The Scottish Government will invest £195 million over the next three years on a new shared equity scheme that will see the building of thousands of new homes.

The successor to the existing Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme will focus on affordable homes, with eligible buyers receiving an equity loan towards the purchase price of a new-build home.

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil said: “This considerable investment means that through Help to Buy and its successor, the Scottish Government will have invested around half a billion pounds over six years, providing the private sector and construction industry with a huge boost.”

The Scottish Government will work with the house-building industry and lenders to agree on how the new scheme will operate. Further details will be announced following the UK Government’s spending review in November.

Regeneration firm Urban Union Ltd, a joint venture between construction firms McTaggart Construction and Robertson Group (Holdings), has been appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council to build more than 700 affordable and private homes in Pennywell.

Graeme Nicol, Managing Director, Urban Union Ltd said: “We welcome the news that Help to Buy is continuing through a new shared equity scheme.

“Help to Buy has been incredibly popular – the majority of buyers at our developments at Pennywell in Edinburgh and Laurieston in Glasgow received funding through this scheme.

“Urban Union is committed to delivering affordable homes and the continuation of support, focusing on the affordable housing market, is a much needed and welcome boost for people who need it most.”

City of Edinburgh Council Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “I welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to help more people buy affordable, energy efficient homes.

“Increasing housing costs in Edinburgh have priced many people out of the private ownership market, making it impossible for them to get on the property ladder.

“I hope that today’s announcement means more people in Edinburgh will benefit from the Help to Buy scheme and also means that we will be able to take forward more projects like Pennywell, which has played a vital role in regeneration of the local area.”

More than £150 million will be invested in building new facilities at NHS Grampian’s Foresterhill Campus in Aberdeen over the next 5 years.

The health board took the first step in the formal process towards creating at least 10 new facilities on the site by lodging a pre-application notification with Aberdeen City Council on Wednesday.

The plans include a state of the art Baird Family Hospital, the ANCHOR Centre, a patient hotel, a multi-storey car park and a new life sciences centre which will shared with Aberdeen University.

The plans are an overall vision for Foresterhill over the next 5 years and also include the creation of a new Foresterhill Health Centre and a replacement for the existing mortuary.

A ‘Green Exercise’ area and extensive landscaping work on the site come in addition to ongoing work to create a therapeutic roof garden at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The latest announcement is in addition to other ongoing development work being carried out to modernise and enhance existing buildings on the site which has already resulted in a new £13.6 million Radiotherapy Department opening its doors this year.

Malcolm Wright, Chief Executive at NHS Grampian, said: “We’ve been delivering excellent care to the north east at Foresterhill since the early part of the 20th century and, while it has served us well, it is important that we keep looking forward. These new facilities will help us provide modern, specialist care right in the heart of the North East for years to come.

“We have worked closely with patients, the public and staff on the redevelopment plans and they have been very clear about what they want to see. We’ve listened to that feedback and today’s announcement will be welcome news.”

Efficiency North is now calling for contractors to deliver new build social housing projects in Yorkshire and Humber that will create new jobs and boost growth.

Three lots of work are already up for tender, forming part of an £836 million New Build framework operated by Re:allies, a strategic collaboration of housing consortia, of which Efficiency North is a founding member.

For the first lot, valued at £62 million, Efficiency North is seeking up to 30 contractors to complete multiple schemes solely in Yorkshire and Humber, up to the value of £2 million each.

Up to another 30 contractors are required for the second £394 million lot of larger schemes and up to a further 10 for £70 million of projects throughout the North of England.

Lee Parkinson, chief executive officer, explained: “The new framework presents a huge opportunity for us to create much needed high quality homes to help alleviate the current social housing crisis and regenerate local communities across our region.”

A simple single-stage procurement process is being used by the consortium, with just one questionnaire for contractors to complete, instead of a traditional Pre-Qualification Questionnaire. This method streamlines the tender stage and ensures the most appropriate contractors are chosen for the work available.

Lee concluded: “By opening up the bidding to as many firms as possible, we can ensure we find the best partners for the needs of each project, which will not only deliver value for money, but will also make sure we provide the highest quality homes for local communities in Yorkshire and Humber.”

A Bidders’ Day, which will provide a chance to meet the Efficiency North team, will be hosted on Monday 14^th September 2015 from 10:00 to 15:00 at Hotel Football, 99 Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester, M16 0SZ to give prospective contractors an opportunity to learn more about the framework and how they can best meet the tender criteria.

Farrans has recently been awarded three major windfarm contracts worth a total of £59 million that will boost the renewable industry and the trades.

The appointment to undertake the £4.4 million Sisters Windfarm, the £12.7 million Goole Fields II and the £42.1 million Kilgallioch windfarms marks another major step for Farrans within the clean energy market.

It is a market with which Farrans has particularly long-standing ties. Back in the 1990s, Farrans carried out the very first onshore windfarm in Northern Ireland, constructing 30 turbines at Carbeg, Rigged Hill and Elliots Hill.

Since then, Farrans has completed a range of windfarm contracts throughout the UK for major clients such as ScottishPower Renewables and RWE Npower Renewables.

And with the contracts for all three windfarms now signed, Farrans’ trademark colour will soon be visible in Goole, where 17 turbines are to be erected, as well as Widdrington in Northumberland where work will get underway on the 4-turbine Sisters Windfarm.

The construction of Kilgallioch Windfarm, which will include 96 Wind Turbine Generators, also marks a significant milestone. By its planned completion in June 2017, Farrans will have built 3 of the 10 largest windfarms in the UK.

On completion of the current projects, the total MW of power generated by Farrans on windfarm projects will stand at over 688MW, consolidating our position as one of the leading onshore windfarm construction contractors in the UK.

Enterprise zones are playing a vital role in growing the local and national economy, delivering greater prosperity to the UK economy and creating more than 19,000 jobs, latest figures show.

The 24 zones report that they have now attracted £2.2 billion of private investment and more than 500 new businesses across a range of key industries including the automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical and renewable energy industry sectors.

Along with boosting the number of jobs the zones are proving popular with colleges seeking to set-up facilities and training opportunities to fill gaps in the local skills market.

Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse Minister James Wharton said: “We are seeing enterprise zones across the country create thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of investment, boosting the local and national economy. This is testament to the hard work of local people making the most of opportunities the zones bring for attracting firms.

“Having 19,000 new jobs on zones is a significant milestone and one which we will continue to build as part of the government’s long-term economic plan to rebalance the economy.”

The government launched enterprise zones in April 2012 as part of the long-term economic plan to rebalance the economy so all parts of the country have the tools to thrive. The Chancellor announced the further expansion of the programme as part of his summer Budget.

The zones, which are delivering a multi-billion boost to local economies, offer a number of benefits including tax incentives, simplified planning and superfast broadband for firms.

Work has begun on a £90 million development project which will revive a former hospital site, creating a mixed tenure community in a green, woodland setting.

A partnership comprising the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Galliford Try and Home Group will transform the disused and derelict St. George’s Hospital, just half a mile from the centre of Northumberland’s County Town, Morpeth.

The project will deliver a mixture of 374 high quality properties from two bedroomed apartments to five bedroomed executive homes, for sale and affordable rent.

All will be designed and built by Linden Homes – Galliford Try’s house building division – and will be exclusive to this site. The developer’s track record of sympathetic design was a key factor in it being selected by the HCA.

Stephen McCoy, Managing Director with Galliford Try said: “The aim is to create a high quality housing development, integrated into the surrounding area by linking to and enhancing existing natural features – including the adjacent Bluebell and Howburn Woods,”

“The regeneration project will also provide significant public open space that will produce a development that is very different to anything else available in the area.”

Work on the 374 properties will take place in phases. The first will see 121 homes built, of which 36 will be affordable with 22 available for rent and 14 for shared ownership.

The proposal was given approval by Northumberland County Council’s planning committee in March following public consultation – the feedback from which was used to inform the design of the scheme.

Social Justice Secretary for Scotland, Alex Neil, has announced £1.7 million of funding to help revitalise and regenerate town centres across Scotland and boost growth.

The Town Centre Communities Capital Fund is open to community organisations to support capital projects which will make real and lasting improvements to town centres.

Mr Neil made the funding announcement while on a visit to the Beith Development Trust in North Ayrshire, he said: “Scotland’s town centres need to be fit for the 21^st century, offering a diverse range of businesses, services and activities that meet local demand.

“There are already a few examples of communities getting involved in their town centres, introducing innovation and helping to reclaim them as vibrant social spaces.

“By enabling and supporting enterprising community organisations to take action, we can help make town centres attractive and accessible places that are the thriving civic spaces we know they can be.”

Jane Lamont, Development Manager at Beith Development Trust, said: “We believe in making things happen in town centres and in communities incrementally building up to bigger projects that can then help to transform the community.

“As well as our sports offer, we are now based on the High street in Beith which enables more people to connect with the different services that the trust offers. Being visible and joined up is key to the success of any community based organisation.”

BAM have been selected to deliver a new £22 million leisure centre on the banks of the Clyde for West Dunbartonshire Council as a key part of the regeneration strategy for the area.

Work has already started on the state of the art four-storey building and once completed in early 2017, the new facility will replace the ageing Play Drome on Abbotsford Road.

Designed by architects Kennedy FitzGerald Associates, the new leisure centre will feature a 25-metre swimming pool, teaching pool, leisure pool with waves and flume; changing facilities, a café, multi-purpose sports hall with retractable seating, fitness suite and a dance studio.

Doug Keillor, Regional Director, BAM Construction said: “This is something of a return visit for us as we are sitting on the doorstep of Clydebank College which we completed in 2007 and which really started the regeneration of this area.

“We were selected for our strong track record in delivering this type of project but this is a challenging site as we are virtually in the river and it’s a complex and futuristic design, so we won’t be resting on our laurels”.

Martin Rooney Council Leader said: “Clydebank has a proud sporting history and this centre is going to hone the next generation of sporting talent.

“It marks the start of a new chapter for Queen’s Quay and I think we are all excited to welcome the first of our residents to the new centre in 2017.”

Willmott Dixon is set to start work on a University Technical College (UTC) in Durham that will provide new facilities and boost economic growth in the trades.

The new £10 million University Technical College South Durham on the Aycliffe Business Park will see close collaboration with engineers at Hitachi Rail Europe’s new plant nearby, along with Gestamp Tallent and the University of Sunderland, the UTC’s lead partner.

The UTC’s creation is a huge boost to the region’s manufacturing capability, providing key industry collaboration to encourage a new generation of skills into the thriving sector that will also support more inward investment by companies like Hitachi.

Willmott Dixon was appointed through the Scape Major Works Framework and is working with Newcastle-based Ryder Architecture to deliver the three-storey facility that will be packed with general and specialist engineering equipment such as computer-aided design, science laboratories, workshops and a teaching block for studying GSCE and A level subjects.

Managing director in the North East Anthony Dillon: “We have a highly skilled local team that is really excited to be responsible for this excellent new UTC. As with all our work, we will try whenever possible to use local companies during the project.”

ISG has been awarded a fit out scheme for Royal Institute of British Architects‘ (RIBA) first office and exhibition space outside London at Liverpool’s Mann Island.

The new architecture centre is the latest win for ISG on the renowned Liverpool waterfront, with the contractor currently delivering the final elements of the £66+ million Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Pullman Hotel development.

Commencing on site in September, RIBA’s new northern base is set to become a key destination for everyone inspired by the built environment. The visitor experience will showcase RIBA’s world-class collections and become a focal point for those interested in the development plans of Liverpool and beyond.

ISG will undertake significant alterations to the existing internal layout of the striking Building Two structure at Neptune Development’s Mann Island site, and create a new dedicated entrance for RIBA staff and visitors.

Occupying two floors of the building, which sits within a Unesco World Heritage Site, the contractor will install a new passenger lift and feature staircase to link the ground floor and first floor mezzanine level, which will also be extended to provide additional office space.

In addition to the creation of museum standard exhibition space, ISG will deliver a City Gallery, which will become the permanent home for the Liverpool City model and a venue showcasing development plans for the region.

The facility also includes lecture and conferencing facilities, majority open plan office accommodation and a retail outlet.

Danny Murray, ISG’s Northern regional managing director, commented: “It is fitting that RIBA has chosen such an iconic location for its first architecture centre outside London.

“As a business, we have a strong pedigree creating innovative spaces that encompass multiple activities, and just like The Crystal in London’s docklands, RIBA’s Mann Island base will perform perfectly as an office, leisure destination and location for public engagement.”