Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Scotland Construction News Archive for November 2015
30/11/2015
International Development Minister Humza Yousaf has appointed energy expert Joss Blamire to provide advice and support for renewable projects in Malawi. As energy policy expert, Mr Blamire will help develop the African country's first national renewable energy strategy. He will also support a Sust
30/11/2015
ISG has secured a £5 million contract to expand facilities at a distillery in the Inner Hebrides. The firm will undertake phase one of a multi-million pound project to build a new Coultorsay maturation warehouse complex at the Bruichladdich Distillery on the Isle of Islay. Six bonded warehouses ar
30/11/2015
Lovell has been selected to carry out £2.1 million of improvement works in Glasgow. The developer will transform a multi-storey block of flats in Cambuslang for South Lanarkshire Council. The 40-week programme at Kyle Court is part of the council's HomeHappening scheme. Lovell will carry out majo
30/11/2015
Proposals to build 20 new flats in West Dunbartonshire have been granted approval. Plans by Wheatley Housing Group to develop two blocks of four-storey flats in Clydebank were given the green light on 25 November. In addition, the developer has also pledged to contribute nearly £13,000 towards upg
30/11/2015
A public drop-in session has been held on proposals to develop the next phase of a 'pioneering' cycleway in East Dunbartonshire. Hundreds of residents attended the exhibition at Kessington Pubic Hall, Bearsden on 19 November. The information and feedback received will now be used to form the desig
30/11/2015
Work to begin developing a new high school in Moray has been granted approval. The £28 million Elgin High School project had stalled due to an issue with EU accounting, which also affected 11 other projects across Scotland. However, the EU, UK and Scottish Governments have solved the impasse and i
30/11/2015
Approximately £200 million is to be invested on the Crichton estate in Dumfries, it has been announced. The investment is being made by Jansons Property in partnership with the Crichton Trust and could create hundreds of jobs. Proposed developments include: • A purpose-built campus for the Univer
30/11/2015
Over £250,000 of funding has been approved for 'carbon clever' project across the Highlands. Councillors approved support for a wide range of projects during a committee meeting on Friday, 27 November. Over the past 18 months, the council's Carbon Clever capital budget has supported a wide range o
27/11/2015
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has given the go ahead for approximately £330 million of capital investment projects. Following an Office of National Statistics review of proposals developed by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), Mr Swinney announced 12 projects (ten new schools, two new health pr
27/11/2015
The Robert Gordon University (RGU) has hosted a construction careers event for seven Aberdeen City and Shire schools. Pupils visited RGU's Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment on Wednesday, 25 November. They were given a tour of the new £16 million university building and
27/11/2015
Plans to establish a Local Island Innovation Zone (LIIZ) for Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides have been announced. Islands Minister Derek Mackey heard the proposals during an 11th meeting of the Island Areas Ministerial Working Group (IAMWG) on 26 November. Island Council leaders presented
27/11/2015
West Lothian Council is to invest £900,000 in decorating tenants' homes, it has been announced. The three year Assisted Decoration Scheme will help tenants who are either senior citizens or have limited physical capacity. Tenants who fill the criteria can apply to have a room decorated with either
27/11/2015
Planning consent has been granted for a 'forest home' retreat within the Cairngorms National Park. Approval was given to Moxon Architects to develop the 'climate proof' Quarry House project at Crathie Wood. The timber-clad scheme will be located in a redundant quarry and join a small cluster of ho
27/11/2015
Construction firm CCG (Scotland) has reported strong growth figures in its yearly results. Profits rose by 57% in the year to March 2015 to over £7 million. Turnover also increased in the same period to just under £121m. In addition, the Group's manufacturing division (CCG OSM) reported a turnover
27/11/2015
School pupils in the Shetland Islands have visited the construction site of their new £55 million school at Staney Hill. 42 students from Secondary 5 and 6 of Anderson High School (AHS) were given a 40 minute tour of the site by Project Director Mark Clarke and Site Manager Calum Cassidy. Pupils h
27/11/2015
The Scottish Government is launching a new website for all planning applications next year, it has been announced. Anyone submitting an application will be directed to the ePlanning.scot website from 13 January, 2016. North Lanarkshire Council's Head of Planning and Regeneration, Shirley Linton, s
27/11/2015
Plans to develop a new £21.4 million school in the Scottish Borders have been granted approval. The Scottish Government announced yesterday that an EU ruling affecting 12 capital projects across the country had now been resolved. Construction work on the new Kelso High School is due to begin at Ne
27/11/2015
SSE has hosted a local supply chain event for a wind farm project in Inverness-Shire. The 32-turbine Bhlaraidh wind farm will be located on the Glenmoriston Estate north-west of Invermoriston in the Great Glen. The 'Open4Business' event saw over 30 local businesses engage with the project's constr
26/11/2015
BAM Construction has been selected to build new headquarters for chemicals company Ineos. The £17 million headquarters will be developed on Inchyra Road at Ineos' 1,700 acre site in Grangemouth. The building has been designed by Michael Laird Partnership and will have four storeys comprising over
26/11/2015
The Scottish Government is to receive a £1.9 billion increase in its capital funding, it has been announced. The announcement was made by Chancellor George Osbourne in his Spending Review to Parliament yesterday, 25 November. The figure represents an increase of 14% over five years, in addition to
26/11/2015
Architecture firm ADP has opened a new studio in Edinburgh. The opening comes after the practice secured university commissions for Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt. Led by Director Graeme Feechan, the five-person team will be supported by 120 staff across eight UK studios. Mr Feechan said: "We believe
26/11/2015
Proposals to build a tram-link to Glasgow Airport are being put forward as one of two options in the £1.13bn Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal. The route would link the airport, Glasgow City Centre and Paisley. Tram-train carriages would operate on the heavy rail network between Glasgow Central S
26/11/2015
A £474,000 cycle and pedestrian link has been opened in West Lothian. The new route runs along the A779 between Starlaw and Bogall and completes a link between the communities of Bathgate and Livingston. An additional 1km of shared off road use for cyclists and pedestrians is also provided. Low p
26/11/2015
A new temporary bridge is to be installed across the A96 this weekend, Transport Scotland has announced. The structure will be erected between Dyce Drive roundabout and Kirkhill Forest in an effort traffic moving during construction works on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie-Tipperty (
26/11/2015
Property consultant Ryden has posted a turnover of £12.5m in its year end results. In addition, it reported a profit of £5.48m, overal; representing an 18% increase in fees and a 49% increase in profits over the last three years. Ryden's highlights of the year include a 10% regional growth in Edin
26/11/2015
The final stage of an innovative apartment block project has been completed in the Highlands. The social housing scheme in Kendal Court, Alness was developed and designed by Inverness-based JNESpace. The units were built by Carbon Dynamic. Councillors visited the site on 25 November and witnessed
26/11/2015
EDF Energy is underway with maintenance works on a power station's nuclear reactor in North Ayrshire. During routine inspections, engineers discovered three graphite blocks were cracked on one of the two nuclear reactors at the Hunterston B power station. Known as keyway root cracking, the mainten
26/11/2015
A planning application has been submitted to build a £26 million housing development in Fife, Kingdom Housing Association has announced. The plans propose demolishing 236 properties in Inverkeithing and replacing them with 189 energy efficient homes. The application was submitted by 7N Architects
25/11/2015
Isleburn has been awarded a contract to provide suction anchors for the world's first floating wind farm in Aberdeenshire. Statoil selected Isleburn after the Norwegian energy firm was granted a licence for the project at Buchan Deep, 25km off the shore of Peterhead. Isleburn has now been tasked w
25/11/2015
Drum Property Group has revealed further details of a £35 million shopping centre redevelopment in Ipswich. A new 12-screen Empire cinema will be located at the heart of the redeveloped Buttermarket shopping complex. Other features of the project include a new 20,000 sq ft gym, nine new restaurant
25/11/2015
Approval has been granted for a £56.7 million transformation of Paisley's museum in Renfrewshire. Plans to redevelop the town's museum were given the green light by councillors on 18 November. The scheme is part of Paisley's bid to be the UK City of Culture in 2021. Features of the project includ
25/11/2015
A number of Doosan Babcock jobs are 'at risk' in Renfrewshire, it has been revealed. The engineering group did not specify how much of the workforce will be cut. However, it is understood approximately 1,000 staff are based in Renfew. A consultation process with the affected staff has now been la
25/11/2015
McGregor Construction has completed repair work to a historic bridge in the Highlands. The company was awarded a £175,000 contract to replace the original parapets on the Evanton arch road bridge. Over the years, the sandstone masonry parapets had deteriorated due to years of water spray from the
25/11/2015
Further ground investigations are being carried out at a former quarry in the Highlands, it has been announced. A two week survey is taking place at the 4.2 hectare Kingsteps Quarry in Nairn. The work involves excavating trial pits across the site to ensure it can be safely used by the public as a
25/11/2015
Argyll and Bute Council is inviting residents to view the new Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre this week. The building centralises services for the two regions into one new facility on East Clyde Street in Helensburgh. The project involved refurbishing the Grade B listed former Clyde Street Sch
25/11/2015
Work is underway on Esh Group's new construction training academy in County Durham. Foundation work has been started on the £3.6 million Esh Academy, which will draw together company services and group HR activities across the North East, Yorkshire, Scottish Borders and Cumbria under one banner. T
25/11/2015
Work is underway on a new multi-million care home and day centre in Dumbarton, it has been announced. Councillor Gail Casey cut the first sod on Tuesday, 24 November. The former Crosslet House Building on the development site has been demolished and scheme is now due to be completed in early 2017.
25/11/2015
Four future leaders of Scotland's building and construction sector have won awards sponsored by leading construction firm Clark Contracts. The four were recognised at the Annual Prize Giving of the School of Engineering and Built Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU). Heather McIntyre
24/11/2015
Scotland's Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has told a major conference that the UK Governments energy policy has failed to meet its objectives. Mr Ewing made the comments at the International Tidal Energy Summit in London. He described the Secretary of State's approach to energy policy as "inconsiste
24/11/2015
Three contracts have been awarded on a £22 million project to build a nuclear waste storage facility at Dounreay. Amec Foster Wheel will design the safety and waste case of the store, while J Gunn & Sons have been awarded a contract for the site enabling works. In addition Street Crane Special Pr
24/11/2015
Motel One Group has selected Ogilvie Construction to develop a new £22 million hotel in Glasgow. The 374-room hotel is to be built in Oswald Street and will be one of the largest in Scotland. In addition, it will feature the typical One Lounge, which is a living room, breakfast cafe and bar all in
24/11/2015
A new £12 million primary school has been opened in Aberdeenshire. To mark the occasion, Council Leader Jenny Laing unveiled a plaque and officially opened Brimmond School in Bucksburn. The development was designed by JM Architects. The 4,500 sq m project began construction in April 2014 and will
24/11/2015
Designs for new dining facilities to cater for an increase in Edinburgh primary schools' meal provisions have been revealed. Planning applications have been submitted for the Cramond, East Craigs, Towerbank and Sciennes schools. The Scottish Government has provided £4.5m to build the new dining fa
24/11/2015
A free two-day slate building technique course is scheduled to be held in Ballachulish, the Highland Council has announced. The scheme is part of a wider project to conserve and interpret the iconic Ballachulish slate arch. The £277,000 scheme is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, The High
24/11/2015
hub North Scotland has been shortlisted at an awards ceremony for its £37 million community campus project in Aberdeenshire. The developer has won praise for its Alford Community Campus project and has been named as a finalist in the Scottish Property Awards 2016. The facility, located on the vill
24/11/2015
Regeneration plans for Aberdeenshire have received national recognition, the city council has announced. The City Centre Masterplan and Delivery Programme was shortlisted in two separate categories at the UK-wide Planning Awards. Over 4,000 residents were involved in the consultation process on th
24/11/2015
The Orkney LEADER programme is to host a drop-in session to assist groups looking for financial assistance with their community projects, it has been announced. The session will allow interested parties to discuss project ideas and receive advice from the LEADER team. LEADER is aimed at small scal
24/11/2015
In order to minimise 'on-site' health and safety risk, reduce 'on-site' costs, speed up installation time and, in many cases, reduce disruption to the general public, Scottish Water have adopted Hydrok's solution for the 'off-site' manufacture of bespoke stainless steel CSO chambers for several new
23/11/2015
Scottish First Minister (SFM) Nicola Sturgeon has announced the first investment of the £1.13 billion city and region deal. Ms Sturgeon revealed Greenock terminal is to receive a £30m boost during her visit to the site today, 23 November. More than £14m is to go towards a planned expansion of the
23/11/2015
Scottish Enterprise has granted £1 million to Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) to invest in the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde. The Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant will help boost jobs on the Port Glasgow site from 150 FTE to 250 FTE. In addition, the funding will help c
23/11/2015
Cabinet Secretary Alex Neil has revealed £1.7m is available for Scottish communities to regenerate their town centres. Offers have gone out to 21 groups for the Town Centre Communities Capital Fund (TCCCF). Investment will be split between projects aimed at revitalising Kilsyth main street, conver
23/11/2015
South Ayrshire Council is inviting residents to take part in an online survey about housing in the region. It is understood results of the survey will be implemented into the council's Local Housing Strategy for 2017 – 2022. The strategy influences all types of housing, including council housing,
23/11/2015
New welcome signs have been placed across a town in Fife, it has been announced. Five new 'Welcome to Leven' information boards have been installed across the town centre and replace the previous 20-year-old panels. The contractor for the works was Realm Construction. One of the boards at Durie S
23/11/2015
Three project proposals on how to redevelop a town centre in North Lanarkshire have been shortlisted in a design competition. A week-long public consultation, organised by Planning Aid Scotland and North Lanarkshire Partnership, helped to develop the ideas for Motherwell town centre. The FutureTow
23/11/2015
Resurfacing works are taking place along the A77 at Carlock Hill, Scotland TranServ has announced. The resurfacing programme is being carried out on behalf of Transport Scotland. The works at Carlock Hill will last until 4pm today, 23 November. Further resurfacing will take place at Torrisdale fr
23/11/2015
A new £1.6m extension to a primary school in Aberdeen has been officially opened. The development at Insch Primary School was unveiled during a ceremony on Friday, 20 November. Work on the project started in March this year. Morrison Construction carried out the works, which included four new cla
20/11/2015
ScottishPower Renewables has signed a £25m deal with the Port of Lowestoft to act as the construction and operations hub of a wind farm project off the coast of Suffolk. The port will be utilised as the construction management base for the 172-turbine East Anglia ONE project. Once completed, the p
20/11/2015
Graham Construction has won an £18 million contract to refurbish the Grade A-listed Edinburgh Law School Building. The project is due to begin on Monday, 23 November. As part of the programme, Graham will retain and restore many of the original features of the over 300-year old college building.
20/11/2015
Scottish Borders Council has received a planning award for a regeneration project in Kelso. The council received the 'Development on the Ground Award' at the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning. The award was presented by Cabinet Secretary Alex Neil. Judges described the project as "an impres
20/11/2015
Aberdeen City Council and Balfour Beatty have agreed a time extension on the £18 million Third Don Crossing project. It is understood the scheme will be delayed by seven weeks. This is due to "unexpected delays with re-routing underground utilities". The new completion date is now March 2016. Co
20/11/2015
The Scottish Govt has launched a consultation on the future of land use in the country. Discussions are to take place over the next ten weeks on the draft Land Use Strategy 2016 – 2021. The draft sets out a range of policies and proposals, including: • How to manage natural resources, including c
20/11/2015
A planning application has been lodged for a new school in East Dunbartonshire. The new primary school will be built on the site of the existing St Flannan's Primary School in Kirkintilloch. In addition, it will replace St Agatha's and St Flannan's primaries. The council submitted the application
19/11/2015
Scottish Housing Minister Margaret Burgess has pledged to build 50,000 new homes over the next five years. A total of £3bn is to be invested in the affordable housing programme. Previously, the Scottish Government announced it had exceeded its existing five-year target to deliver 30,000 affordable
19/11/2015
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is to fund a new £500,000 scaffolding training centre in the North East of Scotland, it has been announced. The ASET Training Academy, part of North East Scotland College, has been selected to develop the new facility which is due to open in September
19/11/2015
ScottishPower Renewables has submitted plans to develop a 'major' offshore windfarm in East Anglia. The 305km2 East Anglia THREE development is to be built off the coast of Suffolk. It will comprise 172 wind turbines with a capacity for 1,200mw, enough to power the electricity demands of over 850,
19/11/2015
A recent debate on housing in Scotland painted an "incomplete picture" of the country's housing crisis, Homes for Scotland (HfS) has said. The trade body stated the debate, which focused on publicly 'affordable' housing, did not tell the whole story. Philip Hogg, Chief Executive of HfS, said: "In
19/11/2015
Morgan Sindall has completed exterior works on a new £5 million community hub in East Dunbartonshire A topping out ceremony to mark the milestone at the Lennoxtown Community Hub was held today, 19 November. Work on the project has progressed well and contractor Morgan Sindall is on schedule to del
19/11/2015
Two new facilities to test water and waste water technologies have been opened in Scotland. The Gorthleck Development Centre was created within a former water treatment works in the Highlands, while the Bo'ness facility was developed next to Scottish Water's existing waste water treatment works (WW
19/11/2015
Recent repair works at a tourist attraction in Helensburgh have been funded by charity lottery players, National Trust Scotland has announced. The project at Hill House was made possible due to players of People's Postcode Lottery, who generated £10,000. Two leaded windows at the house were repair
19/11/2015
Proposals to build a housing project in Moray have been approved by councillors. Contractor Tulloch of Cummingston is set to build 261 properties at Sunbank in Lossiemouth. However, the proposals received over 60 objections from members of the public living near to the development site, which can
19/11/2015
Civil engineering contractor George Leslie has secured a £22.2 million contract to redevelop a ferry terminal on the Isle of Arran. The contract was awarded by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL). CMAL is investing approximately £30m to transform the ferry terminal in Brodick with work due t
19/11/2015
A £200,000 resurfacing works programme is due to take place in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland TranServ has announced. A section of the A75 'The Glen' east and west bound is to receive improvements to its road surface. The road will be closed between Garroch Roundabout and Dromore Roundabout from
18/11/2015
A total of 30,000 'affordable' Scottish homes have been delivered ahead of schedule, it has been announced. The Scottish Government has exceeded its five-year target of delivering 30,000 properties by March 2016. Total funding for the scheme was £1.7bn. In addition, 20,000 social rented homes – in
18/11/2015
Work to restore the fire-ravaged Glasgow School of Art (GSA) are expected to cost up to £35m, it has been announced. The GSA has now submitted a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) and is actively looking for a contractor to take on the works. It is understood work could begin in summer 2016. L
18/11/2015
The regeneration of 12 high-rise blocks in Cumbernauld is improving a nearby wildlife reserve, Sanctuary Scotland has announced. The housing association (HA) is working alongside Cumbernauld Living Landscape to improve the Scottish Wildlife Trust's reserve in Seafar. Contractors provided two new g
18/11/2015
A new 'affordable' housing development has been completed in Fife. The 21-home Silverdykes scheme was built by Muir Homes in Cellardyke. The council plans to deliver 2,700 new 'affordable' homes in Fife by 2017. Councillor Judy Hamilton said: "This particular development is an important one in th
18/11/2015
Housing association CALA Homes is to make 12 properties in East Lothian available to applicants on the council's housing list. The homes at the Gilsland Grange site in North Berwick will be put up for sale 24% - 43% below market value. Eligibility for properties will be assessed taking into accoun
18/11/2015
A new £1 million primary school has opened in West Dunbartonshire. The new Lennox Primary School is located in Bonhill and was officially opened by Councillor Michelle McGinty on Friday, 13 November. The school is an combination of Highdykes/Ladyton primaries and opened within the former St Ronan'
18/11/2015
Orkney Islands Council's (OIC) Planning Service has received praise from the Scottish Government in a recent report. Feedback on the council's Planning Performance Framework reveals major improvements have been made to the service since 2013. The service was marked on a red, amber, green rating fo
18/11/2015
A total of £330,000 has been awarded by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for three community projects totalling over £2.3 million. The funds were given from the fifth-round of the Comhairle's Community Capital Grant Fund (CCGF). The first project involves Urras Storas An Rubha, who have purchased a schoo
18/11/2015
Wheatley Group has appointed Sir Harry Burns as Chairman of its charitable foundation. Sir Harry was previously Chief Medical Officer for Scotland from 2005 until 2014. He has held a number of other senior positions during a distinguished career, including Director of Public Health for Greater Gla
18/11/2015
Transport Scotland has revealed different bridge options as part of a consultation process for a section of the A9 Dualling scheme. The public will be able to see and comment on options being developed to cross the River Spey near Kingussie as part of the 18.4km dualling operation between Crubenmor
17/11/2015
Two applications for wind farms in Sutherland have been refused by Scottish Ministers, it has been announced. Ministers rejected plans for a 22-turbine wind farm at Sallachy and Duchally estate. In addition, proposals for a 23-turbine wind farm at Glencassley Estate by Lairg were also refused. It
17/11/2015
A new £2 million life science manufacturing facility has opened in Grangemouth. The new Piramal Healthcare suite was officially opened by Scottish First Minister (SFM) Nicola Sturgeon today, 17 November. It will produce antibody drug conjugates to treat various types of cancer. Scottish Enterpris
17/11/2015
A 'major' milestone has been reached in a £85m tunnel construction project in Glasgow. The Costain-Vinci Construction Grands Projets Joint Venture (JV) is developing the Shieldhall Tunnel for Scottish Water. Geotechnical specialists Bachy Soletanche has now installed the project's 675 piles over a
17/11/2015
Progress is being made on a new museum and art gallery in Fife, it has been revealed. A tower crane has now been introduced to the construction site of the Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries in the town's Heritage Quarter. Over the next 23 weeks, the tower will be used to off-load and dist
17/11/2015
A last-standing multi-storey block of flats in Inverclyde has been demolished by River Clyde Homes (RCH). The 76 unit Hawick Court block in the Belville area of the east end of Greenock was brought down on Sunday, 15 November. Plans include to landscape the site and use it as a car park for nearby
17/11/2015
A charity in Glasgow is to relocate to new premises following a combined investment between Clyde Gateway and the Church of Scotland. A total of £820,000 has been granted to allow the Church House charity to move into a purpose-built new Family Support Centre in Bridgeton. Clyde Gateway is contrib
17/11/2015
Cala Homes has been named Scotland's large business of the year at the Scottish Business Awards ceremony. The event took place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday, 12 November. Recently, Cala delivered record annual results and saw pre-tax profits double to £50.9m. In add
17/11/2015
A new music venue has opened in Glasgow, it has been announced. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) has relocated to its new purpose-built facility in the city centre. Construction of the 600 seat rehearsal and recording facility was completed in October. The building has been designed b
17/11/2015
Empiric Student Property has acquired a forward funded development in Glasgow. The 155 George Street scheme consists of an 89 bed student accommodation project located close to the University of Glasgow. Empiric has purchased the freehold development comprising of a vacant office building, extendi
17/11/2015
Contractor George Leslie is due to begin construction of a new £3.3 million road crossing in the Highlands. The project will replace the bridge that carries the A862 road over the main Inverness to Dingwall railway line. Works include development a new two span bridge across the railway, supportin
16/11/2015
Plans to go ahead with the first stage of extending the Edinburgh tram line are to be discussed by the local council, it has been announced. The proposals focus on extending the line from the Scottish capital, to Newhaven. If recommendations are agreed, it is understood a nine-month period of pr
16/11/2015
Contractors have started construction work to develop a new mountain bike centre in Greenock, Inverclyde. 'Back on Track' have started developing the mountain biking trails at Rankin Park. The design for the new mountain bike hub includes a link track, a balance bike track and an area to practice
16/11/2015
Falkirk Council are looking for suggested names for a new secondary school in Grangemouth. Construction work is expected to begin next year on the new school, to replace Carrongrange School, at Oxgang Road in Grangemouth. The new development is expected to open in August 2017. The consultation p
16/11/2015
Dundee City Council's Education Committee will hear details regarding plans to merge three learning centres into one location. The three centres are at Castlepark, Connect 5 and Balerno. The consultation aims to offer a new approach to the current offsite education service (OES) for "vulnerable an
16/11/2015
A decision to sell the former Mearns Academy buildings has been delayed until 2016. The community of Laurencekirk has been given more time to develop a business case for community use of the former Mearns Academy site and playing fields. The decision was made to provide time for the local developm
16/11/2015
The Scottish Steel Task Force has met to discuss ongoing efforts regarding the future for Tate sites in the country. The talks aim to find an alternative operator for Tata Steel's Dalzell and Clydebridge plants, it has been announced. At the meeting, members were updated on the efforts undertaken to
13/11/2015
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing is pressuring the UK Government to commit to a long term sustainable future for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The RHI is an environmental programme by the government which provides financial incentives to increase the uptake of renewable heat. However, M
13/11/2015
Transport Minister Derek Mackay has revealed details for the design and construction of continental cycling projects in Scotland. The Minister unveiled the proposals at the Cycling Scotland conference in Edinburgh on 12 November. The new 'Community Links Plus' competition will see funding made ava
13/11/2015
A £5.2m transport interchange in the Scottish Borders has been shortlisted in two categories of the Builder and Engineer Awards. The scheme has been named in the Public Sector Project of the Year and Civil/Infrastructure Project of the Year sections. It was developed by Hub South East Scotland. T
13/11/2015
Proposals to build a £180m Energy from Waste (EfW) facility in Scotland have moved forward, it has been announced. Councillors in Moray have joined with Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council to build the plant in Aberdeen. After 2020, new regulations will place a ban on organic waste goi
13/11/2015
A bus company in Perth has announced it will install solar panels at its depots in a bid to cut back on carbon emissions. Stagecoach is aiming to reduce three million kg of carbon emissions during the 20 year project. The company is working alongside renewable energy companies Visolaris and Renewa
13/11/2015
Revised plans for the first phase to overhaul education facilities in Dumfries could rise by more than £21m, it is understood. Councillors are to be told they can try to reduce funding to other schemes, use additional borrowing or reassess the schools project itself. Nearly £45m was allocated to a
13/11/2015
Only 1% of buildings owned by Scottish Councils are heated by renewable energy, according to new research. Industry body Scottish Renewables (SR) labelled the figure as "underwhelming". 21 Councils have invested almost £8m making sure 225 schools, 17 leisure centres, 17 care homes and 63 other pu
13/11/2015
Pipe specialist Flexenergy has appointed Andy Watts as its new Regional Manager. Mr Watts has vast experience in the construction and energy sectors. In addition, he is also familiar with the Fife-based company's services having worked with Flexenergy for eight years up to 2010. Mr Watts' main obj
13/11/2015
The next stage of a regeneration project in Glasgow has been approved by councillors. The Sauchiehall and Garnethill District Regeneration Framework features 80 proposed projects, including a bridge and park to be built over the M8 near Charing Cross. A public consultation is also to be held on th
13/11/2015
Eight schools in Glasgow have been selected to receive solar panels in an effort to cut the city's energy bills and carbon emissions. The 'solar schools' chosen to get solar panels on their roofs are: Aultmore Park Primary in Baillieston; Crookston Castle Primary School in Pollok; Keppoch Campus in
12/11/2015
Scottish energy company SSE has completed upgrade work to a power station in Aberdeenshire. Peterhead power station has returned to operation following improvements to increase the flexibility and efficiency of the facility. The plant can now operate in the market at loads between 240MW and 400MW,
12/11/2015
EDF Energy Renewables (EDF ER) is to develop a wind farm in Moray, it has been announced. The Dorenell Wind Farm is located near Dufftown and is one of the largest onshore wind projects to be built in Scotland. EDF ER will build and develop the scheme alongside renewable energy company Infinergy.
12/11/2015
A total of £5m is to be invested in towns and villages across Moray, the council has announced. It is understood councillors approved the funding to install LED lighting throughout the region over the next five years. The local authority is responsible for approximately 17,300 street lights, of wh
12/11/2015
The second phase of a link road scheme in the Highlands is due to begin, it has been announced. The Council Buildings Junction stage of the Kinnairdie Link Road Scheme in Dingwall has progressed well, according to the local authority. The projects contractor, Pat Munro (Alness), will now extend th
12/11/2015
Midlothian Council is to hold a 'Meet the Buyer' event allowing local companies to find out more information about a new school development in the region. The exhibition will host information about individual job opportunities, what training is offered to young people, and how sub contractors can g
12/11/2015
A redevelopment project at Aberdeen Art Gallery has received a £250,000 donation in a fundraising campaign for the works. The donation was made by Garfield Weston Foundation, and will go towards the £30m 'Inspiring Art and Music' project. The scheme involves redeveloping Aberdeen Art Gallery, Cowd
12/11/2015
A joint venture between Miller Developments and Craigrossie Properties has purchased a former pigment manufacturing plant in Renfrewshire. The plant in Paisley was closed by chemical firm BASF last year, with the loss of 140 jobs. The facility produced pigments to colour paints, paper and plastics
12/11/2015
Plans to build a new gas mains supply for a village in West Lothian are moving forward, it has been announced. A council commissioned study has highlighted that the provision of a mains gas supply in Westfield is technically possible. Currently, Westfield, Wilkieston, Breich and Newton do not have
12/11/2015
The Environment Minister Aileen McLeod has invited applicants to apply towards a £700,000 'green space' fund. The Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) Development Fund is available to projects which support green infrastructure, as well as community growing and active travel. The fund is managed
12/11/2015
The Scotland Build Expo 2015 is to be held later this month in Glasgow, it has been announced. The event will take place at the SECC on the 25 and 26 November. The exhibition will focus on construction in Scotland and bring together key industry players over a two day period. Various industry bod
11/11/2015
Scotland is set to miss it's 100% renewable electricity target without more investment in onshore and offshore wind, according to a Scottish Renewables (SR) report. The industry body's research shows Scotland is on schedule to generate 87% of its annual demand for power from renewables by 2020. Ho
11/11/2015
Plans to develop a wind farm on the slopes of a mountain in the Highlands has been refused. The rejection of the bid to reverse the refusal of planning permission has been welcomed by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCoS). Originally, PI Renewables had proposed to build a 14 turbine wind f
11/11/2015
Taylor Wimpey East Scotland is to deliver 24 'affordable' homes in Fife, the council has announced. The development is be built at Lapwing Drive as part of the council's Affordable Housing Programme. The announcement is the latest contribution towards the council's target of 2,700 new homes by 201
11/11/2015
Sanctuary Scotland has completed the final phase of its £30m housing regeneration project in Renfrewshire. A total of 86 properties have been built in Shortroods, Paisley. Phase three of the project was developed by McTaggart Construction and cost £9.6m. The homes were designed by architect Ander
11/11/2015
A new housing development has been completed in Perth and Kinross (P&K). A total of 10 new properties have been built by Muir Homes in Castlemains, Auchterarder. Perth & Kinross Council, which were handed the homes four weeks ahead of schedule, invested £1.2m in the development. The project is p
11/11/2015
West Lothian Council has announced residents still have time to comment on a development strategy for the region. Consultation on the West Lothian Local Development Plan (LDP) closes on Sunday, 22 November. The LDP identifies sites and developer requirements to contribute towards the provision of
11/11/2015
A railway station in the Highlands has been redeveloped into a new restaurant, Transport Scotland has announced. The 'Platform 1864' restaurant has been built at Tain railway station in Easter Ross. It was funded by grants from Transport Scotland's Station Community Regeneration Fund (SCRF) and th
11/11/2015
Balfour Beatty has announced it is to hold a 'meet the buyer' event for local companies to find out more information about the new Dundee Railway Station project. The exhibition will be hosted in partnership with Dundee City Council at the Invercarse Hotel on Tuesday, 17 November. The event aims t
11/11/2015
Dumfries and Galloway councillors have agreed to a £15 million flood defence scheme, it has been announced. Plans for a Raised Walkway design to protect the Whitesands area were unanimously approved at a committee meeting on 10 November. The design proposals aims to protect and regenerates the are
11/11/2015
A new £11.5 million primary school in East Dunbartonshire is to open earlier than expected after an early start on its development. The school is being delivered in partnership with the council by hub West Scotland as part of the Primary School Improvement Programme (PSIP). It will replace the exi
10/11/2015
SSE has appointed CCG to develop a new £4 million visitor centre at Pitlochry dam and power station in Perthshire. The new facility is scheduled to open in October 2016 and will allow visitors to learn about the role of engineers who built the hydro-power dam over 70 years ago. In addition, the ce
10/11/2015
A new £4 million Porsche Centre has been built in Aberdeen by Ogilvie Construction. The new Centre in Wellington Road was developed for Peter Vardy Ltd. Features of the centre include a dedicated handover bay with special features, a business lounge area and a café bar. In addition, a Porsche Dri
10/11/2015
Glass packaging company Ardagh Group has opened a new £15m flint furnace in Ayrshire. The facility was officially opened by Scottish First minister Nicola Sturgeon on 09 November. The new furnace allows Ardagh's Irvine Plant to become one of the most advanced and efficient bottling plants in Europ
10/11/2015
A multi-million pound project in Argyll and Bute is entering it's final phase, the council has announced. The Helensburgh Office Rationalisation Project (HORP) involves centralising services for Helensburgh and Lomond into one new bespoke building. Employees are to relocate to their new office acc
10/11/2015
A £2.4m medical facility has been completed in North Lanarkshire. Construction work is now finished on the MediCity Scotland development, the first project to use Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal funding. The facility, based at BioCity Scotland in Newhouse, has been created with the support of £
10/11/2015
The salary of a civil engineer varies from region to region across the UK, new research has revealed. According to recruitment consultancy Maple Resourcing, an experienced UK civil engineer typically commands a fee of £45,300, while graduate workers receive just under £24,500 on average. However,
10/11/2015
A bridge in Angus has reopened following structural repairs. The Balintore Bridge was closed in September after problems with its foundations were discovered. Maintenance work on the structure is now almost complete. Further resurfacing works are to be finished later this week. (LM/CD)
10/11/2015
Resurfacing works on the A737 are to begin this weekend, Scotland TranServ has announced. The route between Kilbarchan and Howwood is to be upgraded on behalf of Transport Scotland. The work will take place overnight between 15 – 19 November. The road between Kilbarchan Interchange and Elliston J
10/11/2015
A large scale housing improvement programme has been completed in East Ayrshire, it has been announced. A total of 73 homes in Gatehead and 100 homes in Stewarton have been upgraded. Working with the Energy Agency, funding from the Scottish Government was secured by the council. The Housing Asset
10/11/2015
Balfour Beatty has appointed Hector MacAulay as MD of the company's regional construction and civil engineering division in Scotland and Ireland. He will replace Murray Easton, who is stepping down after 37 years. MacAulay has spent 26 years with the London-based Balfour. His previous roles inclu
09/11/2015
The Scottish Government is to build six new elective treatment centres in a £200 million investment, it has been announced. Work is now underway to secure sites in Lothian, Grampian, Tayside and Highland health boards to allow the new stand-alone facilities to be created. In addition, the Golden J
09/11/2015
A £94 million project to refurbish a 275kV overhead line has been completed by the Scottish Hydro Electric Transmissions (SHE Transmission). The 157km line was built in the 1960's and runs on the main west to east transmission route from Beauly via Blackhillock to Kintore. Supported by 476 towers,
09/11/2015
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has written to the UK Energy Secretary Amber Rudd following a market notification of a shortfall in reserve capacity from National Grid. It is understood Mr Ewing asked for 'urgent changes' to the UK Government's policies and sought reassurances that energy sec
09/11/2015
Architectural practice Keppie Design has revealed plans for a 15-storey office block in Glasgow. The 8,000 sq m office block is to be developed by Patrizia UK on the site of Douglas House. It will replace the existing office block on the corner of Waterloo and Douglas Street. Facilities will incl
09/11/2015
Glasgow-based Aggreko has announced it is sticking to its full-year profit guidance despite a recent decline in sales. The temporary power provider reported a drop in sales during its third quarter results with underlying revenue for Q3 7% behind last year and reported revenue down 6%. However, th
09/11/2015
Ineos, Exxon Mobil and Shell have signed a deal to secure ethane from US shale gas for the Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) in Scotland. The facility at Mossmorran will begin to receive ethane from Ineos' new £450m Grangement import terminal from mid-2017. Ineos said the agreement will "ensure the compet
09/11/2015
Three community groups in Inverness-shire have been awarded £1.6 million by SSE, it has been announced. The money was given at the launch of the energy company's Dunmaglass Wind Farm Community Fund. It will be split between the communities of Strathnairn, Strathdearn, and Stratherrick and Foyers,
09/11/2015
West Dunbartonshire Council has voted in favour of building new 'affordable' housing to a higher design standard than anywhere else in Scotland. A 'stringent' criteria of energy efficiency, kitchen and bathroom design is to be introduced by the council, including accessibility in order to drive up
06/11/2015
Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown has spoken of the opportunities available to Scottish businesses by developing a high speed rail line (HS2) for the country. Mr Brown addressed supply chain industry leaders at a conference in Edinburgh on Thursday, 05 November. He stated the construction of a high sp
06/11/2015
Aberdeen City Council has appointed Hub North Scotland to deliver an additional needs school in the region. The new Centre of Excellence will be located on Howes Road and will replace Woodlands School and Hazelwood School. The main contractor for the project is Ogilvie Construction. The facility
06/11/2015
An 'affordable' housing development in West Dunbartonshire is to go ahead after councillors gave their approval to the project. A total of 31 properties are to be built on land at Carrick Terrace and Hawthornhill Road in Castlehill. The site will be transferred to Cube Housing Association as part
06/11/2015
Work is underway on a £37m modernisation and redevelopment programme of a college in South Ayrshire, Hub South West Scotland has announced. An official turf cutting ceremony took place at Marr College with Learning Minister Dr Alasdair Allan alongside Council Leader Bill Mcintosh. The project is b
06/11/2015
A landmark building in Angus is to reopen this weekend following a £186,000 refurbishment. The Reid Hall in Forfar underwent major revamp work including the main hall, meeting rooms and changing facilities. The kitchen has also been upgraded and a new servery has been installed. In addition, acce
06/11/2015
New council houses are to be built at an estate in Livingston, West Lothian Council has announced. Lovell Partnership will develop 45 properties at Deans South, while McTaggart Construction will build 46. Originally, Lovell was to develop nine houses. However, this number increased following a dec
06/11/2015
Robertson Homes has revealed plans to convert a Victorian hospital in Inverness into new homes. The Craig Dunain hospital was badly damaged by a fire in September 2007. However, the developer has now submitted plans to the Highland Council to create 36 townhouses and 30 apartments. It is understo
06/11/2015
Work to build a £1.8 million multi-purpose hub in Midlothian is to continue despite grant bids for the project being unsuccessful, it has been announced. Councillors at a full council meeting on 03 November heard bids to the Big Lottery and the government's Regeneration Capital Grants fund had been
05/11/2015
SSE has announced a 34% drop in its carbon emissions between 2014/15. The figure, which is a company record, means that SSE is again included in CDP's Climate Disclosure Leadership Index with a score of 100% and a performance rating of 'B'. CDP also commended the company for the amount of informat
05/11/2015
A development in St Andrews has won an award for being the best building in Scotland. Designed by Sutherland Hussey Harris, West Burn Lane received the 'Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award 2015'. The accolade was presented by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS). A s
05/11/2015
A major milestone has been reached on a project to create a new bypass in Aberdeen. The first bridge beams have been installed on a new structure which will carry the A90 over the realigned B9000 Newburgh to Pitmedden road. A total of 23 pre-cast beams weighing 20 tonnes each and measuring approxi
05/11/2015
Over £2m in support has been made available for four projects in Fife, it has been reported. A sixth meeting of the Fife Taskforce was held in Glenrothes on 04 November. It decided four local projects would receive £2.07m from the £6m set aside to support the Fife Taskforce's Action Plan. One of
05/11/2015
Council proposals to build 8,000 homes in Edinburgh are to go before a committee for review, it has been announced. The Health, Social Care and Housing Committee will discuss a report on 10 November to increase the house-building programme from 3,000 to 8,000 over the next 10 years. The reform aim
05/11/2015
Work is underway to remove asbestos from a woodland path in the Highlands, the council has announced. The Cemetery path, through Ellan Wood near Carrbridge, was installed in 2013 but closed in July 2015 after a member of the public reported finding a small amount of asbestos on the path's surface.
04/11/2015
Demolition works on the A90 road which are part of the Forth Replacement Crossing project have been completed early, the Scottish Government has announced. A third weekend of closures on the A90 is no longer necessary as work to demolish the old B800 bridge is now complete. A new bridge for the B8
04/11/2015
Building work is underway on a £2.5 million campus extension at Edinburgh Napier University. The work is taking place at the Sighthll campus as part of the University's partnership with BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy. The two-storey sports centre extension will host a multi-use strength and condi
04/11/2015
Approval has been granted for a student accommodation development in Aberdeen, it has been announced. The 221-room facility, designed by Michael Laird Architects (MLA), will be developed by Crucible Alba at the site of McConechey's Garage on Willowbank Road. The development will include 44 flats a
04/11/2015
Work is underway to demolish a church spire in Argyll and Bute after it was confirmed as unstable. The condition of Rothersay's West Church has been monitored over recent years and following further investigation work, it was revealed that sections were now dangerous to the public. In September, t
04/11/2015
A programme of roadworks is set to begin on a road bridge in Glasgow, Scotland TranServ has announced. Over £120,000 of works on the Nithsdale Road Bridge over the M77 is set to begin on 08 November. Features of the project include improving the quality of the road surface, waterproofing the bridg
04/11/2015
Work is underway on a new £8.2 million primary school in Stirling, the council has announced. The first sod of the new St Ninians Primary School was cut during a ceremony on Wednesday, 28 October. Learning Minister Alasdair Allan attended the event, alongside councillors, school children and repre
03/11/2015
Permission has been granted to Beatice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL) to develop onshore transmission works for the project in Moray Firth. A planning application was submitted to The Moray Council in April 2015 on behalf of the BOWL partnership. Members of the council's Planning and Regulatory Serv
03/11/2015
Housing developer Lovell is trialling a new tool which measures the economic impact of a build project on the local community. The Local Multiplier 3 (LM3) reveals how much investment a housing scheme brings to an area by analysing where the project income is spent and re-spent in the local economy
03/11/2015
A thirty year project to transform the waterfront in Dundee is halfway to completion, the council has announced. Over £75m has been invested in the sites infrastructure, which is currently moving into a mostly marketing phase. According to a new report, which will be considered by the policy and r
03/11/2015
A Community Liaison Group overseeing a link road project in the Highlands has been updated about the schemes progression. A second Public Local Communities Liaison Group meeting was held on 02 November for the Inverness West Link Project. MM Miller (Wick) is undertaking the Advance Works Contract,
03/11/2015
Councillors in Aberdeenshire have made a commitment to increase the number of 'affordable' houses in the region, it has been announced. The pledge was made during a visit to a £3m housing development in Inverurie last week. The Martin Brae scheme consists of 24 units across a range of property typ
03/11/2015
Proposals to develop new overhead power lines in Dumfries and Galloway are to be considered by the council. The SPEN Strategic Reinforcement Project, put forward by Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN), plans to build power lines from Ayrshire, through Dumfries and Galloway and beyond, into Cumbri
02/11/2015
Consent has been granted for the UK's first and world's largest floating offshore wind farm, the Scottish Government has announced. Statoil's Hywind Scotland development is to be installed off the coast of Peterhead after the application was granted a marine licence. Features of the project includ
02/11/2015
Robertson Group has expanded its operations in Tayside by opening a new office. The new Robertson House facility will be home to 56 staff across the company's construction, facilities management and special projects divisions. It was officially opened on Thursday, 29 October. Founder and Executiv
02/11/2015
Marshall Construction has won a £17.8m construction to build 14 warehouses for whisky company Chivas Brothers. Four triple warehouses and one double facility will be created over a 120-week period at the Willowyard, Beith site. The award represents the company's largest contract win to date Rober
02/11/2015
Transport Scotland has submitted plans to repair a historic bridge in the Scottish Borders region. The Old Tweed Bridge, opened in 1832, is the main link between Selkirk and Galashiels. However, it has fallen into disrepair following the opening of the new A7 crossing over the river. Proposals ha
02/11/2015
Oglivie Construction is to hold a 'Meet The Buyer' event next week involving a school build project in Falkirk. The exhibition will allow local construction businesses to find out more information about the £17.5m proposed Additional Support Needs (ASN) school in Grangemouth. The 6,100m2 project i
02/11/2015
Essential carriageway resurfacing works are to be carried out in Fife next week, the council has announced. Roadworks on the B945 will begin on Monday, 9 November. It is understood the works are to be undertaken in two phases and will be completed in approximately 12 weeks. A temporary road closu
02/11/2015
More investment is needed for Scottish construction firms through the public sector procurement process, according to the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC). An SCC survey revealed the construction sector increased between the second and third quarters. The industry procured an impressive perform
02/11/2015
A self-employed roofer has been fined after a man fell from the roof of a house and suffered serious injuries. Adam Menzies, 43, of Falkirk Road, Larbert, Falkirk, pleaded not guilty to health and safety offences. After a trial, he was found guilty at Falkirk Sheriff Court. He was fined £8,000. T
