Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for October 2015
30/10/2015
The Scottish Steel Task force has held its first meeting. Chaired by Scotland's business minister Fergus Ewing, the group agreed to work 'urgently' to find a new buyer for two mothballed Tata Steel plants in Motherwell and Cambuslang. A total of 225 jobs could be lost at the Dalzell works in Mothe
30/10/2015
Work is set to begin on the third phase of a £3.5m redevelopment project on the Isle of Lewis, Graham Construction has announced. Works at Lews Castle include fitting out the visitor and hospitality areas on the ground floor of the castle, along with the creation of luxury accommodation on the uppe
30/10/2015
Fife Council has agreed to sell council owned land to Tayport Community Trust in an effort to 'breath new life' into the town. The 1.2 hectare site is located at the former Abertay Works on Shanwell Road. It is hoped a range of facilities will be built on the site including a cafe, soft play area,
30/10/2015
SSE has agreed exit terms on the Galloper Wind Farm Limited (GWFL) project. The announcement was made following confirmation by RWE Innogy that new project partners had been announced, along with financial close having been reached on the scheme. In April 2014, SSE announced it would not be taking
30/10/2015
A self-employed worker has been fined after an employee fell through a shed roof and suffered fatal injuries. David William McVey, of Jellieston Terrace, Patna, East Ayrshire, was fined a total of £10,000, after pleading guilty to offences under Section 2(1) and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at
30/10/2015
Homeowners put off by the high cost of installing renewable energy systems have new options, thanks to a deal from Begetube UK. The north of Scotland business has teamed up with suppliers to offer renewable energy solutions which won't break the bank. With new renewables options available at up to
29/10/2015
A major milestone has been reached on the £10 million A96 Inveramsay Bridge project, it has been announced. The design and build contractor Balfour Beatty has successfully lifted 14 precast concrete beams into position. The works were completed through the night over a three week period. Each bea
29/10/2015
Councillors in West Dunbartonshire have granted planning permission for a new £15.7 million council office facility in Dumbarton. The A-listed former Academy Building is to be transformed into modern office space from early next year. Recently, the council secured a £500,000 grant from Historic En
29/10/2015
Local volunteers in Forres have set up a community planning platform for the public to contribute towards local planning developments. The Forres 2020 Vision scheme will allow residents to put forward ideas for the development of green spaces and publicly owned land/buildings over the next ten year
29/10/2015
Engineers are to carry out 'essential' inspections on the A898 Erskine Bridge this weekend, Scotland TranServ has announced. The work, on behalf of Transport Scotland, will carry out detailed inspections to the two above deck towers which provide cable support to the Bridge. A CCTV camera located
29/10/2015
SSE has acquired stakes in two gas assets in the North Sea and the Shetland Islands, it has been announced. Through its subsidiary SSE E&P UK, the energy company has acquired a 20% interest in the four gas fields and surrounding exploration acreage known as the Greater Laggan Area. The region is l
29/10/2015
A new £10 million school built by Graham Construction has officially opened in the Highlands. The Lundavra Primary School has replaced Fort William and Upper Achintore Primaries to form an eleven class school. Features of the development include a multi-purpose hall and a variety of other function
29/10/2015
Aberdeenshire Council's Property and Facilities Management Service (PFMS) is looking to procure a new Hard Facilities Management (FM) contract, it has been announced. The selected provider would deliver planned and reactive maintenance, lifecycle replacement, minor works and a service desk/contract
29/10/2015
A new cycle lane has opened in Edinburgh, Transport Scotland has announced. The facility at Waverley station includes gates barriers at the foot of the ramp, road markings and new signage. It is located on the station's north ramp, with direct access to and from Waverley Bridge. Phil Verster, MD
28/10/2015
A carbon innovation hub built by Graham Construction has become the first refurbished building in the UK to achieve a BREEAM 'Outstanding' rating. The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) achieved a score of 87.5%. The facility was opened by the Princess Royal in October 2014 after 19 mon
28/10/2015
Essential demolition works for the Forth Road Bridge project are due to take place this weekend, it has been announced. Further work to demolish the old B800 bridge over the A90 south of Echline Junction is to take place between the 31 October and 1 November. The A90 and M90 (M9 Spur) are to be cl
28/10/2015
Plans to upgrade street lights across Edinburgh have been approved by councillors. Proposals to convert 54,000 street lights into energy-efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED) have been agreed by members of the Transport and Environment Committee. The plans are estimated to save the city £77m over
28/10/2015
A project to repair war memorial in Argyll and Bute has received a £60,000 boost from the War Memorial Trust. The money, from the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund (CMRF), will go towards the repair and renovation of the 40ft Helensburgh memorial. The Category A-listed war memorial, designed by
28/10/2015
A retail development in Moray has been recommended to be abandoned by councillors. Members of the council's policy and resources committee have agreed to recommend to the full council that plans for the site at Bogton Road in Forres should be halted. Aberdeen-based Redco Milne has already received
28/10/2015
A road in Clydebank is to be closed for six weeks due to improvements being carried out to Scottish Water's waste water infrastructure. The £1.8m project will increase the capacity of the sewer network in the Old Street area of Clydebank. A section of Dumbarton Road between the Great Western Road
28/10/2015
Aberdeen City Councillors have given approval for 'masterplan' documents which will guide the development of a new Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) at Bucksburn. The plans will also guide the development of a Household Waste Recycling Centre at the current AECC complex at the Bridge
28/10/2015
Resurfacing works are scheduled to take place in the Highlands next month, it has been announced. A 300 metre stretch of the Strathpeffer Road in Dingwall is to be resurfaced from 9am on Monday, 9 November. Works are to take place between the level crossing and the Docharty road junction. It is u
27/10/2015
Work is underway on a new £16m Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) for the University of Glasgow. The start of construction was marked by Science Minister Jo Johnson who helped to break ground at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital site where the ICE will be located. The five-storey facility is
27/10/2015
Residential sales in Scotland have risen 6.5% during the second quarter of 2015/16 compared with the same period last year, according to new statistics. The figures by the Registers of Scotland (RoS) reveal a total of 28,019 properties were submitted for registration between July and September. Th
27/10/2015
East Dunbartonshire Council is to hold a series of public drop-in sessions on plans to revitalise Kirkintilloch town centre. Details to regenerate Cowgate have been agreed following discussions with residents, visitors, community groups, businesses, charities and stakeholders. The regeneration is
27/10/2015
Tampnet has selected SSE Enterprise Telecoms (SSE ET) to upgrade its existing offshore communications infrastructure with a new high quality network connecting London and Aberdeen. Over 200 platforms in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico are connected by Tampnet. Colin Sempill, Managing Director
27/10/2015
A consultation has been held over plans to reinforce an electricity network in Inverness-shire, it has been announced. Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) held the discussion in Ardross on plans to improve the transmission network from Beauly to Loch Buidhe. An alternative rout
27/10/2015
ScottishPower has announced the date and time of the partial demolition of the boiler house at Cockenzie Power Station. A section of the structure is to be levelled on 4 November at 2pm. The detonation will bring down the 'de-aerator bay' which forms part of the main boiler house. It is located t
27/10/2015
A road action group in the Scottish Borders has unveiled a new programme to carry out upgrades along the A7 trunk road. The A7 Action Group was formed in 1990 and is tasked with securing improvements along the 93 mile route from Carlisle to Edinburgh. In 1993, the Scottish Office agreed to carry o
27/10/2015
A road in West Lothian has reopened after essential resurfacing works were carried out, it has been announced. The A706 road between Whitburn and Longridge was reopened on Wednesday, 20 October. Essential carriageway resurfacing works took place along the route, with works completed over a week ea
26/10/2015
Scottish Ministers are seeking to play a role in EU level talks on steel dumping, it has been announced. Business Minister Fergus Ewing has called for the Scottish Government to be part of talks due to take place on 29 October in Hamilton. The move comes ahead of a statement to Parliament on 27 Oc
26/10/2015
A £40m funding facility has been secured by housing association Hanover Scotland. The agreement is the first of its kind in the social housing sector. The transaction combines a five-year £20m revolving credit facility and private placement. The funding, which was arranged by Bank of Scotland, wi
26/10/2015
The Western Isles Development Trust (WIDT) has awarded the first allocations of funding to community groups, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has announced. An award of £10,000 has been granted to Cothrom's renewables scheme, Restore Renewables. The money will be used to install a 16kw array of photovolt
26/10/2015
West Dunbartonshire Council has opened a new housing development in Dumbarton, it has been announced. A total of 37 new build Council homes were given a Ministerial seal of approval as they were revealed today, 26 October. The £4m Hillstreet Square project, which received £1.9m funding from the Sc
26/10/2015
Over £430,000 of carriageway maintenance is to get underway in Dumfries and Galloway, it has been announced. Scotland TranServ, on behalf of Transport Scotland, will carry out drainage works and repairs to support the existing road surface on the A77 south of Ardwell. The work will begin on Tuesda
26/10/2015
Argyll and Bute Council has approved proposals for a new development 'masterplan' of Ardyne. The authority also approved proposals for a new fish processing facility, associated infrastructure and new road access at Ardyne Point. The plans were designed by Ardyne Estates. A total of £19m is to be
26/10/2015
Work to repair and maintain a road in Angus is now complete, it has been announced. The High Street in Kirriemuir town centre reopened to traffic at 8am this morning, 26 October. Final surfacing and finishing touches were carried out over the weekend. The repair and maintenance programme has been
26/10/2015
Aberdeen City Council is holding four consultation events on options to improve transport links between Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Aberdeen. Nestrans, along with the city council and Aberdeenshire Council, will hold a series of exhibitions concerning the 50-mile study area, which will incorporate t
23/10/2015
Tata Steel's UK Steel Enterprise is providing a £1.5m job support package for Scotland after plans were announced to close two steel plants. Communities in Dalzell and Clydebridge will receive the package to support the local economy and employees affected by the closures. A total of 270 jobs will
23/10/2015
The development of an £11m student accommodation building in Edinburgh is now complete. Ogilvie Construction handed over the eight-storey Arran House in Fountainbridge to The Student Housing Company. The building will provide 302 student apartments of varying sizes, along with retail space on the
23/10/2015
Albyn Housing Society has confirmed its intention to develop over 700 'affordable' homes over the next five years. The Highland house builder will build 500 social rented, 100 mid-market rent and 125 new LIFT shared equity homes. It will also continue to deliver Help to Buy for the Scottish Govern
23/10/2015
A road in South Lanarkshire is to be closed over five weeks to allow works on the M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements Project, Access to and from Hamilton and Bothwell via Raith, M74 Junction 5 will be restricted from Monday, 26 October. In addition, the B7071 Bellshill Road from Whistleberry Toll to
23/10/2015
Regeneration efforts by East Renfrewshire Council at a town in the area have been shortlisted for an award. The council scheme in Barrhead has been put forward for 'Scotland's Most Improved Town' at the 2015 SURF awards. It is one of two contenders in the category. Councillor Tony Buchanan said:
23/10/2015
Argyll and Bute Council is to deliver a permanent transit berthing facility in Oban, it has been announced. The council, along with local interest group Oban Bay Marine (OBM), have identified a deliverable scheme which could be in place for summer 2017. Councillor Roddy McCuish said: "We are delig
23/10/2015
An Aberdeenshire road is to be closed to allow a new junction and pedestrian underpass to be built as part of the £18m Third Don Crossing project. The new junction is to be built on Grandholm Drive and a pedestrian underpass will be developed on the east side of the new road. The Third Don Crossin
23/10/2015
A report on proposals for a major retail development in Moray is to go before the council, it has been announced. Councillors will be asked to recommend how the plans at Bogton Road, submitted by Redco Milne, should progress. The company already has planning permission for a supermarket, a filling
23/10/2015
Construction is underway on a new-build council housing site in West Lothian. The site is one of the largest new build council housing sites in Scotland. A total of 230 homes are being developed by Lovell Partnerships at Kirkhill in Broxburn, and will include a mixture of 92 cottage flats, 105 ho
23/10/2015
Homes for Scotland (HfS) has announced its Chief Executive Philip Hogg is to leave the organisation in the coming months. He is to become Managing Director of property developer Bancon Group. During his career, Mr Hogg has held numerous roles within the house-building sector, including pHc, SynGro
22/10/2015
A 'crisis point' within Scottish construction has been reached due to an ongoing skills shortage, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). In its latest monthly construction survey, RICS reported 63% of respondents found difficulty in sourcing labour as an obstacle to growt
22/10/2015
The Scottish First Minister (SFM) Nicola Sturgeon has held talks at two Tata Steel plants on the future of Scottish steel. The talks took place at plants in Dalzell and Clydebridge. Ms Sturgeon spoke with the workforce and management following the announcement earlier this week that Tata Steel int
22/10/2015
Planning permission has been refused for a proposed supermarket in Edinburgh. The council's Development Management Subcommittee refused permission for development due to it being located within the St John's Road Pollution Zone. The 21,000 sq ft store would have included a 140-capacity car park an
22/10/2015
Falkirk Council is to hold a consultation on the regions open spaces and parks, it has been announced. A new single strategic plan has been drawn up setting out a vision for the future of the areas. The new plan has four key themes: • Modernising park and open spaces. • Addressing inequality and
22/10/2015
Official approval has been granted to two Inverclyde-based projects as part of the £1bn Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal scheme. Leaders operating the City Deal across eight Sottish councils have approved a project to improve the A78 at Inverkip and another to expand Greenock Ocean Terminal. The
22/10/2015
A new business premises has been completed at business park in Argyll and Bute. Kier Construction built the 724 sq m development at Sandbank Business Park in Dunoon. Developed in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the facility is designed to attract businesses. HIE stated th
22/10/2015
Work is underway to build a new skatepark in Fife. The new facility is being built at the playpark in Keltyhill Avenue and will replace the former facility at Blairadam Park. It will be the second of four skate park's in the Cowdenbeath area. The project is being funded by the council's Cowdenbea
22/10/2015
A group of organisation's representing green energy and farming has said cuts to a small scale renewable energy scheme are the 'latest blow' to farmers already affected by lot prices. A UK Government review of the Feed in Tariff (FiT) scheme is considering reducing the amount of money paid to peopl
22/10/2015
A council consultation on plans for an Edinburgh cycle route which would link the east to the west of the city is due to begin, it has been announced. Plans for the cycleway between Roseburn and Leith Walk are to be debated by councillors on 27 October. If approved, the proposals for the route – w
22/10/2015
Moray Council is to consider the costs of a proposed western link road in the region. The estimated cost of the project in Elgin has increased from £9.2m to £11.8m over the past two years. It is understood councillors were told that construction and property costs along with the preparation of a n
21/10/2015
Scottish rents are rising at less than a third of the rate seen in England and Wales, according to figures from Your Move. The latest Scotland Buy-to-Let index reveals average Scottish rents have increased 1.7% compared to 6.3% in the rest of Britain. In addition, residential rents in Scotland fel
21/10/2015
The Scottish Government has asked organisations and individuals across the country to submit their views as part of an overhaul of the planning system. An independent panel, who were appointed in September, has been tasked to come up with ideas to achieve a quicker, more accessible and efficient pr
21/10/2015
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is investigating Glasgow City Council after it refused to release documents to heritage campaigners in relation to a flat development. Documents were requested by the Park and Woodlands Heritage Group relating to the project at Park Quadrant, where Expres
21/10/2015
A new £37m community campus in Aberdeenshire has reached practical completion, hub North Scotland has announced. Work on the Alford Community Campus got underway in June. It followed advance works in October 2013 which included initial ground works and the creation of an access road for constructi
21/10/2015
Work is due to begin on a £277,000 project to conserve a historical slate arch in the Highlands. The Ballachulish Slate Arch – Conservation & Interpretation Project is being funded jointly by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the council and Historic Environment Scotland (HES). The consolidation pr
21/10/2015
SSE is preparing to host a drop-in event for local firms to find out more details about a wind farm development in the Highlands. The exhibition will provide information on possible supply chain opportunities through the construction of the Bhlaraidh wind farm. The 32 turbine project is due to beg
21/10/2015
Michael Laird Architects (MLA) has opened a new office in Glasgow. The practice said opening a new office will support its growing portfolio of projects in the West of Scotland. It added the move will increase support for its existing and future clients, with a view to further strengthening of the
21/10/2015
A primary school in Moray has expanded with the installation of 17 pre-fabricated classroom modules, it has been announced. Two extra classrooms and a new nursery have been added to Seafield Primary in Elgin. The new modules were added in the space of 24 hours due to advanced planning and site pre
21/10/2015
Essential resurfacing work is to be carried out on the A77 road in Scotland, it has been announced. Scotland TranServ, on behalf of Transport Scotland, will repair defects to the road surface of the A77 south of Bankfield. The road is to be closed on 26-27 October and 27-28 October between 6am and
21/10/2015
The charity Energy Action Scotland has urged the Scottish Government to do more towards making Scottish homes less expensive to heat. The call comes after the publication of official statistics revealed there were 22,011 cold related deaths between December 2014 and March 2015. Norman Kerr, Direct
20/10/2015
A £500,000 grant has been secured by West Dunbartonshire Council to help restore a historic building the region. Funding from Historic Environment Scotland will restore the former Dumbarton Academy building. The A-listed façade of the building will be repaired as part of the council's plans to rel
20/10/2015
Nearly 1,200 jobs have been cut at Tata Steel's plants in Scunthorpe and Lanarkshire, the company has announced. A total of 900 jobs are to go in Scunthorpe, while 270 will be lost in Scotland. Plant mills in Scunthorpe, Dalzell and Clydebridge will be mothballed, while one of the two coke ovens a
20/10/2015
Demolition works on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) project are due to get underway this weekend, it has been announced. The old B800 bridge is to be demolished over the A90 south of Echline Junction. Works will take place over the weekends of 24/25 October, 31 October to 1 November and 14/15 November
20/10/2015
A £100,000 programme of improvement works is due to begin in East Ayrshire this weekend, Scotland TranServ has announced. The north and southbound lanes of A76 Bargower Rail Bridge are to undergo a series of upgrades. Scotland TranServ, on behalf of Transport Scotland, will carry out the refurbish
20/10/2015
Aberdeen City Council has made a further £100,000 available towards a new initiative encouraging artists to support the region's cultural scene. Previously, the Creative Spaces scheme awarded £55,000 towards the city's first independent, artist-led studio and production centre, the Anatomy Rooms.
20/10/2015
A heritage project in Dundee could receive £142,000 of investment, it has been announced. The council's Environment Committee are expected to hear plans to invest in the Dundee Law Heritage Project on 26 October. Improvements include the restoration of access steps, upgrading footpaths and drainag
20/10/2015
A Local Development Strategy in Orkney is now welcoming 'expressions of interest'. Orkney LEADER has been allocated over £2.5m of funding to deliver the Programme until 2020. One of the strategies objectives is that interested projects must contribute to the archipelago's natural environment and d
20/10/2015
SSE has announced it is to reopen a 735MW gas-fired power station in North Lincolnshire. The Scottish energy company has spent five months bringing the plant at Keadby back into operation following it's mothballing in March 2013. Keadby power station entered into the first Capacity Market Auction
20/10/2015
Ofgem has announced it is to consult on how to tender new onshore electricity transmission infrastructure projects to increase competition. Since 2009, links to offshore wind farms have been competitively tendered, saving consumers between £200m and £400m. Ofgem now wants to apply this criteria to
20/10/2015
Babcock International has received three awards at the Scottish Training Federation's (STF) Annual Conference and Awards. The company scooped the Provider of the Year award, which recognises providers who have made a 'substantial contribution' to Scotland's Modern Apprenticeships programme. It als
19/10/2015
A development project in Edinburgh has been chosen as the national 'Project of the Year' at an awards ceremony. The Advocate's Close scheme was selected at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards 2015. The development was delivered by Thomas & Adamson surveyors and Morgan McDonn
19/10/2015
A consultation has been launched by Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) to identify 48km of overhead distribution power lines which could run underground. The six-month discussion will allow the public to nominate power lines in National Parks and National Scenic Areas as part of the
19/10/2015
Pupils at two primary schools in Aberdeen City are being given the chance to name a new £18m bridge. The structure is to be installed as part of the Third Don Crossing project. Contractor Balfour Beatty will develop a new single carriageway link road between Parkway/Whitestripes Road junction and
19/10/2015
A road in East Ayrshire has been closed to allow improvements and resurfacing works, the council has announced. The Ayrshire Roads Alliance is underway with works on the B741 between New Cumnock and Dalmellington. Work began today, 19 October, and will last for two weeks. The road will be closed
19/10/2015
Three online consultations on planning and housing issues have been launched by the Highland Council. In addition, the authority has launched a review of its main planning policy document, the Highland-wide Local Development Plan (HWLDP). The HWLDP seeks people's views on updating the council's ma
19/10/2015
The first phase of a £600,000 restoration project in South Ayrshire is now complete. The iconic Belleisle Conservatory is currently undergoing a refurbishment and improvement programme. Charity Belleisle Conservatory Ltd (BCLtd) and the council, supported with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fun
19/10/2015
West Lothian Council has announced it will relocate a local library and museum in a bid to move community services under one roof. The Broxburn Library and Community Museum are due to move into the Strathbrock Partnership Centre. The council is investing £250,000 into the project to deliver a mode
19/10/2015
Scottish First Minister (SFM) Nicola Sturgeon has announced six new elective treatment centres are to be created across Scotland. Over £200 million will be invested in the new facilities ahead of them becoming operational. The centres will allow people to be treated more quickly for planned surger
19/10/2015
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced grants of £1.7m to repair historically important buildings across the country. The funds are to be divided between five different projects as part of the body's Building Repair Grants Scheme. Among the recipients includes the Edwardian Govan Hill B
19/10/2015
hub North Scotland has been shortlisted for an accolade at the Scottish Business Awards (SBA). The organisation has been selected as a finalist in the RBS Customer Focus category. Angus Macfarlane, hub North Scotland chief executive, said: "This award shortlist is testament to the hard work and de
16/10/2015
BAM has been awarded a £170m contract to upgrade the railway line between Aberdeen and Inverness. The project, funded by the Scottish Government, will introduce a half-hourly commuter service between Aberdeen and Inverurie, along with additional peak services between Inverness and Elgin. The proje
16/10/2015
At least 50,000 new 'affordable' homes will be built if the SNP is re-elected in the next parliament, according to Scottish First Minister (SFM) Nicola Sturgeon. Mrs Sturgeon made the announcement during her speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen on 15 October. The Chartered Institute of Housing
16/10/2015
Work is underway to dismantle the remains of two tower blocks in Glasgow which remained standing due to a failed demolition. The six remaining Red Road tower blocks were intended to be levelled on 11 October during a controlled explosion. However, substantial parts of two of the buildings remained
16/10/2015
Inverclyde Council is to invest £180,000 on improvements to a popular play park. The site is located in Greenock's West End on the corner of Fox Street and Newton Street. The council will upgrade the park and install a high quality multi-use games area (MUGA) measuring 15 metres by 24 metres. Cou
16/10/2015
Work to build an extension to the George Watson's College (GWC) in Edinburgh is now complete. CCG Specialist Building Services has delivered a three month renovation project to double the capacity of the Junior School dining hall. Features of the project include an improved dining experience for p
16/10/2015
A free talk on traditional building repair and maintenance is to take place in the Scottish Borders next week. The event will occur on Wednesday, 21 October at 8pm in Currie Memorial Public Hall, Lilliesleaf. It has been organised by Selkirk Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) in associat
16/10/2015
The Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has announced a £245,000 funding boost to improve museum buildings and galleries. The fund will also help towards purchasing objects to expand the museums' collections. Museums Galleries Scotland is to receive £170,000 which will be distributed among local and no
16/10/2015
A power station in Argyll and Bute has reached its 50th anniversary, ScottishPower has announced. The Cruachan Power Station near Oban is located inside the mountain of Ben Cruachan. At full operation, the facility can meet the power demands of over 200,000 homes. Opened by the Queen on 15 Octobe
16/10/2015
The first image of the first Ikea store for Aberdeen has been released. The order and collect store will be located at the Wellington Road industrial estate. It is understood the store, which will also contain a cafe, will be ready to open by spring 2016. Recruitment of approximately 30 staff is
16/10/2015
A new roundabout junction has been completed two weeks ahead of schedule in Stirling. The roundabout is located at the junction of the A905 and Station Road. The project was a condition of the Planning Application when the new Polmaise Waste Management Facility was built. Built by the council's R
15/10/2015
McLaughlin & Harvey (M&H) has been appointed as main contractor of two education construction projects in Scotland. The contracts have a combined value of £10.8m. The firm is to develop the £6.6m Bilston Primary in Midlothian and the £4.2m Levenmouth Campus Development in Fife, where work began ea
15/10/2015
A new £11.8m school has reached practical completion in Aberdeen. The council appointed hub North Scotland to deliver the new Brimmond School. The main contractor for the project was Ogilvie Construction. The 4,501 sq m facility consists of both classroom and administration space alongside a rang
15/10/2015
Dumfries and Galloway Council has delayed a progress report on remedial works to a leisure centre due to mediation talks with its contractors. It is understood talks between the council and Kier Construction have pushed the meeting back to November. Remedial works are yet to start at the multi-mil
15/10/2015
East Dunbartonshire Council is to host a drop-in session for the public to learn more about a public realm project in Kirkintilloch. Final details are yet to be agreed for the Cowgate project, following a period of consultation with residents, visitors, community groups, businesses, charities and s
15/10/2015
Five projects in West Lothian have been awarded funding of more than £42,500, it has been announced. The West Lothian Village Improvement Fund contains £1.65m to support small scale village improvements and investments. Funding is granted to projects ranging from physical improvements to the stree
15/10/2015
Scotland TranServ is to carry out the second phase of a £6m refurbishment programme to overhead gantries on the M8 motorway. The Transport Scotland investment involves modernising four gantries between Junctions 10 and 15. The structures provide a lane management facility and keep motorists up to
15/10/2015
SSE has appointed Helen Mahy CBE has non-Executive Director of SSE. She will join the Board of the company on 1 March 2016. Ms Mahy is Chair of The Renewables Infrastructure Group and is also a non-Executive Director of SVG Capital, Bonheur ASA/Ganger Rolf ASA and Stagecoach Group. In addition, s
15/10/2015
Aberdeenshire Council is to hold an open day showcasing a new £37m campus to the public. The Alford Community Campus in Greystone Road was delivered by the council in partnership with Hub North Scotland. Work on the new facilities was undertaken by Morrison Construction. The campus will cater for
15/10/2015
Almost £216,000 has been awarded by sportscotland towards the cost of replacing an outdated ice plant at a leisure centre in Moray. A new plant is to be installed at the Moray Leisure Centre in Elgin next year. Earlier this year, the council agreed to meet 50% of the replacement costs plus the fu
15/10/2015
Work is due to begin on a new car parking facility for a health centre in North Lanarkshire. An additional 75 space car park is to be developed for the new Houldsworth Centre in Wishaw. Temporary buildings on East Academy Street housing Wishaw Library have now been removed. Construction of the a
14/10/2015
Balfour Beatty is underway with work to develop a new £28m train station concourse in Dundee. The six-storey development has been designed by Nicoll Russell Studios and is to include ticketing facilities, along with a cafe/restaurant and retail space. A new 120-bedroom hotel will also be developed
14/10/2015
The UK Government has announced a grace period for onshore wind projects affected by the closure of the Renewables Obligation (RO). The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) is to push ahead with its commitment to end public subsidies for onshore wind farms by closing the RO from 01 April.
14/10/2015
East Dunbartonshire Council is inviting the public to attend an informational session about a new £5.2m hub being developed in the region. Work on the Lennoxtown Community Hub is underway and will bring council, library, leisure and cultural services under one roof. Also included are healthcare se
14/10/2015
A new cycle route forming the first phase of a £1.2m scheme has been opened in Edinburgh. The Meadows to Innocent route is Phase 1 of a project to link the Innocent Path to the Union Canal towpath via the Meadows. The route includes segregated cycle facilities on main roads, new and relocated cros
14/10/2015
A new sports hub has opened in Fife, it has been announced. The facility in Lumphinnans was opened on 12 October and provides a new home for the Fife Football Performance Academy. Features of the hub include a new full size 3G synthetic turf pitch with flood lighting, a dedicated car park and a co
14/10/2015
Open spaces at a multi-storey flat complex in West Dunbartonshire are to receive a £155,000 upgrade. The council has approved funding to regenerate the spaces in Dalmuir by creating dedicated seating areas and improving the landscaping. Upgrades will be made to the areas surrounding the multi-stor
14/10/2015
A project to develop a business park access scheme at Oban Airport remains 'on track' for completion in November, Argyll and Bute Council has announced. Over the past two weeks, foundation work has been completed for the carriageway. This included the installation of a geogrid reinforcement nettin
14/10/2015
Glasgow City Council has approved proposals to temporarily close a museum for refurbishment works. The Burrell Collection is to shut in October 2016. The museums refurbishment project will see the roof, building fabric and interior/exterior ageing plant completely overhauld. A number of galleries
14/10/2015
Cycling and walking infrastructure in Scotland is to receive a £3.3m cash injection, the Transport Minister Derek Mackay has announced. The Minister made the announcement at the Active Travel Summit in Inverness. The new funding takes overall investment in active travel to £39.2m for 2015/16. In
14/10/2015
Work is due to begin on a new link road in the Highlands, it has been announced. Contractor Pat Munro (Alness) will be on site from 19 October to carry out work on the first stage of the Kinnairdie Link Road Scheme in Dingwall. Improvements are to be made to the junction of the A862 Newton Road an
13/10/2015
A multi-million pound contract notice for the A96 Dualling Programme has been announced by the Scottish Government. The deal, worth up to £50m, covers approximately 29 miles of the western section of the A96 east of Auldean to east of Fochabers. The contract follows an award earlier this year for
13/10/2015
BAM has announced WSP/Parsons Brinkerhoff is the latest company to sign up for a £70m development in Glasgow. The engineering firm is the newest occupier of the Grade-A CONNECT110NS development in Queen Street. The company is to let 10,544 sq ft of office accommodation on the seventh floor. The t
13/10/2015
Hub South West Scotland has reached contract close on a £32.5m project in South Ayrshire. In collaboration with the council, the project will see Kier Construction deliver a refurbishment, modernisation and expansion programme to the Marr College in Troon. A new wing is to be built over three stor
13/10/2015
Contractors are due to begin the next phase of a flood protection scheme in the Highlands. Causeway Geotech has been awarded the contract to carry out investigation works for the scheme in Smithton and Culloden, Inverness. The investigative works will provide valuable ground condition information
13/10/2015
West Lothian Council are inviting residents to attend a public consultation on the long-term development strategy of the region. The new West Lothian Local Development Plan (LDP) will replace the current Local Plan. It determines the approach to developing housing, infrastructure, schools and busi
13/10/2015
A new investment model has been launched to provide 1,000 'affordable' homes across Scotland. The Scottish charity, Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust (LAR), has been set up to provide 'long term mid-market rented housing' across the country. The LAR is funded by a £55m loan from the Scottish G
13/10/2015
Detailed inspections of a bridge in Renfrewshire are to get underway this weekend, Scotland TranServ has announced. Engineers on behalf of Transport Scotland will carry out the inspections to the two above deck towers which provide cable support to the A898 Erskine Bridge. In addition, a CCTV came
13/10/2015
Conservation works on a 1,000 year-old castle in Aberdeenshire are now complete, the council has announced. The ruins of Kindrochit Castle have underwent 'substantial' consolidation and improvement works by North East Scotland Preservation Trust. As well as the repair and repointing of walls and r
13/10/2015
Work is underway on a £2.4m housing development in east Glasgow West of Scotland Housing Association (WSHA) plans to develop 18 Amenity Cottage Flats in Camlachie. The project, now in its tenth phase, is being built by CCG (Scotland). The housing is designed for older people, with two of the grou
13/10/2015
A school in Inverclyde has reopened after undergoing a £6m refurbishment. The project at Ardgowan Primary in Greenock included a new three-storey extension to accommodate a gymnasium, new teaching facilities and an assembly hall. In addition, the playground contains a 120 sq m multi-use games area
12/10/2015
Four electricity towers are being dismantled as part of the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie-Tipperty (AWPR) scheme, it has been has announced. One tower was taken down on 08 October and the rest are due to be dismantled over the coming days. The contractor has been w
12/10/2015
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has provided a grant of £4.5m towards transforming the last standing reminder of Edinburgh's historic rubber mill. The former headquarters of the North British Rubber Company is to be redeveloped into a printmaking facility with a café, bar and learning spaces. Crea
12/10/2015
Glasgow City Council has approved the sale of a car park for a new 395-bedroom hotel development. The 0.62 acre site at Ingram Street is currently leased to National Car Parks and is used as a surface level car park. It has now been sold for £6.75m to Merchant Hotel Glasgow Limited The group has
12/10/2015
River Clyde Homes (RCH) has announced the appointment of a new Chair to its board. Lynn Wassell has stood down and been replaced by vice-chair Albert Henderson MBE. The move was made at the organisation's Annual General Meeting last week. Mr Henderson is a former Corporate Director of Education,
12/10/2015
A new permanent wall and rock trap is to be installed at Edinburgh Castle, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced. The project, in collaboration with the council, will replace the temporary barrier installed in mid-2013. The structure will consist of a one metre high stone boundary wall
12/10/2015
West Lothian Council is to invest £85,000 in a swimming pool at a high school in Livingston. The facility at Inveralmond Community High School is currently undergoing an upgrade programme and will reopen next month. Work includes the renewal of specialist drainage channels, new partitioning thro
12/10/2015
Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has apologised after a planned demolition at the Red Road tower blocks at the weekend did not go according to plan. Controlled explosions were carried out on the famous tower blocks to raze them to the ground; however, a significant portion of two of the six dwell
12/10/2015
Essential upgrading work is being carried out to a bridge in South Lanarkshire, the council has announced. The work begins today 12 October and is expected to take three weeks. Works include the installation of high containment kerbing and other related improvements at Dublin Bridge in Kirkfieldban
09/10/2015
Plans to build a 4,000-seater stadium in South Lanarkshire have been revealed. East Kilbride Community Trust (EKCT) has proposed the multi-purpose Community Stadium for an area of undeveloped land off Hurlawcrook Road. A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has been submitted to the council. A pu
09/10/2015
The amount of heat generated by renewable sources in Scotland increased during 2014, the Scottish Government has announced. New figures by the Energy Saving Trust show a 36% rise, while it is estimated over 1 gigawatt of renewable heat capacity was in operation in Scotland last year. Overall, the
09/10/2015
A £1.2 million programme to refurbish a primary school in North Lanarkshire is now complete. The two year project, to improve New Monkland Primary, began in June 2013 and finished this summer. It involved improvements to the exterior of the building along with new outdoor gym and play equipment, i
09/10/2015
American businessman Donald Trump is challenging a planned offshore wind farm, at the UK's Supreme Court. It is understood the property tycoon is opposing the Scottish Government's decision to grant planning permission for the 11-turbine development in Aberdeen Bay two years ago. The renewable ene
09/10/2015
Essential maintenance work on a road in the Scottish Borders is now complete. The A72, north of Peebles at Neidpath Corner, was closed from 02 October for six days to allow repair work to take place on a damaged section of roadside wall. Other works included trenching and ducting works associated
09/10/2015
Fife-based Havelock Europa has announced the appointment of Peter Dillon as non-executive director. He will take up the role at the fit-out firm with immediate effect. Mr Dillon, 71, is a Chartered Accountant and was finance director of Hargreaves Services plc from 2003 to 2007. In addition, he w
08/10/2015
Work is underway to develop 161 new homes in Fife. The housing development in Kirkcaldy is part of the council's plan to build 2,700 new 'affordable' homes by 2017. The project will see 161 units built at Overton by Robertson Partnership Homes. It will include a mix of flats, houses, bungalows an
08/10/2015
A joint commission is to be formed between the Highland Council, HITRANS and Abellio ScotRail to develop design proposals for improvements to Inverness Railway Station. Architects Nicoll Russell Studios have been commissioned to complete the design work by spring 2016. Abellio ScotRail plans to in
08/10/2015
The Scottish Government has announced a £3.1m funding package to be used for the development of new commercial units in North Lanarkshire. The units are to be built on a brownfield site at Strathclyde Business Park. In total, space will be created for 15 companies and employment for over 130 peopl
08/10/2015
Construction workers have returned to work on the new Queensferry Crossing site after the discovery of explosive materials during roadworks. Workers discovered demolition materials at 5pm on Wednesday during utility diversion works around the north approach roads close to the Crossing. The alarm w
08/10/2015
Glasgow-based BAM Properties has announced the appointment of Dougie Peters as Managing Director. He will succeed retiring MD John Burke. Mr Peters is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and a qualified CA. He trained with KPMG following which he held a number of positions within both comme
08/10/2015
The Scottish house building industry has urged the Scottish Government to help meet the home owning needs of Scottish people. The Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed plans to develop 200,000 new starter homes for First Time Buyers under 40 in England. Philip Hogg, Chief Executive of Homes fo
08/10/2015
It has been announced the allocations policy for three of the biggest social landlords in Perth and Kinross is to be updated. The Common Housing Register (CHR) is operated by a partnership of Caledonia HA, Hillcrest HA and Perth & Kinross the council. Overall, the three organisations manage a hous
08/10/2015
A major conservation and refurbishment of a B-listed bridge Aberdeenshire has been completed. The historic Polhollick Footbridge, near Ballater, has been repaired by contractors. Localised improvements were carried out to damaged elements of the bridge. However, the majority of the structure has
07/10/2015
Morrison Construction has been appointed as preferred contractor to develop a new £72 million hospital in East Lothian. The Galliford Try-owned business was selected by Hub South East Scotland on behalf of NHS Lothian. The 23,000 sq m community hospital is to be developed on the existing Roodlands
07/10/2015
Drum Property Group has acquired a retail park in Fife for £4.5 million. The Aberdeen-based developer purchased Duloch Park retail park in Dunfermline. The Group's Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) also bought Mayflower House office complex in Gateshead for £2.6m and exchanged contracts for Gosf
07/10/2015
Plans to develop a new care facility have been agreed by Orkney Islands Council. The new facility will be developed in Kirkwall to replace St Rognvald House. A project to extend and refurbish St Rognvald's had already been under development. Caroline Sinclair, Chief Officer for Health and Social
07/10/2015
Planning permission has been granted for a new £9.5 million primary school in Arygll and Bute. The new facility is to be built on the existing site of Kirn Primary School and will be developed by Hub North Scotland. While the existing 1881 Victorian building will be retained and refurbished, the r
07/10/2015
A £180,000 refurbishment programme at a school in North Lanarkshire is now complete. Bellshill Academy now contains two new chemistry rooms, one physics room and three art rooms. In addition, a new photo-media suite is nearing completion and work will soon begin on a new dance studio and condition
07/10/2015
A tender to complete a low-energy 'affordable' housing development has been accepted by Aberdeenshire Council. Work will now restart on the project in Fraserburgh after Dundee-based Murifield (Contracts) went into administration. Among those contracts was the £5.1m 30-home Barrasgate development.
06/10/2015
There has been a surge in construction activity in Scotland, according to the latest JLL/Glenigan Construction Activity Index. Over the 12 months to Q2 2015, activity in Scotland increased by 17.6%. Elsewhere, activity rose 16.8% in North West England. However, action was relatively 'flat' in Lon
06/10/2015
A target to get renewable energy into community or local ownership has been met five years early, the Scottish Government has announced. It is estimated 508 megawatts (MW) of community and locally owned capacity is now operational in Scotland. It now exceeds the 500MW target set for 2020. The Ene
06/10/2015
The Highland Council has purchased an eight acre site from Tesco for £2 million. The surplus land in Fort William will be used to develop a new hospital for NHS Highland. In May 2015, the council was requested to take the lead by its community planning partners to secure the site at Blar Mor. The
06/10/2015
A call for action to be taken on the future of unconventional oil and gas developments, particularly underground coal gasification (UCG), has been issued by Fife Council. The authority has welcomed the Scottish Government's decision to hold a moratorium on unconventional gas extraction (UGE). In a
06/10/2015
Scottish Ministers have given the go ahead for completion of the statutory processes for the A737 Dairy Bypass scheme, according to Transport Scotland. In addition, the design work for the A737 The Den scheme is being taken forward. Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: "Following the go ahead for
06/10/2015
Glasgow-based developer Lovell has received an accolade from the safety charity Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The RoSPA President's Award was presented in a ceremony at the Hilton Glasgow Hotel. It was given in recognition of the company's health and safety performance ove
05/10/2015
Oglivie Construction has won an £11m apartment development in Aberdeen. The company is now underway to build the facility for SACO The Serviced Apartment Company. The nine-storey building will be located on Union Street. It will include studio and one bedroom apartments grouped around internal co
05/10/2015
A planning application has been lodged for a new school in East Dunbartonshire. The application was submitted by Archial Norr. The school is to be built on the site of the existing Woodhill Primary School in Bishopbriggs as part of the Council's Primary School Improvement Programme. The facility
05/10/2015
The Scottish Government has announced a series of scheduled closures for the A90 due to demolition works. Motorists have been warned to avoid the vicinity of the Forth Road Bridge when the A90 and M90 (M9 Spur) will be closed to all traffic south of Echline Junction. This is to allow the demolitio
05/10/2015
A £3 million upgrade of a cycleway in the Highlands is now complete. The project to improve the Great Glen Cycleway has been funded by Transport Scotland. The route, from Fort William to Inverness, is the last leg of the Caledonia Way, National Cycle Network Route 78. New sections of the cycleway
05/10/2015
Transport Minister Derek Mackay has announced a £1.7 million upgrade to ferry facilities on a small Scottish island. Plans have been drawn up to improve the ferry berthing facilities on the island of Kerrera. A new breakwater will be built and the slipway will be extended. The project also involv
05/10/2015
Performance confidence in the year ahead amongst Scottish firms has declined during the third quarter of 2015, according to new research. The latest Scottish Construction Monitor by the Scottish Building Federation (SBF) shows that industry confidence about their prospects has fallen to 51% from 64
02/10/2015
NHS Lothian has submitted proposals for a new £72m community hospital in East Lothian. The facility will be built on the existing Roodlands site in Haddington. Construction is anticipated to start in late 2016. The submissions follows an extensive consultation with local communities. The project
02/10/2015
The time taken to make decisions on major housing developments has reached its slowest yet, according to latest figures. The Official Statistics Publication (OSP) reveals the average decision time made on 20 major housing developments in the first quarter of 2015 was 64.4 weeks. Four of the 20 app
02/10/2015
A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has been submitted by Aberdeen City Council for a new Energy from Waste (EfW) facility. The proposed £120m development will be located on Greenbank Crescent at East Tullos. The derelict industrial site is identified as a waste management site in the proposed
02/10/2015
A planning application for a new council headquarters has been lodged in Falkirk. The building will be located on the site of the former Westbank Clinic on West Bridge Street. Last month the council gave the green light for plans to be brought forward. Building warrants for the demolition of West
02/10/2015
The Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA) has announced its chairman is stepping down. Ray Licence is retiring after being in the role for five years. He will be succeeded by Simon Mountford. Mr Mountford joined the Board of SBHA in 2012 as a Scottish Borders Council nominee Board Member. H
02/10/2015
Fife Council has announced it will carry out major resurfacing works next weekend. The roadworks will take place on the A91 from 10 October for up to two weeks. The A91 will be closed East to West for the duration of the works while the B936 will be closed North to South through Auchtermuchty on t
01/10/2015
The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has issued its largest ever fine after ruling a Scottish green energy company broke marketing call regulations. Cambuslang-based Home Energy & Lifestyle Management (HELM) was fined £200,000 after an ICO investigation discovered it made over six million cal
01/10/2015
3B Construction has been appointed to deliver a new golf club house in South Ayrshire. The contractor will begin developing the new £1.5m Belleisle Golf Club House on Monday, 5 October. The appointment follows the council's termination of the previous contract with T & A Kernoghan due to its lack
01/10/2015
Work to develop a £2 million housing development in Perth and Kinross is continuing, Kingdom HA has announced. Councillors recently visited the project on the site of the abandoned Crown Hotel in Crieff. Plans include the development of 14 new homes by the end of November this year at a total cost
01/10/2015
Progress is continuing on a £2.8 million structural repair and refurbishment project, Argyll and Bute Council has announced. Works to the buildings and structures of the Victorian-era wooden pier in Dunoon are now expected to be complete by the end of November. The contractor for Phase 1A, enginee
01/10/2015
Resurfacing works are due to take place on a carriageway in West Lothian. Roadworks on the A706 Whitburn to Longridge road are scheduled to begin on 12 October until 30 October. A spokesperson from West Lothian Council said: "Resurfacing such a large stretch of road is a major project but all appr
01/10/2015
A public consultation has been launched by Aberdeen City Council on the Draft Development Framework of a Nigg bay. The document seeks to maximise the potential of land around the planned expansion of Aberdeen Harbour. The Draft Framework has been created by consultants Barton Willmore on behalf of
01/10/2015
Work is underway to build a housing development in East Lothian. The council has completed a deal worth £8.3m to purchase 71 flats and houses on two sites at Hallhill, Dunbar from Mansell Homes, part of the Balfour Beatty group. The properties are to be built by local firm Hart Builders. Work is
01/10/2015
A leading Scottish architect has joined chartered architects and planning consultants Halliday Fraser Munro. Malcolm Fraser joined the practice following the closure of his own firm Malcolm Fraser Architects. David Halliday MD for Halliday Fraser Munro, said: "Malcolm has been a leading force in S
