Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland (HEEPS) Loan Scheme. Up to 4,000 households could benefit from the initiative, which will help meet the cost of installing energy efficiency measures, like internal or external wall insu
21/03/2016
The final stage of a £112,000 road improvement project is due to begin this week in Glasgow, it has been announced. Scotland TranServ will begin replacing a weigh-in, motion sensor along the A77 at Meiklewood tomorrow, 22 March. The equipment captures data about the number and type of vehicles usi
21/03/2016
Residential letting agency Speirs Gumley has successfully let a block of 20 apartments on Glasgow's Bath Street within record time, as demand from high-quality city centre rental properties continues to grow unabated. The company, which has a rich heritage of over 180 years of property experience,
18/03/2016
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) is due to carry out a £3 million cable replacement project next month in Dundee. A 132kV high voltage cable connecting Dudhope and Glenagnes substations is set to be replaced by two new one mile long cables. The project will begin on 04 April
18/03/2016
A £100,000 resurfacing project is due to get underway next week in South Lanarkshire. Scotland TranServ are to upgrade almost 5,100 square metres of carriageway along the A737 trunk road at Coalburn. The project will take place over two nights from 8pm to 6am and will begin on Wednesday, 23 March.
18/03/2016
The Scottish Parliament has passed new legislation to modernise the private rented sector (PRS). The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill will create simpler tenancies, offer stability and security to the 700,000 tenants who call the private rented sector home, and ensure predictability over
18/03/2016
Scottish Transport Minister Derek Mackey has seen the final preparations for the final 20 week closure of the Queen Street Tunnel, due to begin on Sunday, 20 March. Delays of up to 30 minutes are expected while the last phase of work is carried out due to diversions. At peak times, queuing systems
18/03/2016
Chancellor George Osborne has set out a "historic" Budget for Scotland, reportedly designed to make Britain fit for the future at a time of increasing global economic uncertainty. Announcing the Budget the Chancellor said that the government is delivering on the vow it made to the Scottish people t
18/03/2016
The Kier Group has stayed on course to deliver its full-year expectations thanks to the "substantial integration" of Mouchel and the growth of its Scottish operations. Results for the six-month period to 31 December 2015 saw Kier report a 19 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to £44.2 million as
16/03/2016
Five companies have been shortlisted to potentially restore the historic Mackintosh Building in Glasgow. The Grade-A listed building was badly damaged by a fire on 23 May 2014. The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) has now issued a tender for the main contractor to take forward the project, with work ex
16/03/2016
Deputy First Minister (DFM) John Swinney has called on the UK Government to take urgent action for the North Sea oil and gas industry. In a letter written to the Chancellor George Osbourne, Mr Swinney said the "indecision and inconsistency" of Westminster's energy policy has placed Scottish investm
16/03/2016
Work is underway on a new £28.8 million high school in Moray, it has been announced A turf-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction in Elgin was held yesterday, 15 March. The 18-month project will provide enough places for 1,000 pupils, as well as a new sports block. Once the main build
16/03/2016
Plans to deliver over 30,000 residential units have been revealed by Peel Land and Property. The development company said the investment across its 'Strategic Waters' sites could generate £4.5 billion over the next 30 years. Peel's portfolio is made up of 23,500 units within the Mersey Waters Ente
16/03/2016
Land Reform Minister Aileen McLeod has revealed £10 million will be available for the new Scottish Land Fund. The news comes as the Land Reform Bill reaches stage three of the parliamentary process. Once passed, the fund will open on 01 April. The initiative, which helps communities buy their own
16/03/2016
A newly built primary school in East Dunbartonshire has won an accolade at the Scottish Property Awards. The £7.7 million Lairdsland Primary School was named the winner of the Development of the Year category for public buildings. It was developed by hub West Scotland on the banks of the Forth & C
16/03/2016
Electrification works are due to begin next month at a train station in Falkirk, Network Rail has announced. Engineers will install electrification mast foundations in the memorial garden at Polmont station as part of the £742 million Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP). The project is
16/03/2016
Perth and Kinross Council has launched a public consultation on its new Local Housing Strategy (LHS). The draft LHS sets out the local authority's priorities and plans for housing and related services between 2016 - 2021. Its four strategic housing objectives include: • Supply of Housing and Plac
16/03/2016
An engineering firm has been fined after polluted water ran from a construction site into a watercourse in Huddersfield. Flannery Civil Engineering Ltd, of Willow Bridge Way, Castleford appeared before Kirklees Magistrates' Court and admitted one environmental offence relating to the incident at Li
16/03/2016
East Dunbartonshire residents are being invited to find out more information about a new purpose-built community and Early Years facility in Auchinairn. A drop-in session discussing details of the project will be held this week. Council representatives along with the architect, Glasgow City Footba
15/03/2016
Over £10 million has been awarded by the Scottish Government to support nine large-scale low carbon energy projects throughout the country. The community projects will receive the funding through the Local Energy Challenge Fund, which aims to demonstrate the 'value and benefit' of local low carbon
15/03/2016
Almost £6 billion of Scottish infrastructure projects will be under construction throughout 2016, it has been announced. Recent research has shown Scotland is spending more per head on improving infrastructure than the rest of the UK, with major projects such as the A9 Dualling Programme, the new A
15/03/2016
The supply of 'affordable' homes in Scotland rose 19% in 2015 compared to the previous year, according to new figures. A total of 31,034 homes were delivered, surpassing the government's 30,000 target. Almost 21,000 homes were for social rent, while nearly 5,500 were council homes. In addition, th
15/03/2016
Ground investigations are due to begin for the A96 Dualling programme between Inverness and Nairn, it has been announced. The works will start on 21 March and last for around 20 weeks. While most of the scheme will be carried out offline of the existing road, some traffic management will be put in
15/03/2016
A new £5.29 million community facility has opened in East Dunbartonshire. The Lennoxtown Community Hub was unveiled by Council Leader Rhondda Geekie on Tuesday, 08 March. The building contains a range of services such as Council Tax, benefits, licensing, housing, general council enquiries, library
15/03/2016
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, Andrew Dunlop, has paid a visit to SSE's Pitlochry hydro station in Highland Perthshire. The Scotland Office Minister witnessed 'renewable energy in full flow' at the 15MW Tummel River facility, while also finding out more information about a new
15/03/2016
A historic town hall has been reopened following a £3.77 million refurbishment programme in North Ayrshire. The Saltcoats Town Hall was officially unveiled by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her mother, Provost Joan Sturgeon, on 14 March. The building has undergone an extensive redevelopment, a
15/03/2016
North Lanarkshire Council has been shortlisted for three accolades at the UK Housing Awards. The event, organised by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Inside Housing magazine, recognise the work by organisations to improve the lives of people within their communities. The local authorit
15/03/2016
Work is underway on a £90,000 road maintenance programme in West Dunbartonshire. Scotland TranServ is carrying out resurfacing and road marking replacement works to the A82 at Greenhead Road. The project began today, 15 March and is scheduled to be completed on Friday, 18 March. To facilitate the
15/03/2016
Applicants are being invited to submit entries for the Scottish Borders Design Awards. Organised by the council's Planning and Regulatory Services, the competition was last held in 2013. The four categories this year are: • New Build (individual buildings) – residential • New Build (individual b
14/03/2016
Economic consultants CAM-SCI have been selected to lead the development of an £80 million project for Queen Margaret University (QMU) in East Lothian. Plans are in place to build an Innovation Park on land adjacent to QMU's Musselburgh campus. Phase One of the project involves developing two 50,00
14/03/2016
SEE has announced the sale of its stake in the Clyde Wind Farm project in South Lanarkshire. The energy firm sold its 49.9% share of the scheme to Greencoat UK Wind Plc (UKW) and GMPF & LPFA Infrastructure LLP (GLIL) for £355 million. When the 172.8MW extension to Clyde is commissioned (currently
14/03/2016
Approval has been granted for a £8.2 million community facility project in South Ayrshire. Work on the new Tarbolton Community Campus can now begin with the official contracts now signed after the project reached financial close. Housing 297 primary pupils along with 40 nursery children, the facil
14/03/2016
An additional £3 million has been revealed for the largest regeneration project in Scotland. Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced the extra funding for the Clyde Gateway project in Glasgow's east end on Sunday, 13 March. The additional cash will be used to support development of vacant and
14/03/2016
Aberdeen Drilling School has embarked on an international growth plan in the East Asia oil and gas market. After setting up an office in Kuala Lumpur in April last year, the company has secured over 600 trainees and is predicting a £2 million boost to its turnover. To expand internationally, the c
14/03/2016
A new anti-cold caller initiative is being piloted at a sheltered housing complex in South Lanarkshire. The local authority's Consumer and Trading Standards is trialling a 'cold calling control area' at Bosfield Place, East Mains, Kilbride. Recently, the area has seen an increase in a number of un
14/03/2016
West Dunbartonshire Council is to discuss plans to build a new £25 million secondary school in Dumbarton. A report is to go before the Infrastructure and Regeneration Committee on Wednesday, 16 March. If approved, construction of the new Our Lady and St Patrick's High School could get underway thi
14/03/2016
A free two-day slate building course is due to take place later this month in the Highlands. The workshop is part of a wider £277,000 project to conserve and interpret the historic Ballachulish slate arch. The course is open to anyone with an interest in using slate to build features such as dykes
14/03/2016
Work is underway on a new £4.1 million primary school in Renfrewshire. The new St Fergus' Primary is being built next to the existing school on Blackstoun Road in Paisley. The project is part of the councils' £52m investment programme to improve local primary schools. Features of the new school i
14/03/2016
Plans have been revealed to develop a new cemetery in Stirling. The council is seeking planning permission from the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (LLTNPA) to develop the cemetery in the Callander area. A development site has now been identified, as the existing cemetery is expected t
11/03/2016
Structural defects that caused the closure of the Forth Road Bridge "could not have been foreseen", according to a Scottish Parliament committee. The structure was closed to all traffic last year after issues were discovered with a truss end link mechanism in December. An inquiry, by the Infrastru
11/03/2016
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) and SP Energy Networks have completed a £197 million electricity network strengthening project. The three-year scheme involved reinforcing the network on the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll to Hunterston in North Ayrshire. Three main elements of
11/03/2016
Construction work on the M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements Project has uncovered an ancient medieval settlement as well as other artefacts. Work was halted as archaeologists uncovered the 1000-year-old 'Lost' Village of Cadzow near Junction 6 Hamilton. A collection of medieval coins believed to dat
11/03/2016
A £2.8 million primary school refurbishment programme in Inverclyde is now complete. Improved features at St John's Primary School include a new dining hall, nursery class and a multi-use games area (MUGA). A new gymnasium and playground were also built. The council has invested £270m in new and i
11/03/2016
Aberdeenshire Council has announced its intention to create a carbon budget for 2017/18. At a full local authority meeting, councillors have unanimously agreed to develop and set a Carbon Budget, as well as a Climate Change Policy and Action Plan, for between 2016 – 2020. Targets to reduce carbon
11/03/2016
Work is due to begin on a new £22.5 million high school in the Scottish Borders. A ground-breaking ceremony for the new Kelso High School was held today, 11 March. Construction is due to begin next week on Monday, 14 March. The facility is being delivered by Hub South East Scotland with main cont
11/03/2016
ISG has been selected to deliver a multi-million pound extension of supermarket group Aldi's headquarters in West Lothian. The project is part of the retailers plans to open a further eight stores in the country this year. ISG will develop a two-storey 21,500 sq ft extension at the company's regio
11/03/2016
A series of conservation and regeneration skills workshops are due to take place in Angus. Homeowners, building professionals and contractors are being invited to attend the seminars which are designed to support the Kirriemuir Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS). Frew Conservation have b
11/03/2016
A new £2 million road bridge is due to open next month, Network Rail has announced. The Drumgrew Road Bridge, which connects East Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire, has been demolished and rebuilt as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP). Network Rail has now revealed the s
11/03/2016
An affordable housing development in Fife has won an accolade from the Chief Inspector of Police Scotland, Irene Ralston. The Leuchatsbeath development site in Cowdenbeath received the Secured by Design award. Secured by Design is a UK initiative to reduce crime levels by working with local partne
10/03/2016
Over £350 million of sub-contracts have been awarded for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty project (AWPR/B-T), it has been announced. The deals involve a range of works including drainage, plant and equipment hire and earthworks, the supply of steel reinforcement, structura
10/03/2016
A transport interchange project in the Scottish Borders has won an accolade at this years Scottish Property Awards (SPA). The £5.2 million Galashiels Transport Interchange was named as the 'Town Centre Regeneration Project of the Year'. The development was delivered by Hub South East Scotland, wit
10/03/2016
Moray Council has selected Morgan Sindall to carry out a £1.1 million swimming pool refurbishment in Forres. The 20-week contract involves Forres Academy Swimming Pool being upgraded to make it more energy efficient. Features include fitting external insulated cladding and stripping back the build
10/03/2016
Develop Training Limited (DTL) has secured a 'major' contract to provide electrical equipment training for heavy building materials company Hanson UK. The industry training specialist will teach 1,100 employees the necessary skills via a rolling programme at both English and Scottish sites. Runnin
10/03/2016
The opening of a new £41 million high school in Edinburgh has been delayed, it has been announced. Contractor Balfour Beatty has informed Portobello High School that it is unable to complete the project before pupils move onto the new campus in August 2016. It is understood there is an issue secur
10/03/2016
A major milestone has been reached at a £41.9 million wind farm project in Scotland. Northern Irish firm Farrans has begun installing the first of 96 turbines at the Kilgallioch Wind Farm site on the border of South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. The scheme is being delivered on behalf of Sco
10/03/2016
A total of £155 million is to be invested in capital projects over the next eight years in East Renfrewshire. The local authority made the announcement as it agreed its 2016/17 budget on Wednesday, 09 March. Councillors said the move will ensure continued investment across early years, education,
10/03/2016
The City of Edinburgh Council has formed a dedicated team to repair potholes in the region. The initiative will carry out permanent repairs to road and pavement surfaces in the City Centre/Leith and South neighbourhoods. Each package of work will cost £120,000 and £60,000. Funding will be used fro
10/03/2016
East Ayrshire Council is underway with a large scale housing improvement programme across 143 homes in the region. The local authority's Housing Asset Services are carrying out external insulation programmes to 66 homes in Onthank and 77 houses in Patna. The project is being carried out in partner
10/03/2016
Carriageway repair work is due to begin later this month in West Lothian. Resurfacing on the B8028 will begin from 7am from Monday, 21 March. The two-part scheme will run until 6pm on Sunday, 10 April. Section 1 is from the B8084 Armadale to U9 Bridgehouse, while Section 2 is from the junction wi
09/03/2016
A planning application is due to be submitted for a new TV and film studio in North Lanarkshire, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has announced. Ms Hyslop said a private investor is expected to submit proposals to 'significantly enhance' existing production facilities at the 48,000 sq ft Wardpark Stu
09/03/2016
Wills Bros Civil Engineering has won a £22.5 million contract to deliver a new road scheme in the Highlands. The firm will develop the Inverness West Link Stage 1 project as well as the Canal Parks Enhancement scheme, which involves developing enhanced sports facilities alongside the West Link. Cl
09/03/2016
Local tenants have began moving into a new £2.5 million council housing development in Moray. Elgin-based contractor Robertson Northern built the 19 energy efficient properties in Dufftown. It is understood they are the first new housing to be delivered in Speyside for a generation. The brownfiel
09/03/2016
House prices in Scotland rose 3.6% in 2015, according to new Registers of Scotland (RoS) figures. With overall sales rising over £16.5 billion, the average price of a residential property rose to £169,402. Semi-detached houses showed the largest rise in price, up 3.4% to £157,995. In addition, det
09/03/2016
A major milestone has been reached on a leisure centre development project in North Ayrshire. Contractors McLaughlin & Harvey (McL&H) have now reached the highest point of their Irvine Leisure Centre project. A symbolic weathervane was erected during a topping out ceremony to mark the occasion. M
09/03/2016
Over £430,000 is to be given towards 18 'green projects' in Scotland, Environment Minister Aileen McLeod has revealed. The funding will boost the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) Development Fund. The initiative supports projects which aim to 'transform' the local environment and add value to
09/03/2016
The Scottish Parliament has passed new legislation which introduces a tax supplement on purchasing additional residential properties. MSP's have voted in favour of the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill. The new ruling means a supplement will be implemented on bu
09/03/2016
Clyde Gateway and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) are looking for a contractor to develop a new office block in Rutherglen. The BRE Scotland facility will be built at the foot of the new Smart Bridge in the heart of Clyde Gateway's National Business District in Shawfield. Features includ
09/03/2016
Approval has been granted to begin developing the South Lanarkshire Development Plan Scheme for 2016. A new Local Development Plan (LDP) will be created after the go-ahead was given by the council's planning service yesterday, 08 March. Consultations and engagement exercises will be held to prepar
09/03/2016
CCG's hospital accommodation development in Glasgow has won three accolades at two different awards ceremonies in Scotland. The Ronald McDonald House, located on the campus of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus in Govan, received a Civic trust Award as well as the Special Awards for Sco
08/03/2016
Proposed works on the £3 billion A9 Dualling Programme have went on display to the public. Planned road alignments and junction proposals are now available to view on three of the 12 road sections to be dualled; Killiecrankie to Pitagowan, Pitagowan to Glen Garry and Dalwhinnie to Crubenmore. In a
08/03/2016
Over £3.5 million of improvement works could be carried out to council housing across Dundee, it has been announced. Tenders for new heating and boiling systems in almost 1,000 homes will be discussed by the housing committee on Monday, 14 March. More than 850 homes in Charleston, Mill o'Mains, Cl
08/03/2016
A £1 million redevelopment project is underway at a popular tourist attraction in Falkirk. The scheme will see the 13-year-old Falkirk Wheel refurbished, with the existing visitor centre, trip boats, conference rooms and activity hub refreshed to celebrate the structure's engineering. In addition,
08/03/2016
Over 100 lamps are to switch to LED lighting along the M8 in south west Scotland, it has been announced. Scotland TranServ has already replaced almost 200 lights across the trunk roads in Renfrewshire. The second phase of the project is due to last for five nights and will begin on Sunday, 13 Marc
08/03/2016
Work is to begin on installing a new footbridge in Moray. Balfour Beatty is set to develop the one-metre high structure over the Burn of Cullen on the western outskirts of the town. Features of the project include a steel superstructure and timber decking. Work will also include support structure
08/03/2016
Scottish Water engineers are continuing work to repair a burst water main in North Lanarkshire. The malfunction occurred this morning, 08 March, on the Lenziemill Road in Cumbernauld. A 21-inch main burst and caused a loss of supply to around 1,500 properties in the North Carbrian area. Water sup
08/03/2016
A £200,000 roads resurfacing project is to get underway in Inverclyde. The local authority is to fund the work to upgrade the main route linking Port Glasgow to Bridge of Weir. Contractors will begin resurfacing the A761 Port Glasgow Road in Kilmacolm between Auchenbothie Road and Woodrow Avenue t
08/03/2016
Work is underway on the third phase of a council housing project in Fife. Muir Homes will build a further 22 homes at the development site in Cellardyke. The works will bring the number of properties at the Silverdykes project to 57 and is due to be completed Phase two of construction work is al
08/03/2016
CALA Group is expecting a 'record' year for the company after releasing its eight month trading update. The Edinburgh-based Group nearly doubled its profits last year to £50.9 million compared to £26.8 million in 2014. Planning permission has also been approved on 25 sites (2,038 plots) with a pot
08/03/2016
Work is underway to develop a new skate park in Clackmannanshire. The £100,000 Alloa facility is being built adjacent to the Bowmar Centre. Funding for the project was secured from the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund. Specialist skatepark contractor Bendcrete is carrying out the development and ha
07/03/2016
Graham Construction has begun work on a £22 million student accommodation project for the University of Edinburgh. The scheme involves converting/refurbishing two grade B-listed tenement blocks and building four new-build accommodation blocks at Buccleuch Place and Meadow Lane. Work is underway at
07/03/2016
Preparatory work is continuing on a £100 million waste water tunnel project in Glasgow. Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown visited the site of the Shieldhall Tunnel at the Craigton industrial estate today, 07 March. The £100m project is 3.1 miles long and will provide 90,000 cubic metres of extr
07/03/2016
Over £70 million is to be invested in new student housing by the University of St Andrews. The move, revealed in the University's Accommodation Action Plan, will provide an additional 900 bed spaces and also refurbish large areas of its existing residences. A major new residence is to be created o
07/03/2016
Safety inspections within the Scottish construction industry have fallen by over 50% since 2012/2013, according to new figures. The decline was discovered by union UCATT who made a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The findings revealed there were 552 u
07/03/2016
Up to £725 million could be generated by renewables projects on the Scottish Islands over the next 25 years, according to a new report. The independent paper, published by Baringa and commissioned by the Scottish Government, provides analysis of the economic opportunities available by deploying ren
07/03/2016
Modernisation works are progressing at Kirkintilloch town centre in East Dunbartonshire. The first phase of the Cowgate public realm project has been underway since 08 February. Contractor Rainton Construction is carrying out the £2 million project, which includes upgrading the town centre's stre
07/03/2016
Plans have been revealed for a £15 million regional sports village in Renfrewshire. The University of the West of Scotland, St Mirren Football Club and Renfrewshire Council are in discussion to take forward the development at Ferguslie Park in Paisley. In addition, the council is developing a plan
07/03/2016
Work is to begin on a large council housing development in Aberdeen. Almost 100 new homes will be built on the former Smithfield Primary School site in Middlefield. The two-phase Smithfield scheme is being delivered by CHAP Construction and has been designed by North-east firm Lippe Architects. I
04/03/2016
Inverness Airport has revealed a £900,000 project to expand and upgrade its terminal building. The investment, by airport operator HIAL, will see a new standalone international arrivals hall built. It will include Border Force and international baggage reclaim facilities alongside the main termina
04/03/2016
Balfour Beatty has secured a number of contracts worth £35 million from Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission). The deals involve developing the Bhlaraidh and Beinneun Wind Farm Connections Project near Fort Augustus in Scotland. Main construction works are due to begin in April a
04/03/2016
A new bypass diversion route is due to open in Aberdeen, Transport Scotland has announced. The temporary road, north of the existing (A93) North Deeside Road, will allow works to begin on building a new bridge as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie-Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project. T
04/03/2016
A report recommending the development of a new sports centre is set to be discussed next week by the City of Edinburgh council. The estimated total project cost of a new Meadowbank Sports Centre is £41.1 million. The report recommends developing a detailed design which would allow the project to b
04/03/2016
Residents are being invited to attend a drop-in event discussing a new affordable housing development in Fife. Plans by Persimmon Homes include developing 49 'affordable' homes at Bute Crescent in Dunfermline. Proposals involve a mix of amenity bungalows, cottage flats and two-storey houses as par
04/03/2016
Work is due to begin on improving a town square in Angus. The project at Kirriemuir Town Square is set to get underway next week on Tuesday, 08 March. The development is being carried out as part of the Kirriemuir Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme. Contractors T & N Gilmartin will replace dam
04/03/2016
Around £6 million pounds is to be invested in improving cycling and cycling infrastructure across Glasgow. The city's Strategic Plan for Cycling 2016-2025 was approved by the Executive Committee yesterday, 03 March. It also agreed to commit £2m a year over the next three years on the basis that ma
04/03/2016
An additional £1 million is to be made available to fund the Agricultural Floodbank Repair Scheme, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced. The move is due to the level of demand from farmers who applied while the scheme was open in February. Over £1m of grant funding has been paid ou
03/03/2016
Refurbishment work at Melrose play park in the Scottish Borders is to begin on Monday, 07 March. The work at Gibson Park play area is estimated to last between five and six weeks and is expected to cost around £76,000. Once complete, the wide range of new equipment will cater for children aged tw
03/03/2016
A total of 25 construction jobs are to be created to deliver the second stage of regeneration work in Inverclyde. Urban regeneration firm, Riverside Inverclyde, has been awarded £852,000 to transform the lower town quarter at Port Glasgow town centre. Riverside Inverclyde will also invest £1.1m a
03/03/2016
Roberston Construction has scooped an £8.7 million contract to build a new primary school in the Highlands. Construction work on the new Portree Gaelic Primary School is to start later this year and the building is expected to open in late 2017. Skye Councillor Drew Millar, said: "The Portree Gael
03/03/2016
Construction firm Robertson Tayside has started work on a £28.7 million school development in Dundee. Dundee City Council has allocated £10.6 million funding and Scottish Futures Trust is providing £18.1 million. The school, to replace Baldragon Academy, is expected to be ready for its first intak
03/03/2016
Five new electric vehicle (EV) charging points have been installed in Clackmannanshire. The points are located at Dumyat Centre, Menstrie, Dollar CAP, Murray Square, Tillicoultry and Tron Court, Tullibody as well as a new rapid charger in Kilncraigs car park in Alloa. Councillor Donald Balsillie,
03/03/2016
The Scottish Government has announced it has awarded £1.75 million for three heating schemes in Shetland, Clydebank and Glasgow. The schemes will use water source heat pump technology to extract heat from water. The schemes are: • A £1.6 million loan for a large scale sea-water source heat pump s
03/03/2016
A new Common Housing Register has been launched for people who want to rent houses from social landlords in Dundee. Hillcrest, Abertay and Caledonia Housing Associations (HA) have joined forces with the city council to create the new housing allocation policy which was launched on Wednesday, 02 Mar
03/03/2016
A £90,000 road improvements programme is underway in West Dunbartonshire. Scotland TranServ has started to resurface and replace road markings along the A82 at Greenhead Road. The project is expected to finish on Friday, 4 March. A total closure will be in place at Strowans Well Road, Barnhill Ro
02/03/2016
Work is to begin on a new care home in Inverclyde, it has been announced. The £8 million project is being delivered in Greenock by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde in partnership with hub West Scotland. Financial close on the scheme was reached on Friday, 26 January. The facility, designed by architec
02/03/2016
ScottishPower Renewables has chosen Peel Ports Great Yarmouth as the construction base for the £2.5 billion East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm. The agreement was announced at the start of the Southern North Sea 2016 conference in Norwich today, 02 March. Up to £5 million is due to be co-invested i
02/03/2016
Over £63 million will be invested by the Scottish Government in Dundee's Waterfront, it has been announced. The funding is part of package agreed by Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Dundee City Council on 26 February. The Scottish Futures Trust's (SFT) Growth Accelerator model (GA) is design
02/03/2016
A new playground has been unveiled in East Dunbartonshire. The £70,000 community facility was built in Bishopbriggs. It was created as part of the council's ten-year Capital Programme and partly funded by Dawn Homes as part of its Kirkintilloch Road development. Features of the development includ
02/03/2016
Robertson Group has appointed Garry Hope as its new regional MD of North East operations in England. With almost 40 years' experience in the industry, Mr Hope previously worked at Miller Construction for 26 years as an area director, increasing the northern region's turnover from £5 million to £85
02/03/2016
A series of protests have taken place outside three major energy construction projects in England, Wales and Scotland. Unions Unite, GMB and UCATT organised marches outside the Templeborough energy project in Rotherham, the Margam green energy plant in Port Talbot and The Oxwellmains EfW plant near
01/03/2016
New research has shown the majority of Scottish people are in favour of seeing the next Scottish Government making renewable technology a priority. The survey ask participants whether the next government should prioritise renewables, extend the life of fossil fuel plants, use shale gas or build new
01/03/2016
Around £250 million is to be invested in North Lanarkshire housing over the next five years, it has been announced. The council added it will also expand its house building programme during this period. Features of the investment include: • A £57.3m investment in housing stock during the next fin
01/03/2016
The Scottish Government's decision to create a £50 million infrastructure loan fund has been welcomed by trade body Homes for Scotland (HfS). The organisation said the new fund, which will help facilitate housing construction across all sectors, is a 'significant' step towards increasing the supply
01/03/2016
The Scottish Government has revealed a 'major' energy efficient scheme is due to get underway today, 01 March. The programme, which could save £30 million a year on bills, aims to improve the energy performance of public sector buildings. 12 suppliers have been selected to a procurement framework
01/03/2016
Aberdeenshire residents are being invited to attend an open event revealing details on a primary school build project in the region. Details of progress made on the new Kinellar Primary School scheme will be available at the exhibition today, 01 March. Councillors approved plans to build the facil
01/03/2016
Work is due to begin next week on a £200,000 road maintenance programme on the A77 in Dumfries and Galloway (D&G). Scotland TranServ will repair defects to the existing road surface near to Shallochpark Roundabout near Girvan. The project will begin from 8pm on Friday, 11 March through to 6am on M
