Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for August 2012
31/08/2012
The new state-of-the-art wave and current test facility being built by GRAHAM Construction at the University of Edinburgh has reached a major milestone as it hits its highest point. Once completed, the All-Waters Combined Current and Wave Test Facility will be able to simulate at scale combinations
31/08/2012
The number of new private sector houses started in 2011-12 showed a 23 per cent increase over the previous year, official statistics confirmed today. 10,732 new homes were started in the year to 31 March 2012 compared to 8,731 made in the year to 31 March 2011. This increase follows four years of
31/08/2012
Communities are being encouraged to get involved in Scotland’s plans for offshore renewable energy, as a series of public meetings kick off over the coming weeks. The meetings will provide information about the planning process on how Scotland can utilise offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, and s
31/08/2012
£37.6 million is being invested in improving NHS facilities in Tayside over the next three years. The funding has enabled patients in the Tayside area to benefit from the £10.3 million Nuclear Medicine Unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. The area is also benefitting from £10.7 million investment
31/08/2012
An initiative to encourage environmental awareness in the North Sea’s Oil and Gas industry is being launched in Aberdeen. A forum for the industry’s growing number of new, green champions is being held in the city in the Autumn. Environmental Representatives, or E- Reps as they are known, are volu
31/08/2012
A system to give drivers up-to-the-minute information to plan their journeys and drive safely has gone live on the A9. This follows work by the A9 Safety Group to look at more ways of improving the safety of the road, building on the wider programme to dual Scotland’s longest trunk road between Per
31/08/2012
Over a million people in Britain say they have delayed having children because of a lack of affordable housing, according to new research from Shelter Scotland and Shelter. The leading housing and homelessness charity says its Life Stages Report conducted by YouGov shows that one in four (26 per ce
30/08/2012
An employee of Aberdeen-based Aiken Group has scooped a prestigious training accolade. Lee Youngson was recently named best third year refrigeration apprentice at the 2012 Tullos Training awards ceremony and received his certificate from guest speaker, George Yule. Aberdeen-born Lee is a refrigera
30/08/2012
Chartered surveyors DM Hall have announced the appointment of Barry McGhee to the position of associate director to head up the building surveying team based in Aberdeen. A graduate of Edinburgh’s Napier University, Barry McGhee qualified as Chartered Building Surveyor in 2006 and brings to the rol
30/08/2012
Scotland's leading housing and homelessness charity has seen an almost 20 per cent increase in the number of calls to its free national helpline in July, compared to the same time last year. According to Shelter Scotland, 1,925 people contacted the free housing advice line in July 2012, compared to
30/08/2012
Preparation work for the A77 Symington and Bogend toll improvements has begun. These advance works are a critical part of the design process and progress of this vital scheme to improve safety on this key route. To ensure the safety of road workers and road users there will be an inside lane clos
30/08/2012
Five marine energy developers will benefit from £7.9 million funding to further develop testing of new wave and tidal prototypes in the seas around Scotland, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced. The second round of WATERS (Wave & Tidal Energy: Research, Development & Demonstration S
30/08/2012
£34.4 million has been invested in improving NHS facilities in Dumfries and Galloway. The funding has enabled patients in the Dumfries and Galloway area to benefit from a new £27.2 million acute mental health unit at Midpark Hospital in Dumfries, a £250,000 Satellite Renal Dialysis unit at Kirkcudb
29/08/2012
Aberdeenshire Council will close the A944 at Forbestown, Bellabeg, Strathdon on Monday, September 3, to carry out remedial works to the landslip which is currently restricting the road to single file traffic under the control of traffic lights. Aberdeenshire Council has been monitoring the site se
29/08/2012
A £9.2 million pier plan for Stromness on Orkney has been given the green light after Scottish Government funding was announced by the Deputy First Minister as she arrived on Orkney for the latest Summer Cabinet. The Copland's Dock development will see construction of a new 100-metre pier and assoc
29/08/2012
An ambitious plan to help tackle the availability of suitable Council housing across the Falkirk Council area could be launched later this year. A meeting of Falkirk Council’s Housing and Social Care committee heard that buying back former 'right-to-buy' properties could help with the high demand l
29/08/2012
Link Group Ltd has completed the £2.1m construction of 16 homes at Taig Road, Waterside, Kirkintilloch. Link acquired the site using funding provided by the Scottish Government. Designed by MAST Architects of Glasgow and built by CCG, the properties meet Link design standards for affordable housing
29/08/2012
Over a million people in Britain say they have delayed having children because of a lack of affordable housing, according to new research. A Life Stages Report conducted by YouGov shows that one in four (26%) of 18-30 year olds – equivalent to 1.4 million people nationwide - say that the lack of af
29/08/2012
Two tidal energy and two wave power developers have entered into the race for Scotland's £10 million Saltire Prize as the competition's Grand Challenge phase begins. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed senior representatives of the four teams to a Grand Challenge launch event in Orkney,
28/08/2012
A project in South Lanarkshire that is not even open yet has opened a Green Apple award. The zero-carbon Scottish Water project in Cartland, near Lanark, was so innovative and environmentally sustainable, judges awarded it the Scottish Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice before constr
28/08/2012
Bosses in the construction industry have called for public procurement practices to be reformed, to allow companies more confidence in what the Scottish Building Federation currently calls a 'lottery'. Scottish construction firms are spending huge sums on unsuccessful public procurement bids with e
28/08/2012
Crushing and screening waste concrete, brick and asphalt from construction and demolition sites can form recycled aggregates to be used in building. The practice is good for keeping waste out of landfill sites and reducing the amount of resources used overall. But as recycled aggregates that do no
28/08/2012
One of Edinburgh's most historic buildings has been put in to the care of Historic Scotland, after its owner lovingly restored it. Moubray House, on the city's Royal Mile, is an A-listed building with origins in the 15th century. Inside, it reflects the fashions of interior design from its Scottis
28/08/2012
Mansell has been appointed by the University of Edinburgh to its new three-year framework which will deliver building projects valued up to £1 million on estate properties across Edinburgh and Midlothian. Mansell was successful in all three lots: • Lot 1 (projects valued between £50,000 and £250,0
28/08/2012
The carbon energy savings programme funded by British Gas and ng homes in the Carron area has been progressing well since the end of April. Works so far involved: • New gutters and downpipes • New soffits and fascias • New tv /satellite containment system • New gas boilers or heating systems fo
24/08/2012
Investigations have begun into a site explosion in East Renfrewshire. Contractors working for MacTaggart and Mickel struck rock while digging foundations for a large housing site in Eaglesham village. They planned to carry out drilling and controlled blasting But homeowners in the area said they
24/08/2012
Oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood has been treated "shabbily and with total disrespect" over the transformation of Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen city centre. That is the view of US tycoon Donald Trump, as reported in The Scotsman newspaper. Mr Trumps golf resort opened in Aberdeenshire last month and he
24/08/2012
36 homes have been built for social rent on a site acquired using funds from the Scottish Government. Link Group has completed construction of the homes at Gibb Street, Darroch Crescent and Gowan Place in Chapelhall. Building the homes cost £4m and the Scottish Government invested more than £1.9m
24/08/2012
Bedrooms for 235 students are to be built from the derelict remains of an office building in Glasgow. Salford-based firm FreshStart Living HOPEs to pump £7m into the builing, subject to planning permission. The company says the refurbishment would create "quality, affordable, modern student accomm
24/08/2012
A community group in Stirling who want to take over council land and build a community garden were given a boost this week when local government minister Dereck MacKay called in to see how their project was progressing. Braehead and District Community Council are working within their community, loc
24/08/2012
The stage has been set for the world's first community-owned tidal turbine to be made and deployed in Scotland. A fabrication contract was announced yesterday between Steel Engineering and Nova Innovation, for a 30kW Nova-30 tidal turbine, to be deployed between the islands of Yell and Unst, Shetla
23/08/2012
There are not enough penalties against leaving properties vacant, trade union GMB has warned. The union said that figures show there are 70,995 vacant dwellings in Scotland, 2.8% of all homes. Glasgow comes off worst with 9,684 empty properties or 3.2% of the total stock. Next is Edinburgh with 4,
23/08/2012
The Scottish Government has announced it will support the country's burgeoning green house-building sector by sponsoring two fellowships with the Saltire Foundation. The Foundation seeks out and nurtures Scotland's next generation of business leaders, in a move to bring fresh insights into the glob
23/08/2012
Controversial plans to replace Victorian gardens in the centre of Aberdeen with a city square have been rejected. The City Garden Project would have seen the sunken Union Terrace Gardens raised and paved over. After years of wrangling over the area's fate, and a referendum earlier this year where
23/08/2012
About 130 jobs have been lost at a Scottish construction company that collapsed this week. Dundee-based WH Brown Construction has gone into receivership under the pressure of mounting debts, after more than 40 years of trading. Its subsidiary Bronco Timber Products has also been placed in the rece
23/08/2012
The hopes of Aberdeen Football Club to move to a new stadium have been dashed after the city council threw out plans last night. The Dons were hoping a new community sports centre at Cove would double as a training facility for the club, which wanted to open a new 21,000-seater ground nearby. But
23/08/2012
Construction union UCATT has slammed proposals put forward by the Policy Exchange think tank to sell expensive social housing and use proceeds to build housing for more people in cheaper areas. It has joined many other groups from Conservative councillors to the Guardian newspaper in criticising th
22/08/2012
New guidance has been published to make it easier for wind energy developers to apply for planning permission in Scotland, while keeping communities involved and consulted. The guidance is a result of the GP Wind Project, a Scottish-Government led EU project that looked at the barriers to developme
22/08/2012
A new 100-room hotel is being built on Shetland, the Herald newspaper has reported. Glasgow-based BDL Management, who manage Ramada and Holiday Inn Express, are building the accommodation in the hope of capitalising on the energy sector off the west coast of the island. The company has a £6.5m RB
22/08/2012
The public are to have a chance to view updated proposals for a proposed mixed use development at Countesswells, lying to the west of Aberdeen. The new community, if successful, will include 3,000 homes, schools, shops and a GP's surgery. The plans were revealed in June and a preliminary series of
22/08/2012
Profits have spiked at the biggest housebuilding company in Scotland, the Scotsman has reported. But despite the two-thirds leap in halftime profits at Persimmon Homes, shares have fallen due to faltering sales growth. The company revealed yesterday that underlying pre-tax profits rose to £98.7 mi
22/08/2012
A Glasgow shopping centre is to be expanded by 45,000 sq ft, adding an eight-screen cinema and five restaurants. The £9m revamp at the Fort shopping centre near Easterhouse will start next week, creating up to 250 construction jobs. And when the extended centre opens next summer, it is expected to
22/08/2012
Work could start within months on the notorious Caltongate development site in Edinburgh, the Scotsman newspaper has reported. The original blueprint triggered an international inquiry into Edinburgh’s world heritage status. Developers Artisan will now scale back some of the more contentious eleme
22/08/2012
Preparations are gearing up in Glasgow for the 2012 Safety Awards, run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Awards will be given out to hundreds of companies that have demonstrated safety standards in the last year, as the programme aims to award those that are committed to prevent
22/08/2012
The UK's largest independent plant and tool hire company has cited anti-theft technology as a major reason for ordering 140 mini-excavators from Kubota Construction. GAP Group, who have used Kubota for many years, has mini-excavators at 59 depots around the UK and 95% of them are from Kubota. Anti
21/08/2012
First-time buyers and those on council house waiting lists are among those eligible to buy new affordable housing in Strichen. Aberdeenshire Council in partnership with Colaren Properties are offering a two bedroom property for £90,000 and a three bedroom property for £110,000 in Lakeview, Strichen
21/08/2012
Controversial plans for student flats on the site of a former pub have been given a boost as cash-poor residents have had to drop a legal challenge. The Glasgow Evening Times has reported that the challenge would have cost local residents in the West End area thousands of pounds. Last year, Glasgo
21/08/2012
Eco-Minded community groups in Edinburgh are being urged to get their skates on if they want to access grants of up to £2,500. Thanks to the Waste Action Grant scheme, organisations can apply for funding from the City of Edinburgh Council to support waste-related community projects aimed at reducin
21/08/2012
Fife Housing Association welcomes the Scottish Governments recently announced plan to progress with new housing legislation which will give landlords more power to crack down on anti-social behaviour in social housing following overwhelming backing from tenants and social landlords to a recent cons
21/08/2012
In the coming year, there are a number of exciting initiatives being introduced to strengthen and improve apprenticeships in the Scottish construction industry. SBATC, in conjunction with ConstructionSkills, has sought to communicate these alterations to employers through the creation of an 'induc
21/08/2012
Construction union UCATT is seeking urgent answers concerning the future of construction workers at Brown Construction in Dundee. It is believed the well-known local company will close this week and up to 100 jobs could go. Harry Frew, Regional Secretary of UCATT, said: "It is extremely disappointi
21/08/2012
Scaled down plans for a wind farm in Berwickshire are to go on display later this month, the BBC has reported. PNE Wind UK Ltd originally planned 10 turbines on land at Brunta Hill, near Westruther. However, it has now reduced the number to eight and also cut the height of the proposed turbines.
21/08/2012
An equipment hire firm based in Belfast searched around the world for a 10 tonne pick and carry crane for a "blue chip customer", delivering it across borders to the engineering company's base in Helensburgh, Scotland. Davey Walker, an area manager for Speedy Services, said: "We had an enquiry from
20/08/2012
Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the treasury, showed his support for sustainable timber on a visit to a Highlands sawmill last week. Mr Alexander visited the Boat of Garten mill, which falls in his constituency of Inverness, Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey, and took a tour of the site with its ma
20/08/2012
A Labour MSP is trying to change the law to force contractors in the public sector to pay staff a so-called "living wage" of at least £7.20 an hour, the BBC has reported. John Park, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife, said the change would help thousands of families across Scotland currently affe
20/08/2012
More than one in ten people in Scotland are living in fuel poverty, according to government figures obtained by shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex. The Scotsman newspaper reported that the Westminster MP has challenged the SNP and the Scottish Government. He said they should do more to help Scots
20/08/2012
Angus Council is to demolish empty blocks of flats in Marywell Gardens, Kirriemuir and build five new affordable homes on the site. The £800,000 project costs and the procurement process were approved by the Neighbourhood Services committee on Thursday, 16 August. The council agreed in February to
20/08/2012
Only a small percentage of Scottish households has taken advantage of an insulation deal introduced three years ago by the SNP, the Scotsman newspaper has reported. Fewer than 0.04% of households - 841 of 2.37m - has joined the green homes initiative, which offers council tax discounts to home-owne
20/08/2012
Ayshire people who have been campaigning to a bypass around their town saw their hopes move one step closer to reality. Transport Scotland published an OJEU notice inviting tenders for the main ground investigation works at Maybole, where a bypass is planned on the A77. Residents have been campaig
20/08/2012
The future of school buildings is moving closer under projects by the Scottish Futures Trust. The Trust, set up to improve public infrastructure investment, announced the opening of three new primary schools for the new term. Under the Scotland's Schools for the Future programme, St Bernadette's P
20/08/2012
A new visitor centre is opening today at the home of Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland's literary sons. The centre at Abbotsford House near Melrose in the Borders will focus on the life and legacy of Scott, who appears on bank notes and has a monument on Edinburgh's Prince Street but is no longer w
20/08/2012
Military equipment will be fitted to two commercial aircrafts by workers at the BAE Systems Regional Aircraft base in Prestwick, Scotland, after the base won a £15.5m contract to convert them for military use. The Ministry of Defence awarded the work to the company and plan to use the aircrafts alo
20/08/2012
West Dunbartonshire Council has approved plans to demolish vacant and surplus properties in Bellsmyre, Dumbarton, to create space for a £3.6m project building 36 new council homes. Councillors agreed to the demolition of properties at Aitkenbar Drive, Auchenreoch Avenue, Penniecroft Avenue and Whi
17/08/2012
Specialist engineers and geologists have been called in at Edinburgh Castle to investigate how a shoebox-sized chunk of rock fell from its walls, damaging two vehicles. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, just before a Tattoo performance was about to get under way. Historic Scotland, the b
17/08/2012
The first pupils at the new Daliburgh Primary School (Sgoil Dhalabroig) in South Uist started the academic year today. While not originally part of the Western Isles Schools Project, Daliburgh Primary School subsequently received funding assistance from the Scottish Futures Trust as part of their '
17/08/2012
A 36-acre business park is to be developed at Kildean in Stirling. A council spokesperson said the announcement would further Stirling's reputation as a "great business location". Stirling Development Agency (SDA), the council's 50/50 joint venture with real estate investment managers Valad Europe
17/08/2012
West Dunbartonshire Council has applied to the Scottish Futures Trust for funding to help build a £21m state-of-the-art campus for Our Lady and St Patrick's High School in Dumbarton. Pupils, staff and councillors are now hopeful the bid for £14m - backed up by £7m from the Council - will be given t
17/08/2012
PLANS to build a new Dunfermline Museum and Art Gallery were today given the green light. City of Dunfermline Area Committee passed two planning applications in an important milestone for the museum and art gallery project, which will chart the history of Scotland’s ancient royal capital. Local pe
17/08/2012
Scottish marine energy experts are to advise scientists in South Korea on how to build a tidal energy testing facility. The project will be the third partnership between Orkney-based EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre) and a Far Eastern project. EMEC has signed a memorandum of understanding with
17/08/2012
An 18th century cottage in Edinburgh is to be reconstructed stone by stone, years after being painstakingly taken apart. Botanic Cottage was the gateway to the previous Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh site in Leith Walk between 1764 and 1821. But when RBGE moved its collections to Inverleith in 182
17/08/2012
Clackmannanshire could be set to benefit from up to 28 new affordable homes, under the National Housing Trust initiative. Councillors have agreed that the Council should enter into a partnership with developer Hadden Construction Ltd to deliver the homes for mid market rent at The Glen in Coalsnaug
17/08/2012
Glasgow Housing Association has started work on its thousandth new home. The social housing provider reached the milestone while working on a £6m project to construct 44 homes on derelict land between Duke Street and High Street in the east end of the city. The houses are due to be finished in ear
17/08/2012
A new matchmaking service has been launched to link would-be house buyers to the owners of vacant properties, making use of the existing housing stock. The housing charity Shelter claims there are 23,000 private homes across Scotland classed as long-term empty, while 156,000 families and individual
16/08/2012
The construction of a skatepark for Shetland has got a little bit closer after the project got a cash boost of £62,000. The Shetland Skatepark Association got the money from the Shetland LEADER fund, ten years in to its bid to construct an extreme sports venue with ramps for skateboarding, BMXing a
16/08/2012
Scotland's renewable electricity industry has delivered capital investment of £2.8bn since the beginning of 2009, according to figures from Scottish Renewables. The figures are part of a new series of statistics 'Scotland's Renewable Energy Sector in Numbers' published online this week. Niall Stu
16/08/2012
Families in Glasgow have launched a campaign against the expansion of a cash and carry outlet, saying it will turn their area into an industrial estate. The Glasgow Evening Times has reported that at least 30 families living in McCulloch Street, Pollokshields, are protesting against the expansion p
16/08/2012
Residents of Auchterarder will have the opportunity from Monday 20th August 2012 to view for themselves the Council's proposals for construction of a new link road connecting Gleneagles Station to the A823. The link road is intended to come from the A9/A823 Loaninghead roundabout and replace the cu
16/08/2012
Approximately £350,000 of materials to carry out high quality environmental improvements at Dundee waterfront could be ordered if councillors agree. The significant lead in time associated with the high quality paving materials for the works means that orders have to be placed well in advance. Wil
16/08/2012
The refurbishment of Biggar Park Tennis Courts has now been completed. Members of the tennis club and local user groups got together with South Lanarkshire Leisure & Culture to decide on a programme for the refurbishment and specialist contractors were brought in to clean and rejuvenate the synthet
16/08/2012
Kingdom Housing Association is to receive a National Green Apple Award at Edinburgh Castle on September 10. The highly prestigious awards were launched in 1994 to recognise companies, community projects and local authorities which have taken action to benefit the environment. Spearheaded by The Gr
16/08/2012
The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) has launched two Recommended Practice publications focusing on Business Planning and Strategic Asset Management. Michael Cameron, SHR Chief Executive, said: "Publishing clear, practical, accessible information for social landlords is one way in which we can he
16/08/2012
ilfield service group Aker Solutions is looking towards the future with confidence, the Press and Journal newspaper has reported. Aker said strong North Sea activity had helped to boost turnover by more than half. Their experience contrasts with the findings of the Ernst & Young Oil and Gas Eye In
16/08/2012
A quarry near Aberdeen is to be pumped in preparation for a heritage centre to be built. Owners Hugh Black and Sandy Whyte have installed pumping equipment at the Rubislaw Quarry, to be switched on later this week. It will be the first time water is pumped out of the 450ft deep hole since it stopp
15/08/2012
Alex Salmond has called yet again for the UK government to invest in 'shovel-ready' construction projects in Scotland. His call comes after the latest figures showed that unemployment figures fell last month for the fifth month in a row and unemployment in Scotland now stands at 7.9%, lower than th
15/08/2012
Oil and gas production off the coast of Aberdeen has been described as "Britain's best industrial success story of modern times" but companies are pushing to attract more young people into the trade. Malcolm Webb, chief executive of the Oil & Gas UK trade association, told the BBC that the 400-comp
15/08/2012
Thousands of new jobs will be created if a £200m expansion of Braehead Shopping Centre goes ahead. That was the message today from owners Capital Shopping Centres (CSC), who lodged a Proposal of Application Notice with Renfrewshire Council ahead of seeking planning permission later this year for th
15/08/2012
Health and safety officials welcomed news that the number of offshore oil and gas leaks that could lead to a major incident continues to fall. But the industry must not become complacent, they warned. Steve Walker, the head of HSE's Offshore Safety Division (OSD), welcomed the continuing decline i
15/08/2012
Two 98-year-old chimneys were demolished in Inverkeithing at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning. Built in 1914, the landmarks belonged to the former Caldwells Paper Mill, which closed down. They were felled in tandem in a matter of seconds as local residents watched. The old mill has suffered a spate o
15/08/2012
Rents are rising in Scotland as a shortage of good quality properties means tenants have less choice, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has claimed. RICS Scotland said yesterday that interest in house-buying had dropped. Many would-be buyers were still locked out of the sales market, it
15/08/2012
A pre-school in Perth returns today to a building that was badly damaged in a 2010 storm. During the aftermath and extensive refurbishment of Crieff Road Pre-School Centre, the staff and children were housed at Balhousie Primary School. After two years, Perth and Kinross Council said they are "all
15/08/2012
Access to Edinburgh's Waverley station was greatly improved yesterday when a set of new lifts was unveiled at the Princes Street entrance, used by 14,000 passengers a day. Transport minister Keith Brown visited and said that with Festival celebrations being in full swing, this was "an ideal time" t
15/08/2012
A children's home in Irvine has been converted into homes for people with particular needs. Earlier this year, North Ayrshire Council agreed to a plan to transform the children's home at Seaton Terrace, in the Vineburgh area of Irvine, into two amenity homes and one suitable for a wheelchair user.
15/08/2012
A draft local plan for North Lanarkshire is on public view, following a consultation exercise. Last month the council rubber-stamped changes to the plan following a formal examination by the Scottish Government Reporters. These changes have now been made and the plan has been submitted to Scottish
14/08/2012
A former primary school that artists had hoped to take over will in fact be sold for housing, The Courier newspaper has reported. The Caledonian Road Primary School in Perth has been on the market for almost a year. Pupils last took lessons there in 2009, before they moved into the newly-built Gle
14/08/2012
A five-storey building with new housing has been unveiled in the east end of Glasgow, thanks to an £11m investment by Thenue Housing and £5.4m from the city council. The development has transformed a derelict site on London Road into the location of 37 new homes and a new office for the social hous
14/08/2012
Falkirk Council has submitted a bid for funding to the Scottish Government towards building a new special school in the Falkirk area. If successful, the bid would allow a replacement for the existing Carrongrange School to be built and help to provide some additional accommodation and capacity at t
14/08/2012
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has broadly agreed with the Scottish Government's plans on the private rented sector, but called for VAT cuts on conversions and renovations. The lobbying group, whose stated aims include supporting "resilient communities where people thrive", replied to the Scottish
14/08/2012
A solar panel was stolen from a gauging station on the River Tweed just weeks after the area was on flood warning. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has warned that such "utterly selfish" thefts risk stopping flood warning information and preventing it being received on time. The stolen s
14/08/2012
A Scottish company that started out as a family firm has opened its 18th store. Rembrand Timber has been in business for 30 years and its workforce has grown to more than 180 people. The company opened a new site at Skye last month, which will create five jobs. The west coast was previously cover
14/08/2012
Interest in house-buying dropped in Scotland in July, as did prices, according to surveyors. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said there was also a drop in the number of instructions from sellers. The survey suggested that demand for new homes in Scotland has flat-lined or falle
14/08/2012
The warehouse at the National Museum of Scotland is to be revamped and extended, the Scotsman newspaper has reported. It follows an £8.7m grant from the Scottish Government, designed to allow the museum to store collections in new facilities. All sorts of items will be relocated, from whale skelet
14/08/2012
Falkirk council has won an award for its work on sustainable timber procurement. The council's work on monitoring its building awards framework contract won it the silver pledge award from WWF-UK. From January to August this year, the council ensured that only legal and sustainable timber was bein
14/08/2012
Two windfarm applications, worth more than £30m when valued together, have been rejected by Angus councillors. The Corse Hill proposal for coastline between Arbroath and Carnoustie, and the Carrach plan for the glens near Kingoldrum, were both turned down. Members of the development standards comm
13/08/2012
Five more turbines could be built at Europe's largest onshore windfarm. Operator ScottishPower Renewables submitted a planning application to the Scottish Government last week to extend Whitelee Windfarm, near Glasgow. £500m invested so far in the project supported an average of 290 full-time equi
13/08/2012
The Scottish couple who won Britain's largest ever Lottery fortune have got planning permission to turn their four-bedroom home into a luxury manor. Colin and Chris Weir won £161m in July last year. They have been given planning permission for an indoor swimming pool, spa room, greenhouses, Roman-
13/08/2012
Renewable energy developers in the north east will work with the Ministry of Defence to make sure radar from RAF Buchan is not affected by wind farms in the area. Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd, Muirden Energy LLP and West Coast Energy Ltd (WCE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work wi
13/08/2012
More than 12,000 too few houses will be built in Scotland for each of the next 12-15 years, a new report has found. Scottish planning consultancy Geddes Consulting found that not enough viable land is being allocated for new-builds, leading to an annual shortfall of 12,358 homes. The survey examin
13/08/2012
Fuel poverty can best be tackled by boosting energy efficiency in homes. That's according to two Scottish Government reports published today. Findings from the Fuel Poverty Evidence Review state that approximately 658,000 households in Scotland are fuel poor - the result of rising fuel prices, an
13/08/2012
Plans for a new recycling plant in Glasgow are moving ahead as the company commissioned to build it has met with lawyers. Viridor (Glasgow) Ltd called in law firm Pinsent Masons to advise them on the 25-year contract the waste services company has with Glasgow City Council. Viridor will design, bu
13/08/2012
Plans for Scottish prisons will see two new detention centres built and community jails set up across the country. The Scotsman newspaper has reported that the measures will replace HMP Cornton Vale and be used for female prisoners. Expected to be open by 2015, the prisons will cost £20m in total
13/08/2012
A survey of small oil and gas companies has found that they expect to scale back on investment and construction, the BBC has reported. The Ernst & Young Oil and Gas Eye Index plummeted in the three months to June, when 81% of Aim-quoted companies posted falls in their share prices and small energy
13/08/2012
WORK has started on a £500,000 purpose-built mountain bike trail on land owned by the royal family, the Herald newspaper has reported. Construction work started on the Glenlivet estate in Moray yesterday with a sod-cutting ceremony. Alison Nimmo, chief executive of the Crown Estate, said: "This is
13/08/2012
The family of a teenager who was stabbed to death have condemned the decision to build a wind turbine near his grave, according to the Glasgow Evening Times. They say they are "distraught" at the 40ft "monstrosity" in the car park, next to the grave and two additional plots owned by the family. Jo
10/08/2012
Celtic FC is planning to build a superstore and museum near its home ground, STV has reported. The plans, just lodged, would require the demolition of the former London Road Primary School building, a B-listed building that closed in 2007. The Parkhead club's application for planning permission is
10/08/2012
Plans for a new £20m supermarket could bring 300 new jobs to Greenock, the company behind the proposals has claimed. Asda said its plans would bring "more consumer choice, quality produce and Asda's famous low prices" to the Inverclyde town. The 35,000 square foot store, located between Campbell S
10/08/2012
A self-employed joiner installed a gas cooker illegally, leading to an explosion where his customers were lucky to escape with their lives. Alex Irvine, 44, of Causeyside Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, was sentenced to 300 hours of community service at Paisley Sheriff Court. The cooker exploded on
10/08/2012
Changes to ensure public contracts do more to boost jobs, apprenticeships and the Scottish economy were revealed today. The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on new laws designed to improve the way the public sector buys goods, works and services, in an attempt to make procurement pro
10/08/2012
ACTION ON derelict buildings across Dundee is to be coordinated by the city council after an increase in concerns raised by the public. Councils can force owners to make repairs, or use compulsory purchase on dangerous buildings. Will Dawson, convener of Dundee City Council's city development comm
10/08/2012
Rolls-Royce's decision to pull-out of a Scottish town after 60 years has been met with anger in the area, the Herald newspaper has reported. The company announced yesterday that it would transfer all 600 staff from its East Kilbride plant to an £85m site near Glasgow Airport within the next three y
10/08/2012
The developer behind housing plans for the historic core of St Andrews is pressing ahead in a new partnership, despite the Scottish Government's reporter calling the proposals "dominant and overbearing". Knightsbridge's appeal to the Government for consent for 28 flats in the old St Leonards School
10/08/2012
SNP ministers have blocked two councils' attempt to temporarily ban the construction of wind farms. Local government minister Derek MacKay wrote to Fife and Moray councils saying they could not call a moratorium because it would cause "undue delay" to developments. But the councils say they are be
10/08/2012
Residents of a village south of Glasgow say they are "disappointed" at the council's plan to approve a housing development, despite a 285-signature petition against it. East Renfrewshire Council's planning committee last night granted permission to builder Cala Homes West to build 20 houses and eig
10/08/2012
Orkney Islands Council has welcomed the creation of Scotland's first Marine Energy Park, covering the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters. The initiative was launched on July 30 by the UK Government's Energy and Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker. The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Energy
09/08/2012
The lack of new 'housing with care' provision will put even greater pressure on housing providers to find ways of making mainstream housing suitable for frail older people, according to CIH Scotland. Submitting evidence to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee's Inquiry into the financial impli
09/08/2012
Funding has been secured to help upgrade the final piece of the jigsaw in Dundee City Council's major improvement project to the Douglas Terrace walkway, linking Stannergate with Broughty Ferry. Nearly £500,000 is being committed by the sustainable transport charity Sustrans, from the Scottish Gov
09/08/2012
A preferred bidder has been appointed for South West Scotland's 18 hub participants. Alliance Community Partnerships, comprising of Equitix Holdings Ltd, Kier Project Investments Ltd, Galliford Try Investments Ltd and John Graham Holdings Ltd will deliver more than £500m of public sector infrastruc
09/08/2012
A major £180m project that could transform the north side of Kirkcaldy could be given the green light tomorrow, The Courier newspaper has reported. The development, by Kingdom Park Ltd, would create a new community with almost 1,100 houses, a primary school, a hotel, a neighbourhood centre, a petro
09/08/2012
Apprentices in Glasgow should help the city council earn more money by revamping the former homes of school janitors. That claim comes from Graeme Hendry, leader of the SNP on Glasgow City Council, and was reported in the Glasgow Evening Times. About a dozen disused janitor's houses are to be sold
09/08/2012
A vision to inject new vibrancy into a Lothian community could see its town square transformed into a hub pf pavement cafes and open air markets. The Scotsman has reported that the ideas, put together out of hundreds of residents’ survey responses, would turn Haddington town centre into one of the
09/08/2012
Remains of 16th century houses have been uncovered in Edinburgh's Old Town. Archaeologists found street frontages and artefacts including pottery, coins and a comb when digging at a site in the Cowgate that has been marked for a £35m hotel development. The city council's culture leader Richard Lew
09/08/2012
A major infrastructure upgrading project in Campbeltown will support Kintyre's growing renewables industry. Road access, berthing and quay facilities were improved in the town, to allow easy access for component parts to manufacturers by road and sea. The Kintyre Renewables Hub was devised three y
09/08/2012
A £3m facelift is set to start on Kirkcaldy Town House, the Courier newspaper has reported. The Scandinavian-influenced 1930s building will benefit from a major interior modernisation and refurbishment project including a new local office, and will become the council hub for Kirkcaldy, with most se
09/08/2012
Planning consent has been granted for a wind farm which will generate 55 megawatts electricity or enough to power 31,311 homes. Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has approved the Galawhistle wind farm, 7km east of Muirkirk in East Ayrshire and 4km west of Douglas in South Lanarkshire. The wind farm wil
08/08/2012
THE project to build Glasgow's £842million 'superhospital' is fuelling youth employment in the construction trade, the Glasgow Evening Times has reported. The number of apprentices taken on to build the new South Glasgow Hospital has "surpassed expectations", health chiefs said, and so far 55 young
08/08/2012
A construction worker's digger got trapped in a rising river, the Glasgow Evening Times has reported. He clung on to the JCB cabin and was rescued after 45 minutes. Two weeks' worth of rain fell in just a few hours across the West of Scotland, causing flooding and wreaking havoc on roads and in ho
08/08/2012
After 36 years steering the north-east company he co-founded, a 69-year-old is stepping down from his position. Alasdair Craigie is to retire from his role as CEO of Westhill-based CHAP Group after the Group's AGM on October 2, but will continue to work with the business as non-executive Chairman.
08/08/2012
Thirty jobs were saved at a North Lanarkshire firm when it was bought over by a UK-wide company with a base in Kent. Modular construction specialists Powerwall, of Wishaw, went into administration on June 18. But the company has now been taken over by growing renewable energy and engineering firm
08/08/2012
A construction company or developer is needed to build a zero-waste house on the site of the former Ravenscraig Steelworks in Lanarkshire. Working in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, they will deliver a highly innovative yet affordable resource-efficient house, at 2016 Scottish Building Standa
08/08/2012
A timber system building company has completed work on an exemplar eco-village for social enterprise, Duneland Ltd in Moray, north Scotland, which has attracted buyers from all over the world. Stewart Milne Timber Systems supplied build systems incorporating cutting-edge products for 25 new low car
08/08/2012
Burntisland Fabrications Ltd (BiFab) has secured a contract for the £1.4 billion Cygnus Project. Cygnus will deliver the sixth largest gas field in the UK Southern North Sea with BiFab among a number of UK firms included in an initial £375 million worth of contracts. The company will use its manuf
08/08/2012
A group of donors, partners and contributors became inspectors for the day when they visited the site of the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI). Graham Construction invited the visitors to High School Yards, where building has started on what is set to become a focal point for low carbon
08/08/2012
NORTH Sea oil output looks set to slump next month as major fields in British and Norwegian waters close for maintenance, the Scotsman newspaper has reported. Nexen plans to close its Buzzard field for maintenance in September so supply from the UK's Forties area will drop. The Forties area is the
08/08/2012
A 1970s visitor centre described as a "hideous beast" has been torn down, the Scotsman newspaper has reported. The centre was at Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve, which has officially re-opened without the visitor centre. The National Trust for Scotland, which took over the Perthshire site in 19
07/08/2012
Plans for a new recycling plant have been agreed between Glasgow City Council and UK renewable energy and waste company Viridor. The new incinerator plant, set for the site of a former incinerator in Polmadie, Glasgow, would recycle around 200,000 tonnes of waste a year and produce heat and power f
07/08/2012
Network Rail has officially unveiled the new-look Gourock Station after a two-year, £8m project. Infrastructure secretary Alex Neil MSP led the opening ceremony, unveiling a newly constructed station building, renovated platforms and canopies and a redesigned sea wall that now provides sea views fo
07/08/2012
Last week, King's Theatre in Edinburgh was re-opened after a revamp that saw stonework repaired and the roof replaced. Now work begins on a Glasgow theatre, which will be re-developed into a "world-class venue" by 2014 for the Commonwealth Games in the city. The £11.5m transformation of the Theatr
07/08/2012
A Dunipace man who disregarded environmental laws and burnt controlled waste was fined £750 at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Mr David Graham was found guilty of knowingly permitting controlled waste, including wood, plastics, cables, fabric and sacking, insulating material, metal tubing and metal sheeting
07/08/2012
An unexploded World War II mine found at a pipeline in the North Sea has been "successfully detonated", the BBC reports. Shell launched an operation on Thursday, after risk assessments and approval, and said the disposal operation was successfully completed by Sunday. The 500lb British-made mine w
07/08/2012
A Dundee councillor has condemned delays in deciding whether to approve a controversial biomass plant in the city, local newspaper The Courier has reported. West end councillor Fraser Macpherson has described the delay in a decision for the proposed facility at King George V Wharf as ''18 months of
07/08/2012
It stands on the harbour front in Anstruther, Fife, and tells the story of fishing in Scotland from ancient times to the present day. Now the Scottish Fisheries Museum is to be boosted with £67,000 of government funding. The cash injection will help pay for new boilers and insulation as well as a
07/08/2012
Refurbishment of a disused pub has transformed it from an eyesore that was blighting part of Scotland's premier shopping thoroughfare into a fast-food restaurant boasting designer flair. The overhaul of the former Burns Bothy on South St Andrew Street, Edinburgh, just off world-famous Princes Stree
07/08/2012
A charity that provides free complementary therapies for cancer patients has made a public appeal for help to finalise its new building in a converted chapel. Cancer Support Scotland is due to move in to a new centre next to Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow this September. But although it has raised
07/08/2012
A Kinross-shire community has launched a fight against the construction of a biomass plant in their village, citing health concerns, noise and nuisance. It came after Lambhill Energy Ltd submitted plans for a renewable energy combined heat and power plant and associated woodchip and shavings produc
06/08/2012
Works on a city centre project in Edinburgh may be carried out at night, according to the Scotsman newspaper. Under proposals being considered by Edinburgh City Council, planned Leith Walk reinstatement could be carried out with working hours of between 7pm and 2am in order to prevent a repeat of t
06/08/2012
Thirty people have moved into new homes in Inverness but their developer has warned funding cuts may stop new builds being as common in future. The development in Westercraigs is the biggest Albyn Housing Society, an affordable housing provider, has developed in recent years. It consists of 42 two
06/08/2012
A lack of cash flow has pushed plans for a bridge at Moncreiffe Island on to the back burner, the Perthshire Advertiser newspaper has reported. The project for a bridge linking the island to mainland Perth was kept quiet, but an 'insider' at Perth and Kinross Council confirmed to the newspaper that
06/08/2012
Housing and care provider Sanctuary Group has appointed a new Business Development Director for Scotland. A spokesperson said that Beth McNeil's appointment marked Sanctuary's commitment to expanding the range of services it provides to clients and partners in Scotland. Sanctuary currently provide
06/08/2012
A former naval base may become a renewable energy park which could attract £500m of investment, the Herald Scotland newspaper has reported. It would see the former Rosyth base in Fife turned into an offshore turbine manufacturing and servicing, powered by a waste-fuelled renewable energy plant. Sc
06/08/2012
Plans have been unveiled for a new cafe and footbridge at a park in the Borders. The £3m revamp of Wilton Lodge park in Hawick would also see the band stand reinstated and a playpark built, along with a classroom for school visits. Some money would also go towards renovating the park's war memoria
06/08/2012
A supermarket development could bring 200 jobs for long-term unemployed people, the Glasgow Evening Times newspaper has reported. If Tesco wins planning permission for its proposed store on Cathcart Road it will bring 400 jobs, half of which will be reserved for workers struggling for employment.
06/08/2012
The Scottish Building Federation has renewed calls for additional public investment in the Scottish construction industry as the rate of bankruptcies in the sector continues to climb. Latest figures from the UK Insolvency Service, published on Friday, show a 17% rise in the number of Scottish build
03/08/2012
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead, visited Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association's sheltered housing complex in Corpach last week to see their innovative biomass boiler in action. In just a year, the boiler at Walter Cameron Way has reduced residents' heating charges by 40%. T
03/08/2012
Plans for a fast food restaurant in Stirling have been refused because the proposed site was too close to a school, according to the Herald newspaper. Stirling Council's planning team rejected an application from McDonald's saying it would damage healthy eating promotion at the St Modan’s High Scho
03/08/2012
An operation is under way to remove an unexploded World War II mine at a gas pipeline in the North Sea. The 500lb British-made mine was discovered nearly 20 years ago, in 1993, and threatens the Far North Liquids and Associated Gas System (Flags) pipeline. Flags brings in 5% of the UK's daily gas
03/08/2012
An Edinburgh theatre has been revamped at a cost of £2.6m. Visitors will find King's Theatre brighter, cooler and more comfortable, a spokesman said, after the roof was replaced, stonework was repaired, the foyer was redecorated and ventilation to the auditorium was improved. Works were completed
03/08/2012
An updated Code of Practice for the design and installation of internal flooring has just been published by Stone Federation Great Britain. It incorporates the latest relevant European and British standards and a spokesman said it would be of particular use to architects, specifiers, designers, eng
03/08/2012
Thirteen bids have been received for the future use of Aberdeen City Council's former headquarters, St Nicholas House. Local, regional and national property developers have put in offers for mixed-use schemes including hotel, office, retail and restaurant/ café use. The building housed the local a
03/08/2012
A new luxury hotel and spa is on the cards for the seaside town of Ayr following the handover this week of the 18th century Belleisle House in Ayr from South Ayrshire Council to John and Senga Campbell, owners of the Dumfries Arms Hotel and Railway Hotel. Belleisle is surrounded by acres of parklan
03/08/2012
A housing association in the west of Scotland has saved £93,843 in the last year by putting green practices into place. Barratt West of Scotland's dedicated Green Team are a group of employees who help raise awareness of environmental and sustainability issues across the house builder's office in S
02/08/2012
A leading homelessness charity has called on the Scottish government to scrap the right-to-buy policy. Shelter Scotland said long waiting lists for social housing meant the policy was unfair and outdated. In a statement, the charity said getting rid of the policy would keep council houses in use a
02/08/2012
An £11m contract for student accommodation was signed this week at groundbreaking ceremonies in a Stirling university campus. Graham Construction has won the framework contract to build the first phase of a three-stage, multimillion-pound redevelopment of 40% of the University of Stirling's existin
02/08/2012
A pair of peregrine falcons have raised Glasgow's first ever peregrine chick in the unusual surroundings of the city's Red Road flats. The birds of prey became surprise tenants after nesting on the 24th floor of the 27-storey building at 10-30 Petershill Court. The empty building is due to be demo
02/08/2012
The latest waste figures from the construction industry give a mixed report on progress - the amount of waste going to landfill has dropped, but excavation waste has increased. Since the baseline figure for construction and demolition waste going to landfill was established in 2008, levels have dro
02/08/2012
The convenor of Dundee council's housing committee has reacted with joy to the news that new homes will be built on a former college campus, saying "there's nothing worse than a site doing nothing". Jimmy Black added: "We need the homes and I'm pleased permission has been granted." Demolition work
02/08/2012
A housebuilding company has received top safety awards for its work on housing schemes across Scotland. The British Safety Council International Safety Merit Awards recognised Lovell in Scotland's commitment to ensuring the highest standards of workplace safety. The awards were presented for three
02/08/2012
A SOCIAL housing provider has invited members of the local community to help design new outdoor spaces. It comes as part of ongoing regeneration in the Mill O' Mains area of Dundee, where diggers moved in this week to demolish old flats and make way for 70 new-build homes. Residents have been aske
02/08/2012
Buy-to-let investors interested in property in Edinburgh are invited to a fact-finding event run by Miller Homes. It will be held at the company's flagship Varcity South development, Crewe Road South, in the capital on August 16 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. The event will be supported by local mortgage,
01/08/2012
The City of Edinburgh Council is to consider a new property conservation service, in the wake of a wide-ranging repairs scandal that saw at least nine employees lose their jobs. The value of property repairs shot up from about £92.m in 2005 to close to £30m in 2010 and the issue of payments to cont
01/08/2012
A politician in southern Scotland has blasted the decision to let an 11-turbine project proceed on appeal. Alex Fergusson, Conservative MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, said the green light given to the Glenchamber scheme in Wigtownshire was a "kick in the teeth" for democracy. RES, which has r
01/08/2012
DEMOLITION has begun on blocks of flats which will allow the second phase of a major regeneration scheme to go ahead. Flats on Dundee's Mill O'Mains estate are to be cleared to allow more than 70 homes to be built as part of an on-going regeneration project being undertaken by social housing provid
01/08/2012
The head of Visit Scotland has called Glasgow's new Riverside Museum a "huge show of confidence" while adorning it with a five-star rating. The transport museum, which opened last year, won the top tourism standard after a visit from a secret inspector. Mike Cantlay said it was a tribute to Glasgo
01/08/2012
The Prime Minister has congratulated a Fife manufacturing firm which has won two large contracts, the Scotsman newspaper has reported. David Cameron visited Burntisland Fabrication (BiFab) after bosses announced they will be taking on 350 new staff. The company has won contracts worth £140m involv
01/08/2012
The team behind plans for a new supermarket in an East Renfrewshire town is celebrating after getting positive feedback from residents of the area. More than 80 people attended a community event on Saturday to view proposals and give feedback. And 92% of those who gave feedback gave their backing
01/08/2012
Four companies in the energy and engineering industries are the latest to benefit from the Scottish Loan Fund. Finance secretary John Swinney visited Red Spider Technology, an oil and gas company based in the north-east, yesterday to announce that it and three other "ambitious businesses" would hav
01/08/2012
The Scottish Government may give emergency financial assistance to East Ayrshire Council to help them deal with the costs of storm damage earlier in the month. The money could be used to pay for repairs on roads and buildings after flash flooding ruined properties and closed thoroughfares. Council
