Construction News

25/02/2009

Plans For St James 'Eyesore' To Be Demolished

Edinburgh Council officials have recommended approval for the £850m new St James Quarter.

Plans include the demolishment of an office block and the St James Centre at the east end of Princes Street, located within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site.

Designers Allan Murray Architects want to replace the 1970's eyesore with a modern quarter of retail and office space, linked by public squares.

-- Advertisement --

If planning permission is granted retail space for 90 stores will be created in addition to 15,000 sq ft of office space, up to 250 homes, a hotel and 1,800 car parking spaces.

According to Allan Murray Architects the new St James Quarter would restore the city's reputation as one of Europe's best shopping destinations.

If approval is given construction will begin in 2011 with completion scheduled for 2016.

(GK/JM)

News Archive

Latest Construction News

20/07/2026

Landmark Drilling At Rattray Head For Spittal T...

SSEN Transmission has begun drilling at Rattray Head, near Peterhead, marking a key construction milestone for the Spittal to Peterhead High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) scheme. Work that commenced this month involves Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) beneath the coastline to forge the critica

20/07/2026

Planning Application Submitted for 59 Affordabl...

Family-owned, Glasgow-based housebuilder AS Homes Scotland has submitted a planning application for 59 new affordable homes in Glasgow's East End, in partnership with Home Group, one of the UK's largest providers of high-quality housing and integrated health and social care support. Located on the

20/07/2026

CITB And FMB Unveil RMI Sector Skills Plan

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) have launched a new RMI (Retrofit) Sector Skills Plan, developed with input from the Sector Advisory Group on which NFRC sits. NFRC has welcomed the plan and its aims. Focusing on domestic retrofit and on he

20/07/2026

Robertson Projects Lauded At RICS Regional Awards

Three Robertson-delivered projects have been recognised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) as exemplars of the built and natural environment across the UK at recent regional ceremonies. In Scotland, the comprehensive refurbishment of BlackRock's Edinburgh office secured the Comm

20/07/2026

City Streets To Host Families As George Square ...

Glasgow city centre will be handed over to families for a celebratory weekend as the refurbishment of George Square reaches its next milestone. The phased reopening is already under way, with the north carriageway returning to use on 26 June following works that began in May last year. Plans are b

20/07/2026

FMB Warns Burnham Must Focus On Housing Deliver...

As Andy Burnham prepares to enter Downing Street, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has urged the incoming Prime Minister to prioritise rapid housing delivery and targeted support for small construction firms as the economy stagnates. Making the call, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB s

20/07/2026

Scottish Ministers Approve Caledonia Offshore W...

Scottish Ministers have granted consents and marine licences for the North and South Caledonia offshore wind farms in the Moray Firth. Together, the schemes will cover around 429 km² and host up to 140 wind turbines. According to the projects, they could generate enough electricity annually to supp

20/07/2026

SSEN Transmission Moves Kinellan Compound After...

SSEN Transmission has revised plans for a temporary construction compound near Contin after listening to concerns raised by the local community during consultation and engagement. The facility, which will support delivery of the mainland underground cable section of the Western Isles HVDC Link, wil

17/07/2026

£3.3m Paint Facility Under Construction At Glas...

Construction has begun on a new £3.3 million paint facility at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow as part of a wider programme to modernise the city's naval shipbuilding infrastructure. The new facility will allow ship blocks to be painted in a dedicated space, freeing up existing areas at the

17/07/2026

Procast Group Wins Double At Energy Efficiency ...

Retrofit and energy-efficiency specialist Procast Group has secured two awards at the Energy Efficiency Awards, with apprentice electrician Cameron Sleith also recognised as Apprentice of the Year. The company was named Regional Insulation & Fabric Installer and Contractor of the Year at the awards