Business Briefs - June 15

Lawyers Anderson Strathern have posted profits up 13 per cent during the first six months of its financial year.

The firm, which has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Haddington, East Lothian, turnover grew by eight per cent to £10.5 million in the half-year period to the end of February.

The firm recorded revenue of £21.5m in the 12 months to the end of August 2014 and profits of £7.3m.

Along with strong financial performance the firm said it had been successful in winning a number of new clients in the first half of its current trading period.

It highlighted successful tenders for Apex Hotels and Midlothian Council as well as being appointed on to the legal services panel for Scottish Water.

Onshore wind now investing £9m annually

Projects supported include a street dance trip, energy-saving thermal imaging camera and new community hall

Scotland’s onshore wind industry now invests nearly £9 million in community projects every year – the highest amount ever, new figures show.

Local Energy Scotland research has revealed the cash – offered to communities by firms running renewables projects – is being spent in “a huge number of remarkably diverse ways”.

Recent grants have been used to build a new community hall in Daviot, Aberdeenshire, send a dance school from West Lothian to the European Street Dance Championships in Germany and to buy a thermal imaging camera so residents in Sutherland can see where their homes need extra insulation.

The details come from the constantly-updated Local Energy Scotland Community Renewables Register.

400-home Stonehaven development plans dropped

Plans for a 400-home development on the edge of Stonehaven have been withdrawn by Stewart Milne Homes.

The Mains of Cowie scheme, to the north of the Aberdeenshire town, would have included a school, petrol station and community facilities.

The developer launched the proposals for the 84-acre site last year.

However, the land was not allocated in Aberdeenshire Council’s local development plan and council officers voted against the development.

Stewart Milne has previously said its proposals would create 177 construction and 180 retail jobs and generate an annual spend of £7.36 million in the town.

It is understood there are no plans to resubmit the application in the near future.