A PROJECT to upgrade three historic properties in Helensburgh for Argyll Community Housing Association is being masterminded by GMG Contractors.
The £300,000 programme affects the residential properties at 24-26 East King Street, 28 East King Street and 13 Charlotte Street, which are C-listed Art Deco buildings.
Works involve an almost complete refurbishment of the buildings and their surrounding areas.
The project – which is still under way at 24-26 East King Street and completed at No 28 and at 13 Charlotte Street – includes slating, giving GMG the opportunity to train their apprentices on traditional skills alongside other disciplines.
As a company, GMG are committed not only to on-the-job training of apprentices to the highest standards but to broadening their skills base too – to improve their employability and life chances.
The project is being headed up by Liam Martin, GMG Site Manager for ACHA Helensburgh, who has also overseen roof upgrades, external wall insulation and render works on Cowal Phase 6 in Rothesay and Dunoon.
He said: “This is an extremely rewarding project to be a part of – due to the historical feel and sense of community in the area.
“Helping to improve the standard of these wonderful, listed buildings has been an honour and I can’t wait to see the completely finished article.”
Liam has been with the company for 16 years, having started as an apprentice and worked his way up to a position of seniority.
In detail, the works involved: stripping of perished roof, sarking and slating, re-slating, stripping of bossed render, crack stitching repairs, epoxy resin repairs, traditional wet cast re-render, repair and replacement of rosemary corbel detail, dismantling and rebuilding of ornamental chimneys, copes, chimney cans and terminals; asbestos extraction, renewal of leadwork, lead welding, repairs to sash-and-case windows, renewal of bay window flat-roof coverings, renewal of rainwater goods, power washing of external envelope, vegetation removal, external decoration and refurbishment of structural steel.
The Art Deco buildings in Helensburgh – which date back to 1936 – are regarded as a “fine example” of larger-scale inter-war municipal tenement housing.
