WORK is to get under way on the flagship building of a new civic centre in Edinburgh.
It comes after a £15m contract for a new community hub at Macmillan Square, in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts, as part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s ongoing multi-million pound regeneration programme in North Edinburgh, was approved.
Councillors agreed the project will now enter the construction phase which will be carried out by Robertson Construction Group (Robertson), following its successful completion of the demolition of Muirhouse Library.
The first of its kind in the city, designed by Richard Murphy Architects, The Hub will be a place to "learn, work, meet people, hone new skills and have fun". The state-of-the-art shared building will accommodate an early year’s centre for 185 children, a new library and will provide additional space for North Edinburgh Arts.
The community hub is the focal point of one of the most significant urban regeneration projects in Scotland, tackling poverty and inequality in the area. It will be the flagship building at Macmillan Square which is currently being developed to provide a new square, 154 affordable homes and 13 retail units.
Over £200 million of public and private sector investment has been committed to revitalising the area for the wider community and this investment has already delivered Craigroyston High School, Pennywell All Care Centre and over half of the expected 1,000 new homes.
The North Edinburgh Regeneration project is recognised as a model of good practice in urban regeneration having won national awards for design, place making and community engagement. The new hub benefits from £2m Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grants Fund.
Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh council leader, said: “Key aspects include the new local library which we hope will act as a community living room, open and accessible to everyone. The new building also creates the opportunity to work closely with the new nursery to have as much interaction with the children, parents and staff as possible – providing tailored events and sessions especially for those using and working in the nursery.”
David Cairns, of Robertson Construction, said: “Having worked closely with City of Edinburgh Council over the last 24 months to assist bringing Macmillan Square forward, we are delighted to be to the contractor of choice to make this innovative vision by the council a reality. The building will undoubtedly be a fantastic facility for the community when complete and our planned programme of community benefits during the construction phase will bring further benefits to the area socially, economically and environmentally long after the building is completed.”
Iconic Scots fashion brand Crombie returns
IT’S the iconic Scottish coat brand famously worn by President John F Kennedy at his inauguration in 1961 that also found favour with Winston Churchill and Doctor Who.
Now Crombie is back in the fashion spotlight with new owner Crombie 1805, headed by Scot Gordon Ritchie and backed by private investors.
Highland construction company taken over
CONSTRUCTION company WGC (Scotland) has been acquired by an Inverness-based investment group.
WGC will continue as a standalone entity within GEG Capital, which has pledged to support its existing management team to grow the business in the social housing, industrial and commercial construction sectors.
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