Tag Archives: Southend

ACHA to demolish hundreds of lock-up garages across Argyll

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Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) inherited a lot of lock-up garages when it became the owner of the Council’s housing stock in 2006.

Alastair MacGregor, ACHA’s Chief Executive now wants to clear them away to make room for additional housing or parking. He says that many of the old council-owned lock-ups are in poor condition and that some of them were built using asbestos materials, principally in roofing.

All of the lock-ups to be demolished will be surveyed first to determine what types of asbestos might have been involved in thier constructions. All asbestos materials will be removed and disposed of as current regulations require.

Residents have already removed cars and belongings after being served with notices of the demolitions.

There are 289 lock-up garages to be demolished. They are at locations all over Argyll and the islands – Lochgilphead, Ardrishaig, Inveraray, Tarbert, Southend, Port Ellen, Bowmore, Rothesay, Kirn, Sandband, Strone, Rosneath, Garelochhead, Rhu, Helensburgh and Cardross.

ACHA estoimate that the demolition and disposal work involved will cost around £220,000. It is confident that this will be paid for by Scottish Government grant funding secured when ownership of Argyll & Bute Council’s housing stock was transferred to ACHA.

Mull of Kintyre’s Dunglass Bridge in Southend is on the way back

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Severe storms in August 2008 caused the collapse of the Dunglass Bridge at Southend on the Mull. The bridge is on the road to Macharioch and is crucial for peple who live out in that direction. For this reason, it has been a Council priority. A single span bridge proved to the best replacement option and site work has been ongoing since the beginning of November. As the accompanying photograph shows, the work is well under way.

The job involves diverting the water mains and telephone cable, building a temporary crane platform to lift the deck into place and building abutments. Once the deck is in place, approach walls will be constructed and the services reinstated in the bridge.

When this worl is completed,tThe Council’s Operational Services team will carry out remedial work on adjacent sections of road which were damaged during the storm. When this is happening, the road will be open for normal vehicular access and opening/closing times will be publicised in advance.

The replacement bridge and all associated work is expected to be completed early in 2009.

Landowners, Margo Turner and David Barbour, and SEPA, Scottish Water and BT have all contributed cooperation and prompt actions enabling the construction to commence at short notice and the Council wishes publicly to thank them.

Dunglass Bridge Southend