Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for July 2010
30/07/2010
Up to 600 new homes could be built in Edinburgh as part of a bid to tackle the desperate need for more affordable accommodation in the city. The City of Edinburgh Council is taking part in the National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative set up by the Scottish Government to deliver new homes for mid mar
30/07/2010
A Thurso based engineering company which has been supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has successfully diversified into the offshore wind industry. Calder Engineering Ltd has been supplying cabins to the offshore oil and gas industry for 12 months and has recently won a contract to
30/07/2010
Following the departure of a number of Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Board members this year, Keith Brown, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, today announced the appointment of four new members to the Board of SDS. The new members are Gill Troup, Keith Howell, Martin Togneri and Paul Mc
30/07/2010
Aberdeen City Council is withdrawing plans to convert Aberdon House into temporary homeless accommodation because alternative proposals can bring long-term results more quickly. Instead, homelessness officials will focus on homelessness prevention, private sector accommodation and turning the forme
30/07/2010
Thousands of vulnerable households across Scotland will be helped by a new energy efficiency project which has received funding from the ScottishPower Energy People Trust. The SOLAS Home Energy Help initiative has been awarded £75,000 from the Trust which will enhance its existing services by helpi
30/07/2010
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors is urging all commercial property occupiers to act now before it's too late to lodge a rates appeal before the 30 September deadline. Occupiers now have less than two months to lodge an appeal – or be stuck with their current rates valuation for another five years. And
29/07/2010
A new invitation to tender for the first phase of the construction of a marine renewables base at Lyness is being advertised by Orkney Islands Council this week. The Council’s requirements were not able to be met in the recent tendering exercise. Chief Executive Albert Tait said: "Retendering for
29/07/2010
A fun-filled community event will wrap up the transformation of Stenhousemuir where a multi-million regeneration project was completed this year. The unveiling of a life-size cast iron sculpture of two Highland Cows by leading Scottish public artist Alan Potter will mark the last stage of the £15 m
29/07/2010
Three small businesses have taken up residence in the new fully refurbished business incubator suites at the Dunfermline Business Centre, with some taking more than one unit each. The Dunfermline Business Centre has just been revamped to provide two medium sized office units and a suite of seven in
29/07/2010
An open day is being held on Thursday 5 August betweeen 2 – 4 pm at An Acarsaid, the Highland Council’s care home for older people in Broadford, Skye, to mark the completion of a £1.4 million refurbishment. The centre is the tenth Council care home to be refurbished under the Council’s programme o
29/07/2010
After 40 years of oil and gas production in the UK sector of the North Sea, more than half of fixed platforms have exceeded their original design life or soon will. Many are expected to remain operational for the foreseeable future and inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will visi
29/07/2010
Over £700 million worth of retail construction projects have started on site so far this year, with supermarket projects accounting for 69% of this figure according to Glenigan. "Retail looks likely to deliver badly needed growth prospects in construction over the next eighteen months," said James
28/07/2010
A brownfield site in Inverness that has lain derelict for over 15 years will be transformed to provide 100 sustainable homes, backed by Scottish Government funding, First Minister Alex Salmond announced today. Highland Housing Alliance has purchased the Glendoe Terrace site in Merkinch near the cit
28/07/2010
Knight Frank's building consultancy team has been bestowed with a gold standard supplier recognition award following its work on Royal Mail properties in Scotland. Royal Mail presented Knight Frank's Aberdeen and Glasgow offices with the accolade after assessing the firm’s three-year contract work
28/07/2010
Argyll and Bute Council has secured funding from Sustrans (sustainable transport charity) to develop cycling and walking projects throughout the region. Funding from Sustrans will cover 50% of the total projects cost, which the council will match from its own budget. Seven projects in Argyll and B
28/07/2010
Archial Architects' eye-catching design for the £10.5 million pioneering Small Animal Hospital for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, has been highly commended at the 2010 Galvanizing Awards. The building has previously won a RIBA Regional Award, the Supreme Award from the G
28/07/2010
More than 5,000 green jobs could be created through the development of three regional offshore energy manufacturing sites built around key port locations, First Minister Alex Salmond said today. Speaking at a Scottish Government public discussion event in Dornoch, the First Minister welcomed Stage
28/07/2010
The A. Proctor Group of Blairgowrie, Scotland, has provided an individual solution for upgrading the thermal insulation of old modular classrooms at Methven Primary School using Spacetherm. The primary school in Perthshire had old modular classrooms for teaching, which although previously insulated
27/07/2010
Cuts in public sector spending are threatening previous signs of recovery in the construction industry according to the latest NSCC State of Trade Survey. Although the results for the second quarter of 2010 show Specialist Contractors reporting increases in enquiries (42%) and orders (39%), just 3
27/07/2010
Grampian Fire and Rescue Service have unveiled a new £320,000 state-of-the-art training facility. The facility at the Portlethen centre consists of a three-storey training structure which allows firefighters to train in fire behaviours including flashover, back-draft scenarios plus search and rescu
27/07/2010
The Cairngorn National Park Authority has approved plans for a new £9 million community school to be built in Aviemore. Located centrally in the village, the school will feature a range of community facilities including a community library, fitness suite with changing facilities, a meeting room, a
27/07/2010
Summer holidays may be at the forefront of most people's minds just now, but Clackmannanshire Council is already planning ahead for the cold winter months. Last winter was widely reported as being the worst in decades. In a normal year, the Council uses around 1,300 tonnes of salt - last winter we
27/07/2010
The Brae Hotel in Brae, Shetland, has recently undergone a facelift, with the addition of over 600m2 of Maibec Timber Cladding from the A. Proctor Group of Blairgowrie. Atkins Architects, in Glasgow specified Maibec due to the owners’ request for a beautiful timber cladding with low maintenance req
27/07/2010
Resurfacing works are due to commence on the section of the A71 between Moorfield Roundabout and Corsehill Roundabout. The repairs are required after the section of road suffered badly as a result of the previous severe winter. During the spring and early summer the speed on this section of road
26/07/2010
Orkney Housing Association has signed an agreement with the Scottish government for £3.94m Housing Association Grant (HAG) to be provided this year. The agreement will help fund the Association’s programme, which includes the construction of 135 homes already on site and a further 50 new housing u
26/07/2010
Scottish Ministers are seeking the UK government's support to make the Crown Estate more accountable and ensure Scotland benefits to the full from its plentiful natural resources. In Scotland, the Crown Estate - who manage the seabed up to 12 miles from shore as well as the foreshore and some on-la
26/07/2010
Inverness based AWS Ocean Energy has today received additional funding support to develop its new wave energy device. The Highlands company and its project partner, the University of Strathclyde, have received £350,000 from the Technology Strategy Board, sponsored by the UK government to promote
26/07/2010
Midlothian Council has committed to spend £105 million through the Housing Revenue (HRA) Capital Plan on building up to 1000 new council homes. The new build programme is well underway and scheduled for completion in financial year 2011/12. Midlothian Council, through the Scottish government’s Af
26/07/2010
Argyll and Bute’s latest windfarm project, which is capable of producing enough clean, green energy to power over 8,500 households, has been officially opened. The Clachan Flats scheme near Cairndow consists of nine turbines which can together produce up to 15 MW of electricity. The project was op
26/07/2010
Midlothian Council has announced that Dalkeith High Street is set to benefit from a £1.2million project which will commence in autumn 2010. The Environmental Improvements project will make the High Street more pedestrian friendly. Funding for the Dalkeith Environmental Improvements includes £800,0
26/07/2010
JCB is continuing its investment in global excavator production capability with the opening of its newest factory in Brazil where the first 20 tonne machine has just rolled off the line. The JS200LC tracked excavator has been bought by Jorcal Engenharia E Construções S/A, a company based in Sao Pau
23/07/2010
There was surprise today at news that one of the main contractors behind the huge Forthspan joint venture that had been bidding for the Forth Replacement Crossing in Scotland has now backed away from the project. Vinci Construction Grands Projets formed a consortium a year ago that also comprised M
23/07/2010
Final design plans for a £5.5 million council house development in Kilwinning have been unveiled. Following extensive public consultation, the design team behind the development at Winton Avenue have finalised detailed drawings showing how the 40 new homes will look. Members of the public had thei
23/07/2010
A revised plan for the upgrading of sewer pipes in Campbeltown town centre, which aims to minimise disruption for the general public, has been agreed. The council, ACHA and Scottish Water have agreed a proposal to give Scottish Water access via Park Square, which is to have a new road built through
23/07/2010
Leisure bosses have splashed out half-a-million pounds improving Erskine Swimming Pool. And when it re-opened on Friday July, 16 families were given free entry for a special Fun Day. The refurbishment includes a new changing village with family cubicles and spacious lockers; a new sauna; upgraded
23/07/2010
SALTO Systems, an international access control specialist, have won a major new contract to provide advanced electronic access control equipment to the University of St Andrews. Scotland's first university and the third oldest in the English-speaking world, St Andrews was founded in 1413. The Uni
23/07/2010
More details have been revealed on plans for a new multi-million pound secondary school in Renfrewshire. A planning application has been submitted to Renfrewshire Council for the new Park Mains High School in Erskine. The £33million school forms a key part of Renfrewshire Council's Building Better
23/07/2010
Visitors to Pittencrieff House Museum are learning about the repairs project currently underway on this much-loved building. Five information boards have been put up on site to explain the project to visitors to the Museum and the Glen. The boards explain the history of this significant A listed bu
22/07/2010
Sales of construction products rose significantly during the second quarter of 2010 and manufacturers are confident that they will continue to grow once again in the third quarter, according to the latest Construction Activity Barometer from Ernst and Young and the Construction Products Association.
22/07/2010
Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, has announced the reappointment of Mr Alan Rainey to the Board of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation. Mr Rainey has been reappointed for a further three years effective from 1 September 2010. He will receive annual remuneration of £9,521 and is exp
22/07/2010
The Scottish Building Federation has given a cautious welcome to latest GDP figures for Scotland. Commenting on the release of Gross Domestic Product for Scotland for 2010 Q1, SBF Chief Executive Michael Levack said: “The latest GDP figures for Scotland offer some encouragement that Scotland’s cons
22/07/2010
Repairs to the historic Bridge of Keig, near Alford, will begin next week following final approval of the project from Historic Scotland. Specialist contractors for Aberdeenshire Council will begin strengthening work on the listed bridge on Monday, July 26. The project, which will cost approximat
22/07/2010
Bathgate route will be a significant enabler towards a greener Scotland said Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson. The Minister was speaking on Thursday during a visit to Bathgate to see some of the initiatives being implemented at the relocated station in advance of the new line opening in Decemb
22/07/2010
Would-be homeowners struggling to purchase their first properties are helping to drive up Scotland’s rental market, according to the country’s leading lettings portal. Citylets has revealed that rent levels across the country are continuing to rise and flats are being let out up to a week quicker t
22/07/2010
A photograph depicting the construction of the Riverside Museum in Glasgow by amateur photographer Jim Dunn, who lives in the city, has been announced as the overall winner in The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Art of Building digital photography competition. Jim Dunn’s photograph, ‘Element
21/07/2010
The SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration is now open for applications. The prestigious annual awards process, now in its 12th year, recognises and promotes best practice in regeneration in Scotland. The SURF Awards is supported by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Centre for R
21/07/2010
Aberdeen-based Knight Property Group has announced plans to invest £3million in a speculative industrial unit at Kirkhill Commercial Park, Dyce, Aberdeen. Construction of the two storey unit, which comprises 4,822 square feet of office space, 10,000sq ft of workshops and 12,939sq ft of yard space,
21/07/2010
The Scottish commercial property market has outperformed the rest of the UK, according to the latest RICS property survey. Tenant demand for Scottish commercial property rose further in the office and retail markets in Q2 2010 in contrast to most other regions in the UK where it fell back, says the
21/07/2010
Builders in Scotland are among their international counterparts being warned again of the deadly dangers of contact with asbestos - this time on an international scale. Banned or restricted in more than 50 countries, white asbestos continues to be widely used in China, India, Russia and Brazil, and
21/07/2010
Edinburgh Napier University is in the latest phase of its £100m estate strategy which will help achieve its goal of becoming the best modern university in Scotland and one of the finest in the UK. Following the success of the 2004 redeveloped Craiglockhart Campus - home to the Business School - the
21/07/2010
It has emerged that a major new hospital contract in Tayside will be finished by next Autumn. One of two major Scottish health developments, the news comes just a month after leading construction company Morgan Sindall was awarded the design and build contract for the multi-million Tayside Acute Ad
21/07/2010
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has visited an Aberdeen project which is working to help offenders turn their backs on crime. Low level offenders working for Voluntary Service Aberdeen are being sent out to repay their dues to the community, working to transform a green space area surrounding Mai
20/07/2010
Mansell has been awarded a £1.8 million contract by West Lothian Council to construct a classroom extension and new multi-purpose games hall at St Margaret’s Academy, Livingston, Scotland, while the school remains in use. The traditional construction works are part of a phased programme of improvem
20/07/2010
Works to Gordon Square and the west end of the High Street in Fort William have reached completion. The project, which was part of the ‘Routes West’ bid to the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, has allowed the upgrade of the underpass at the East End and the creation of a new end-point for the West Hi
20/07/2010
A Scottish architectural practice is celebrating taking up a major construction contract in the Irish capital. The €30 million college building project was designed by award-winning architects RMJM (Scotland). Working with Taylor Architects of Castlebar, Co Mayo, the plans were drawn up and the bu
20/07/2010
Private landlords in Edinburgh are being reminded to renew their registration in the coming months. The City of Edinburgh Council is launching a campaign to remind landlords they need to renew on time to ensure they avoid any financial penalties. Nearly 30,000 applications from landlords have been
20/07/2010
East Ayrshire Council hosted an Apprentice open night for the first time recently and welcomed young people interested in embarking on an apprenticeship. The councils current apprentices attended the evening and were joined by their managers and supervisors from within Housing Asset Services and ke
20/07/2010
Scottish apprentices feature strongly among the employment data just published by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) that show that the construction workforce on the Olympic Park is approaching its peak. There are now 6,450 people from across the UK - including hundreds from north of the border -
20/07/2010
This autumn, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is delivering a major international conference, the Scottish Low Carbon Investment (SLCI) Conference, 28-29 September, supported by the Scottish Government. The Conference, which will drive debate, funding opportunities and collaborations in Scotland’s eme
19/07/2010
The Local Authorities along the east of Scotland are exploring the creation of an alliance that will bring together key players from Peterhead to Dunbar to promote what could become one of the main areas for renewable energy development in Scotland. The alliance would build on the considerable work
19/07/2010
Work has started on 20 new council houses in Cambusnethan, as part of an £80 million Building for the Future programme. The former Cambusnethan Primary School site is being developed to provide 12 two-bedroom terraced and semi-detached bungalows and eight two-bedroom cottage flats. All of the homes
19/07/2010
Scottish and Southern Energy plc and Mitsubishi have signed a strategic agreement to co-operate on low carbon energy developments. The two companies will explore a range of technologies including offshore wind farms, advanced technology for smart electricity grids and low carbon vehicles, carbon ca
19/07/2010
Aberdeen-based Aiken Group has filled a gap in the market by “growing” its own talent in-house in a project spearheaded by the initiative of two students. The 23-year-old oil and gas firm is a leading and innovative supplier of integrated, solutions-based engineering and a specialist service provid
19/07/2010
Aberdeenshire residents could improve energy efficiency in their homes for a reduced cost, or even for free, thanks to a series of new initiatives. Aberdeenshire Council has adopted a national Council Tax Discount Scheme which will provide a £60 discount to qualifying residents when they install ca
19/07/2010
Health & Safety officals have issued a nationwide warning after a roofer was seriously injured after plunging almost six metres when a scaffolding platform collapsed. Local self-employed contractor Stephen Martin fell from the roofline of a domestic two-storey property on St Aiden Road, in Bridling
19/07/2010
The first phase of the £420,000 project to improve facilities at Arbroath Bus Station is now complete. The upgraded and enlarged café opened last Tuesday. The new pedestrian entrance to the bus station from Burnside Drive was completed in June. The work is being carried out in phases to minimise
09/07/2010
These may be challenging economic times, but that hasn’t stopped enterprising local resident and war veteran Chris Savage from pursuing a promising new business opportunity. Financial support from Midlothian Council has helped Chris establish Modular Concrete Systems, a new Lasswade-based construc
09/07/2010
Employers are finding it easier to recruit individuals with the right skills according to a report published by the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils in Scotland. However, there is a need for a renewed focus on addressing skills gaps amongst existing employees. The Alliance is the authoritative vo
09/07/2010
Following a special meeting of the Housing, Environmental and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday 29 June, West Dunbartonshire Council, Tesco and Clydebank Rebuilt have reached a crucial stage in their negotiations which will result in a new state of the art leisure centre and expanded retail
09/07/2010
The housing service provided by the City of Edinburgh Council has been rated as the best in Scotland. The top accolade has been revealed after the Scottish Housing Regulator carried out an inspection of the services earlier this year. The council was awarded an ‘A’ grade for Housing Management and
09/07/2010
Stirling Council has welcomed the announcement from the Scottish Government of an extra £934,000 of funding to accelerate the building of social rented homes across Stirling The extra funding will allow local Housing Associations to accelerate the new build programme over the next five years Stirl
09/07/2010
One of the most iconic books ever published on the subject of stone masonry is about to become widely available again thanks to Stone Federation Great Britain. First published in 1929, “Modern Practical Masonry” by E.G Warland is rightly recognised as one of the most definitive and useful books on
09/07/2010
Plumbing Pensions (UK) Ltd, who provide cost-effective efficient and secure pension arrangements for those connected with the plumbing industry, have moved premises with effect from 5 July 2010. Their new address is Bellevue House, 22 Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4GH. Telephone and email contac
09/07/2010
North Lanarkshire Council leader Jim McCabe was recently invited by contractors Morgan Sindall to the site of the new Dunbeth nursery centre in Coatbridge to see how work is progressing. The nursery's facilities will include a playroom for children aged 3-5 years with a kitchen, walk-in store and d
08/07/2010
Construction and property workers are more likely than any other profession to turn to drink as a way of coping with work stress, a new survey has shown. The survey of 3000 people, by leading healthcare cash plan provider, Medicash, revealed that 47% of those in the industry, five times more than
08/07/2010
Work to build Scotland's first ever crime super campus at Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, started today. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill visited the site with the Solicitor General Frank Mulholland and representatives of some of the organisations who will be based at Scotland's crime fighting hub. T
08/07/2010
Record levels of investment in significant transport infrastructure schemes across Scotland are supporting Scotland’s hard-pressed construction sector, John Swinney said today. And a raft of schemes now coming to the market providing nearly £40 million of new investment, will help safeguard jobs an
08/07/2010
First Minister Alex Salmond has welcomed a strategic co-operation agreement signed between SeaEnergy Renewables and Nantong COSCO Ship Steel Structure Company (NCSC) to develop and market steel structures for the offshore wind industry. The agreement - the first of its kind between a Scottish firm
08/07/2010
A new online business that aims to tackle neighbours from hell with a unique service has partnered with Sarah Beeny's online property portal Tepilo. Check The Area, which provides a Neighbourhood Report for house buyers, is to be featured on the Tepilo website. Founder Pete Macalroy has secured a
08/07/2010
Archial Architects, one of the largest architecture practices in Scotland and the UK, has donated £2,500 from the Andrew Doolan Prize fund to the Small Animal Hospital. John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, officially opened the award-winning £10.5 million Small An
08/07/2010
Belfast's iconic Harland and Wolff (H&W) shipyard has been awarded a contract to build a new tidal turbine for testing. The prototype will be produced for Orkney-based Scotrenewables (Marine Power) Ltd and the 80-tonne device - which uses rotors to generate power - will be placed in the Scottish is
08/07/2010
It has been announced that the new Health and Safety ’10 – Scotland event at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh on 15-16th September 2010 will host the HSM Demonstration Zone. The HSM Demonstration Zone is a dedicated area that will run five live presentations daily and provide a comprehensive pr
07/07/2010
South Ayrshire residents will have the opportunity to have their say on the design of the first new council houses in more than 30 years when a consultation exercise gets underway on Friday 16 July. As part of its commitment to increasing the number of local affordable homes for rent, South Ayrshir
07/07/2010
£50 million will be invested in regenerating business and transport hubs and greening housing schemes, the Scottish Government has announced. Whole zones of Scotland's towns and cities will benefit from cash for major regeneration work including new business spaces, wireless technology zones, green
07/07/2010
A scout group are to upgrade their hall thanks to financial assistance from the Whitelee Renewable Energy Fund. A grant of £21,000 has been awarded to 1st East Kilbride Scout Group to help towards the costs of upgrading and refurbishing the property at Park Terrace, East Kilbride. The current 1960
07/07/2010
Kincardine Flats have been demolished by the controlled use of explosives to make way for redevelopment. The buildings at Sandeman and Kincairne Courts, which were built in the late 1960s, were brought down last week. Just under 400 people were evacuated from their homes in the surrounding area i
07/07/2010
A leading solar panel installation company is urging homeowners to act quickly if they want to make their properties more eco-friendly after a surprise announcement by the government to axe their home renewables grant scheme. Solar Power Scotland said the decision – it had been expected the grants
07/07/2010
Two pupils from St Andrews Primary School have won first place in a technology competition run throughout the Highlands and Islands. Andrew Wylie and Connan Rendall won the K’NeX Challenge by building a windmill with working gears using a K’NeX construction kit. Their prize was a trip to Dynamic Ea
07/07/2010
East Ayrshire Council has been given the green light by the Scottish Government to build six new council houses at Newlands Drive, Kilmarnock and four new council houses at Rosebank, Kilmarnock. In 2008 the Scottish Government announced a programme of £25m of funding to encourage a new generation o
07/07/2010
A multi-million pound project to provide grade separated junctions at Symington and Bogend Toll on the A77 has taken a significant step forward with the publication of made orders. The scheme, which is located between Spittalhill Interchange and Dutch House roundabout, bring safety benefits to road
06/07/2010
A £2.5million programme of road repair work in Aberdeen is about to get under way. The work, which will include resurfacing roads, repairing pavements, drainage systems and replacing street lighting columns, is being paid for using savings from the Marischal College project. The budget has been sp
06/07/2010
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed a new Chief Executive. Alex Paterson, currently the economic and community development organisation’s Director of Regional Competitiveness, will take up the top post on Monday 2 August. Mr Paterson has been a director with HIE for the past nine
06/07/2010
The latest recruits to join the ranks of Scotland's top young engineers have been unveiled at a graduation ceremony celebrating the achievements of students from the Institute for System Level Integration (iSLI). Family and friends attended the ceremony in the University of Glasgow's Bute Hall to w
06/07/2010
A doughnut and an oyster are among five marine energy projects sharing £13 million to harness the power of the sea. The grants from the WATERS fund (Wave and Tidal Energy: Research, Development and Demonstration Support) will help develop emerging energy technologies and improve the operation of m
06/07/2010
A scheme to widen the A77 carriageway between Parkend and Bennane has moved forward with the issue of tenders. The multi-million pound scheme will see construction of nearly two miles of widening works, allowing for dedicated overtaking opportunities in either direction. The scheme will enhance thi
06/07/2010
Following a good response to an offer of free radon tests in Aberdeenshire, there are still more than 2,000 households which haven’t taken it up. Residents in affected parts of Aberdeenshire were recently offered free or reduced price radon tests, funded by the Scottish government. Aberdeenshire C
06/07/2010
John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, has officially opened the award-winning £10.5 million Small Animal Hospital for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow designed by Archial Architects. Situated at the entrance to the grounds of the Garscube E
06/07/2010
DM Hall, one of Scotland's leading independent firms of Chartered Surveyors, has strengthened its Commercial Property team with four new appointments across Scotland, demonstrating its commitment to remain at the forefront of the Scottish Property industry. These appointments will ensure continued
05/07/2010
Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil announced today that £45 million funding will accelerate building of at least 800 new low cost homes across Scotland. The resources will be focused on stimulating the country's house building industry and tackling homelessness. The money comes from £31 mi
05/07/2010
Plans for the construction of what would be the UK's first social enterprise hotel have been unveiled. The Inverness scheme, modelled on a similar project running in the Netherlands, would offer hospitality training for vulnerable young adults. If the construction project gets the green light and
05/07/2010
An award winning Glasgow-based architect has been appointed by Argyll and Bute Council to lead the team to regenerate Rothesay’s iconic waterside pavilion. Elder & Cannon Architects will work with project manager The Prince’s Regeneration Trust to carry out an options appraisal, identifying an exci
05/07/2010
One of Aberdeen’s oldest law firms has announced a key addition to the team. Key Moves, the estate agency division of Wilsone & Duffus, has recently appointed solicitor Peter Young to join the team principally based at the firm’s Chapel Street Property Shop. Educated at Robert Gordon’s College, Ab
05/07/2010
A multi-million pound project to deliver an additional length of dual carriageway on the A9 at Crubenmore took a further step forward this week with the issuing of tenders. The project will see construction of almost two miles of dual carriageway (2.7km) providing improved overtaking opportunities
05/07/2010
Angus Council Neighbourhood Services convener, councillor Jim Millar, has warmly welcomed a financial boost of £1.29 million from the Scottish Government, which will assist Angus Council in building 43 new homes on three sites in the county. The cash, which is part of the Scottish Government’s £120
05/07/2010
Aberdeenshire Council is hopeful that repairs to Keig Bridge near Alford can begin shortly after full specification and detailed design information was sent to Historic Scotland at the end of last week. The Bridge of Keig was closed in February following structural damage to its walls and road surf
05/07/2010
Bob Hall and Neil Davidson have been appointed Joint Managing Directors at Archial Architects Ltd, following a senior management restructure within Archial Group Plc. Meanwhile, at The Sparch Group, the Group's international business, comprising Alsop Sparch, the international architectural, master
02/07/2010
Plans for £120 million of new council house building were unveiled by First Minister Alex Salmond on Thursday. The Scottish Government will provide £30 million to leverage a further £90 million worth of investment by local authorities - creating 1,000 new homes while supporting around 1,200 housing
02/07/2010
Part of the Diageo site at Hill Street in Kilmarnock is being considered for a new Kilmarnock College Campus to establish the town as one of Scotland’s most ambitious centres of education. Diageo has agreed in principle to donate around eight acres of the 31-acre site to the College, with the land
02/07/2010
An electrician employed by East Ayrshire Council died because of failings of his employer, a court heard. At a hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, last month, East Ayrshire Council pled guilty to a charge under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £56,000 the follo
02/07/2010
Householders are being urged to snap up grants for home renewables. Government grants are available for 30 per cent of the cost, up to a maximum of £4,000, for heating technologies like wood fuel boilers, heat pumps or solar thermal water heating. Due to unprecedented demand, people are being enco
02/07/2010
Granite cobbles that once paved the streets of Inverness city centre have been given a new lease of life as part of Scotland’s Housing Expo. In keeping with the Housing Expo’s aim to promote eco-friendly living and the use of sustainable materials, the cobbles and setts, which date back to the lat
02/07/2010
Arbroath's Signal Tower Museum has closed for a £425,000 refurbishment. The work will include the creation of new displays, focussing on Arbroath’s maritime heritage, particularly the link with the Bell Rock Lighthouse which celebrates its bicentenary next year. The Signal Tower, by Arbroath Harbo
02/07/2010
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Government's Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill which aims to tackle absenteeism, neglect and speculation and protect crofting for future generations. Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: "This is a monumental day in the long history of crofting. Today
02/07/2010
A £2.9m cash boost to build new council homes in Edinburgh has been welcomed by the city’s housing leader. Cllr Paul Edie said he was delighted that the Scottish Government had allocated more money as part of their Council House Building Phase 3 funding. The £2.88m announcement was made on 1 July
01/07/2010
Continuing problems with mortgage lending remain the single biggest threat to the survival of Scotland’s home building industry and the major obstacle to recovery in the housing market more generally. This was the view expressed by Gerry More, the new Chairman of representative body Homes for Scotl
01/07/2010
The launch of an international design competition will be the next major step in the vision to transform Union Terrace Gardens. A majority of Aberdeen city councillors voted at yesterday's Full Council meeting to move the proposals for the city centre gardens on to the next stage. In May, the full
01/07/2010
A ceremony was held on Wednesday at Milton of Leys to mark the start of work on a new eagerly awaited £7 million primary school. Pupils from Drakies and Inshes primary schools joined Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie to help cut the fi
01/07/2010
An Aberdeen-based subsea firm is gearing up to mark its 15th anniversary with the announcement that turnover has doubled. For the year to March 31st 2010, Ecosse Subsea Systems has seen revenues leap from £900,000 to £1.8 million. Ecosse Subsea Systems was established in 1996 to provide subsea te
01/07/2010
Speedy, the provider of equipment rental and support services, has opened its first Scottish Superstore in Edinburgh. Eve Muirhead, skip of Great Britain’s curling team at this Winter Olympics, cut the ribbon at the official launch ceremony yesterday. The 15,000 sq ft facility – which will provide
01/07/2010
Current and future housing issues will be the focus of the day in Grangemouth and Falkirk on Wednesday 7 July 2010, when Scottish Government Minister for Housing & Communities Alex Neil visits the area to seek the views of local people and visit new affordable housing and employability projects. Fo
01/07/2010
Ashoka at The Mill, a popular restaurant in Darnley, has opened an extensive hidden beer terrace overlooking the fast flowing Brock Burn. The terrace gives up to 40 diners an opportunity to soak up the summer sun or seek the shade beneath an umbrella on a new terrace to the rear of the recently ref
01/07/2010
Argyll and Bute Council and Strathclyde Police have teamed up in a bid to target the increasing number of rogue traders who descend on the area in the summer months. Members of the public are urged to contact the council’s trading standards team and the police if they are approached by anyone they
