Student housing, homes for the largest gap site in central Glasgow Achi-News

The proposal includes the provision of 20 new affordable flats which will be provided with partner West of Scotland Housing Association and will include ten one bedroom flats suitable for single people or couples, with ten two bedroom flats bed, suitable for families.

Plans for 591 student flats and 20 affordable homes on the largest city center development site have been revealed. Following a series of public consultations, urban regeneration specialist Vita Group has submitted a planning application for the India Street regeneration site in central Glasgow. (Image: Vita Group)

Max Bielby, chief operating officer of the Vita Group, said: “Over the past six months we have been working with the local community, councilors and a wide spectrum of stakeholders to draw up plans for 20 India Street, bringing new life to the site this gray land. Now we are excited to present our proposals and present plans for affordable housing, student accommodation and new commercial opportunities on this important site.

“The development underlines our commitment to Glasgow’s aims to help alleviate some of the pressure felt across the city as a result of Glasgow’s growing population and the lack of available housing.”

Read the full story here

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Electricity and gas giant to pay £1.5m for overcharging customers

Energy giant Scottish Power is paying £1.5 million in refunds and compensation after it charged customers above the price cap during the height of the energy crisis.

Although it described the error as a “serious matter, the regulator added that the remedial package would have been “significantly higher” if ScottishPower had not reported itself to the regulator. (Image: Getty Images)

Regulator Ofgem said today that Scottish Power Energy Retail Ltd had “agreed the compensation package after the supplier confirmed it had mistakenly overcharged 1,699 direct debit customers between 2015 and 2023, who should have been applicable to those paying by standard credit only (on receipt of bill)”. Ofgem said that when weighing up the compensation package, it had “considered the additional stress and financial hardship” Scottish Power’s mistake may have caused to customers.

Read Ian McConnell’s story here

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Scottish rocket launcher lands multi-million funding deal

Scottish space company Orbex has received £16.7 million from a group of six major investors to further work on its rocket technology and build its launch facility in Sutherland.

The company employs 120 people at its main facility in Forres and another 50 in Copenhagen, and now has two active patents in a number of European countries and the United States covering different parts of its technology a rocket. (Image: Orbex)

The cash injection is an update to its £40.4m Series C funding round completed in October 2022 and takes the total amount raised by the business to £102m. The funding will help Orbex ramp up development of Prime, its 19 meter two-stage rocket designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO).

Read Kristy Dorsey’s story here

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Scottish Borders Group hails ‘landmark’ housing project

Scottish Borders Housing Association has teamed up with Cruden Homes to deliver its largest ever new build project.

Read Scott Wright’s story here

The new 5.57 acre development, designed by architects at Aitken Turnbull, will provide a mix of two, timber and four bedroom homes and infrastructure such as roads, footpaths and a sustainable urban drainage system, while also providing access to “abundance. ” open green space. (Image: Getty Images)

The “landmark development” will see the housebuilder build 70 new affordable homes on the site of the former Howdenburn Primary School in Jedburgh. The homes were provided after SBHA identified “significant housing demand” in the Borders town, with more than 350 applicants expressing a preference to live in the area. Meanwhile, an analysis by the association revealed that there is a need for diverse housing options in the town.