Premier Construction Highlands & Islands

Issue #1/1

FREE COPY

December 2011

this issueq eye church 4q LochaLIne PrImary SchooL 10q KyLe of Tongue brIDge 19qThe hIghLanDerS’ muSeum 26

The premier information tool for the construction industry www.premierconstructionmagazine.com

construction magazine

highlands and Islands construction focus

featured3 Eye Church4 Lochaline Primary School8 Barra Children’s Centre12 Inverness Campus17 Kyle of Tongue Bridge33 The Highlanders’ Museum36 Inverness Social Enterprise Hotel

194

contents

3www.premierconstructionmagazine.co.uk

Publisher ROMA Publications

Managing Director Marcus Howarth

eDitorial Editor: Charlotte Emily Brazier Phone: 01706 716 255 Email: [email protected]

Assistant Editor: Alex WigganPhone: 01706 716 257Email: [email protected]

aDMin Executive Coordinator: Joanne MurphyPhone: 01706 716 251Email: [email protected]

aDVertising Sales and Marketing:Nicola Owen Phone: 01706 719 972 Email: [email protected] subscriPtions Phone: 01706 719 972 Fax: 0845 458 4446 Email: [email protected]

Design Graphic Designer:MarcusMacaulay.co.uk Print Advent www.advent-colour.co.uk

general enQuiries ROMA Publications Ltd Floor 2, 1 Livsey Street, Rochdale, Greater Manchester. OL16 1SS Phone: 01706 719972 Fax: 0845 458 4446 Emai: [email protected] Website: www.romauk.net

coPYright© Roma Publications Ltd. All contents are copyright. All rights are reserved. No part may be stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the publishers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies however caused. Contributed material does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. the editorial policy and general layout of this publication are at the discretion of the publisher and no debate will be entered into. No responsibility can be accepted for illustrations, artwork or photographs whilst in transmission with the publishers or their agents unless a commitment is made in writing prior to the receipt of such terms.

from the editor

follow Premier construction on:Twitter: twitter.com/PcbyromaWeblog: http://premierconstruction.wordpress.com

Dear readers, This edition of the magazine celebrates the exciting new changes that are being made across the Highlands and Islands.

Important decisions are being made that will affect both our future and the future of our successors.

The promotion of renewable energy will ensure the self-sufficiency of our nation and help to manage the effect that global warming will have on our future generations.

The new 807KW Roroyere hydropower station will contribute towards achieving the Scottish Government’s ambitious renewable energy targets. These targets include the generation of the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s gross annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050.

In Muaitheabhal , a new 118MW wind farm will provide enough green electricity to power 55,000 homes. Energy Minister, James Mather, said: “Since the first proposals for a wind farm on Lewis were put forward, I have maintained that the Western Isles must be able to play its part in harnessing and benefitting from our vast green energy potential. Today, we are making that a reality.”

Social changes are being made that will alter the way that society interacts.

Inverness is set to become home to the UK’s first social enterprise hotel, which will provide training for youngsters that are homeless, unemployed or lacking basic numeracy and literacy skills. The exciting Inverness Campus project will integrate leading academic facilities with world-class research opportunities, whilst generating up to £38 million for the Highlands and Islands economy every year.

The creation of new infrastructure allows communities to be brought together, as can be seen by the new Barra Children’s Centre. In order to meet the initial costs of the project, the island – with a population of just 1,200 – raised over £26,000 to supplement funding from the local Community Council, the National Lottery and the Local Authority.

Of course, to embrace the future it is essential to respect the past. The Kyle of Tongue Bridge is being carefully restored, whilst a £3.2m upgrade project is underway at The Highlanders’ Museum at Fort George. The museum is dedicated to the Cameron Highlanders, Seaforth Highlanders, Queen’s Own Highlanders and their affiliated regiments and the proposed refurbishment will transform it into a centre of excellence for the military heritage of the entire Highlands and Islands.

We now invite you, readers, to join us as we start making changes for our future.

5WWW.prEmiErConstruCtionmagazinE.co.uK

Works began on site in June 2010 and are expected to be completed by March 2012.

A new care home is being built in Balloans Field Healthcare Village by Tej Manda.

The 60-bed West Heather care home, located on West Heather Road, Inverness, will employ up to sixty-six

staff, 80% of which will be full-time workers. The building is a two-storey timber kit with rough-

casted block work, finished in snowcrete render and red facing brick. All of the rooms are single rooms with a shower ensuite and the minimum room size is 14½m² with a 3.5m² bathroom, making each living space a minimum size of 18m². In addition, there are three rooms (each at 22m²) for less able occupants.

Externally, a small amount of landscaping will take place and there will be parking space for approximately 24 cars.

Michael Rose is the project manager for the scheme and is responsible for overseeing the placement of work packages and the day-to-day running of the site. He said: “Due to the modification and republication of the HSE guidelines, we have had to keep the entire timber frame fire-proofed throughout the construction period – something that I personally have not encountered before.

However, despite this, works are progressing well.”Tej Manda also commented that work was

progressing as expected. He said: “Everyone is working well and the care home standards will be better than those expected by the care authorities.”

The care home was designed by Colin Armstrong Associates and the timber kit was supplied by Scotframe.

Inhouse facilities include a laundry, lift, kitchen, boiler room and storage area. There are four sets of stairs, with a treatment room on each floor. In addition, there are reception, administration and visiting rooms for medical and social work professionals.

The site is included within the Healthcare Village, which received planning permission in 1998 and is almost complete. The care home is in the centre of the village, which consists of 58 retirement houses and 11 general purpose houses. The Highland Council recommended the care home project despite objections from local residents who were concerned about issues such as increased traffic and the implications for parking.

Works began on site in June 2010 and are expected to be completed by March 2012.

new £3m care home for Balloans Field Village


Joanna Peebles said: ”Our investment

is making a serious difference for the region.”

Planning permission has been granted for a new £5m Scottish Water sewage plant on the site of the existing Whiteness development in Inverness.

The scheme has been ardently opposed by various councillors in

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey since it was proposed in October 2008. The development is near a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Fort George, a scheduled ancient monument.

The sewage works will replace the existing treatment plant between Ardersier and Fort Gorge and will have the capacity to serve 9,000 people. The equipment will comprise an underground pump system with a valve chamber located above the ground, whilst the ground levels will be raised by approximately 2.2m and the site will be bounded by a 1.8m high security fence.

Access to the site will be obtained from an existing access road which adjoins the public road.

Although Scottish Water has stated that the new development will protect the environment of the Moray Firth and support the economy of the A96 Corridor, local residents have raised their concerns.

Local resident, Alisdair McKay, said: “It doesn’t seem logical to take the sewage from a massive new development through a village that has been there

hundreds of years. That seems daft.” Scottish Water’s communities manager for the

Highlands, Joanna Peebles, said: “We’re pleased to receive planning permission for this important project. It’s a vital investment that shows how committed we are to protecting the natural environment of the Highlands and helping the local economy grow and thrive.

“We will work with the community of Ardersier during construction to keep them informed of the progress.”

Scottish Water has invested around £20m in Inverness and Nairn as part of its 2010 ‘Vision for the Highlands’. In Drumnadrochit, approximately £500,000 was invested in replacing various sections of old water mains and installing hydrants so the build-up of natural sediment could be removed and the system flushed clear. In addition, the sewage treatment works in Fort Augustus have undergone a £4.7m upgrade.

Joanna Peebles said: “Our investment is making a serious difference for the region. New water mains are delivering clearer, fresher supplies for customers while upgrades on the waste water side are helping to protect the environment, including the world famous Loch Ness.”

Controversial scottish Water sewage plant project will go ahead

for the building; therefore, the fit out and occupants of the building may change.

The development is also highly sustainable: it is built to Grade A energy standards and features indoor bike storage and showers in order to encourage healthy travel to work, an idea that is also supported by the installation of electric charging points outside to promote the use of electric cars.

Due to site restrictions, the majority of the space around the building has been used for the provision of 147 car park spaces.

Craig Nicolson, Senior Project Manager from Shetland Islands Council said: “Works are progressing very well and we have had no real issues to date. Hunter & Morrisons are performing excellently and the project is currently both on programme and on budget.”

Alex Murray Construction Ltd have almost completed an exciting new energy efficient business centre for Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust). The multifunctional centre aims to

become a hub for business activity and community interaction within the fragile area.

The £450,000 development includes an office for the Trust’s staff team, along with offices for rent, meeting rooms and space for crofting archives and markets. Alongside the main building, the project also includes a wind turbine and an electric car with charging point in order to promote the use of sustainable energy.

The business centre has been made possible by support from various organisations, including: BIG Lottery Fund, HIE, Leader, Community Energy Scotland, Climate Challenge Fund and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

Councillor Archie Campbell, Chair of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Sustainable Development Committee, said: “The Comhairle is pleased to support the business centre and to contribute £50,000 from the Community Regeneration Fund. The business centre will be a valuable asset for the community and visitors alike.”

The 56,000 acre estate includes 20 crofting townships, from Port of Ness to Upper Barvas. The area maintains strong links with the international Gaelic community and is at the forefront of encouraging Gaelic culture and arts. A ranger has been in post for approximately six years in order to facilitate the sustainable management of the natural environment.

HIE’s Head of Communities in the Outer

Hebrides, Jane Macintosh, said: “Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn is now another step closer to realising its ambition of a sustainable future. Further ambitious developments are underway, including promotion of tourism and environmental improvements to provide real benefits to both the community and the estate.

“The area faces challenges, but is showing signs of positive change and an upturn in population. The trust aims to continue to encourage this growth and the business centre will provide sufficient revenue to fund future projects.”

Agmes Rennie, Chair of the Urras Board of Directors, added: “The community has great potential and we hope the new business centre and support from our staff will provide an added incentive for economic development in the area. We have been keen from the outset to work with partners to realise that potential, and the new centre will mark a significant milestone in that regard.”

zero carbon business centre is nearing completion


Councillor Foxley said: “The School Board, Head Teacher, Education management and I have worked hard over the past decade on the siting and the detailed design of this new community primary school, which will replace grossly sub-standard buildings and provide our staff, pupils, and residents with a modern learning environment. The inclusion of the fire station is the first for mainland Scotland and demonstrates the way forward for shared services in the Highlands.”

There’s a worm at the bottom of my gardenBefore works could start on site, the children had some wriggly friends to contend with.

The Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was contacted after slow worms were discovered in the school ground. Slow worms, described as ‘legless lizards’, are protected. This means that it is an offence to wilfully kill or injure them.

In September 2010, the pupils embarked on a bid to catch the slow worms and relocate them before building work started on their new school.

The children, who are are all members of the Nature Club, laid out mats, carpet tiles and strips of corrugated iron in their nature garden. When the sun shines, these materials warm up more than the surrounding vegetation and the cold-blooded slow worms can congregate underneath them to bask.

Head Teacher, Mr. Adams, said: “In my early childhood I remember seeing slow worms everywhere, but my own children had to wait until they were twelve before they saw a slow worm. This highlights what a special place the children in my school are privileged to live in. These slow worms are now a protected species and the children in my school have the chance to carry out valuable conservation work, which will ensure that children of the future will be able to see slow worms. I am always telling them that they are the future rangers, botanists, biologists and protectors of our valuable flora and fauna.”

The school has been designed to a high

sustainability standard and will feature a biomass boiler.


The Barra Children’s Centre on the Isle of Barra is to receive £5,000 from the P&G Champion Mum’s Foundation in order to refurbish the centre’s playroom and create a child friendly area within the café.

As part of the refurbishment, a door will be constructed between the café and the play room to make a family friendly space for the community. This will allow for greater community access to the playroom, which is currently used for Parent and Toddlers drop in sessions.

The project has received an overwhelming response from local community, who are more than happy to make sure that the project runs smoothly. Indeed, to meet the initial costs of the project, the island – with a population of 1,200 – raised over £26,000 to supplement funding from the local Community Council, the National Lottery and the Local Authority. The scheme continues to be run by a committee of active and committed fundraisers,

whilst local Councillors Peter Carlin and Donald Manford have also offered donations from Ward funds to help complete the project.

In addition, several local companies have kindly offered to donate materials for the refurbishment. Flooring company Altro have offered to donate flooring for the playroom, café and hallway, whilst Macgillivrays of Benbecula have offered to aid with the fitting of the flooring. Barratlantic have also generously offered to help transports the goods from Glasgow.

Barra Children’s Centre was established in 1999 in order to address a need within the community for purpose built accommodation for the pre-school children of Barra and Vatersay. In addition to providing accommodation for council-run nursery provision, the Children’s Centre also provides a Parent and Toddlers facility, which is used for informal drop-in sessions and play leader led activities in Gaelic and English.

it’s all fun and games for the Barra Children’s Centre

15WWW.prEmiErConstruCtionmagazinE.co.uK


possible – for instance by installing a highly efficient heating system – and the facility is set to achieve a rating of at least BREEAM ‘Very Good.’

“The marine renewables sector is increasingly important in Orkney and a number of companies are now coming here to test the products at EMEC. This facility will provide device developers who are working with EMEC with an operating base for office and workshop facilities within Orkney – facilities

that were noticeably lacking before.”In addition to these new units, Orkney can offer

an impressive supply chain of local businesses to support wave and tidal developers. Major investment is also being made in new harbour facilities by Orkney Islands Council, both to meet the needs of EMEC developers and to provide future commercial opportunities under the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters leasing round by the Crown Estate.


Repairs to the Kyle of Tongue Bridge, which carries the A383 road along the north coast, are almost complete. The bridge has suffered significant concrete deterioration since it was built in 1971 and will be fully repaired

and restored under the project, which is expected to be completed this winter.

Concrete Repairs Ltd. are carrying out the project for The Highland Council and Aecom are the designers.

The £1.2m project began in June 2011 and has comprised the concrete repair of reinforced concrete pier crosshead and prestressed concrete beams. In addition, the road has been resurfaced and the bridge parapets replaced. The requirement for parapets on this type of all-purpose ‘A’ road is to withstand impact from a vehicle weight of 1.5 tonnes, travelling at 50mph at an angle of impact of 20 degrees. The steel piles that support the structure above the sea have also been cleaned and repainted.

The renewal of the bridge deck waterproofing system is a critical part of the project. In order to minimise the time required to apply the system, which is weather sensitive and spray-applied, the contractor proposed a temporary full closure of the A838 road. Although a short term inconvenience to the travelling public, it had the benefit of saving a significant period (possibly several weeks) of single way traffic operation at the site.

Interesting aspects of the project include the cathodic protection of the prestressed concrete beams and reinforced concrete pile caps and the

refurbishment of the existing sacrificial anode cathodic protection system to the piles.

David MacKenzie from The Highland Council said: “It was quite a challenging project as we were working in a very exposed location. The 180m long, 18 span structure is over an arm of the sea and therefore the weather was a constant challenge. In addition, it is the only route along the north coast that can carry heavy vehicles; subsequently, it was critical to get the traffic management correct during the construction.

“The works are currently on programme, and the main contractor has done an excellent job. We have managed to build up a good relationship with the contractor and the engineer for the project, along with good communication and relationships with the local community and the travelling public.”

£1.2m Kyle of tongue Bridge repairs are nearing completion


The UK’s first social enterprise hotel is to be constructed on the Inverness Campus in a £14m project to create opportunities for vulnerable young people. The hotel, developed by Albyn Housing and the Calman Trust, is set to

open its doors in 2014. The aim of the project is to provide training for

youngsters not in education or employment, without a home or lacking basic literacy and numeracy skills. The youths will help run the hotel alongside hospitality experts, gaining experience, training and eventually a formal qualification.

Calum Macaulay, Chief Executive of Albyn, said: “It’s hugely exciting to be involved in this project. There is much work to be done but we are confident of delivering the UK’s first social enterprise hotel. Not only will it provide life-changing opportunities for young people, but it will also offer a fantastic quality of service to guests.

“Between Calman, Albyn and Grant Sword we have the required mix of skills and a common goal to build and run a commercial hotel business focused on improving the lives of young people.”

The hotel is modelled on Rotterdam’s highly successful Art & Woonhotel. The innovative hotel is run by the Best Western group and provides employment for some of the most marginalised people in Dutch society, including ex-convicts, women escaping abusive relationships and single parents. The hotel, which doubles as a contemporary art gallery, also provides temporary accommodation for staff.

The 4-star Inverness Campus hotel will comprise 120 rooms, 40 of which will be designed as self contained apartments for those requiring short-term accommodation. The remainder of the rooms will be high quality hotel rooms available for standard hire.

Isobel Grigor, Chief Executive of the Calman Trust, said: “Running a hotel involves almost all of the skills required in running a town. This project will see trainees work alongside staff throughout the business, including maintenance, food preparation, front of house and housekeeping.

“We intend to run a high-quality hotel with industry-leading service levels. Yes, that sets challenges for vulnerable young people, but our experience is that youngsters rise to the challenges when they are made achievable.”

Artysans Cafe, in the city’s Strothers Lane, is an early model for the project and was opened in December 2010. The cafe has since won an ‘Innovation’ prize at the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards.

Both the cafe and the hotel have been supported by high-profile businesspeople, such as Freda Newton from Jacobite Cruises and Yvonne Crook from View Marketing.

Freda Newton said: “The training hotel is a hugely ambitious project that has the potential to transform the lives of the region’s most vulnerable young. In the longer term, the hotel will also benefit the hospitality industry by supplying a pool of qualified professionals.”

Yvonne Crook added: “Having visited Artysans and met the young people doing a great job of making it a success, I am excited about becoming an ambassador for the hotel and joining other business leaders to help develop the business plan and make a success of this innovative project for the Highlands and Islands.”

Doing it for themselves: inverness set to become home to the uK’s first social enterprise hotel

construction magazine

Documents

Premier Construction Highlands & Islands