Issue 15 - 23 April 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

(or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )


Contractors Weekly Blog
Due to the delays that we have encountered a second squad will be brought to site to try to catch up on lost time. Unfortunately this will cause a bit more disruption than usual. The first squad will be working on the drainage through the car park area and the second squad will be back working on the road diversion. Pedestrians will have to walk through the car park where the contractor’s compound is located as all other footpaths shall be closed. NO access will be available to or from Valeview Terrace. Access to Battlefield Road shall have to be gained from Prospecthill Road so please allow an extra 5 mins to get to and from the college. We would ask staff and students NOT to walk along the road as the lane width will be minimal and it will be used by single file traffic travelling in both directions. We would also reiterate that due to the fact that there will be 2 squads on site there will be more plant moving about the site and whilst there will be banksmen we would ask that students/staff be on alert. Cars will have to travel through the car park rather than up the road where the gas pipe was laid and traffic lights will be in operation. The Valeview staff car park will also require to be closed. We would therefore request that staff and students find alternative methods of transport to the college.

Mackenzie Construction would again apologise for any inconvenience and we will try to keep disruptions to a minimum and will try to get access back open again as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Estates Update
In issue eleven of the Blog I outlined the progress that had been made in terms of the process of appointing a Main Contractor for the new build. I am delighted to inform you that Balfour Beatty, Skanska and HBG have been chosen to submit tenders for the development. All three are large nationally recognised contractors with an excellent reputation in the construction industry. Balfour Beatty Construction Ltd employ 205 staff and 80 operatives and had a turnover of £112 million in 2006, They are at present building the ACAD Unit opposite the College and you cannot fail to be impressed by the speed of the build and their general site arrangements. Recent work includes the prestigious Saltire Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Skanska, originally based in Sweden, now operate throughout Europe and are considered to be a top international company with an excellent reputation for quality. They have a number of other support construction companies from steel decking to cementation operating under the Skanska banner. Recently they built the Medical Schools at Edinburgh and Dundee Universities.
HBG are a major construction organisation in the UK with a turnover of £120 million in 2006. They are active in a number of sectors from retail to industrial. They have been particularly active in the FE Sector, winning the contracts to build West Lothian College, Clydebank College and the recently completed John Wheatley College in the East End of Glasgow. On Monday 23 April the three companies will be given the tender documentation which lists the complete design/construction requirement for the College. Tenders should be returned in early June and after due consideration/checking we should be able to make an announcement in July.
Thereafter the College will submit a detailed report to the Scottish Funding Council in September and (all going well) we should be able to sign the contract with the contractor and be on site next January/February.
(R Paterson)

Watch this space!

The Stork has landed!
Congratulations to Simon Stewart and his wife Claire on the birth of their baby daughter Lilias Elizabeth born on Easter Sunday weighing a healthy 6lbs 11oz.

Yorkhill Children's Foundation
Langside College students have raised £129 for Yorkhill Children's Foundation by selling the student discount SNAPfax at various locations across the campuses. Many thanks to all the reception and canteen staff who assisted them with this project.
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