The Scottish Property Federation (SPF) is celebrating a decade as the voice of the Scottish real estate industry.

The organisation began when the British Property Federation (BPF) sought to establish a representative voice for the industry in Scotland and partnered with the nascent Scottish Commercial Development Forum, established by Edinburgh-based developer Dan Macdonald, to form what is now the SPF.

David Melhuish, who is director of the SPF and has been part of the organisation since its inception, said: “The way the industry funds itself and the sectors it supports is now more challenging and diverse than ever before. What has not changed is the need to promote the industry to policy-makers at all levels of government, to identify positive measures to grow the industry and the wider Scottish economy.

“Ten years ago we were mainly engaged in the process of planning reform and while planning remains a key focus, today we are a strategic partner to policy-makers across a wide spectrum of real estate industry interests including finance, building standards, energy efficiency, property law, tax and residential investment and property investment and management.”

To mark ten years of work for the real estate industry in Scotland, the SPF gathered with MSPs, SPF members and industry supporters for a Parliamentary reception yesterday, hosted by the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, the Rt. Hon Ken Macintosh MSP.

Those attending included the SPF chairman Paul Curran, MD of Quartermile Developments, and representatives of the Scottish real estate sector from across Scotland.

Wishing the SPF well on its 10th anniversary, BPF chief executive, Melanie Leech, said: “The SPF was founded to give a united voice to the real estate industry in Scotland. Its work today ensures that policy-makers in Scotland understand the real estate industry’s contribution to the economy, to building essential infrastructure and great places where we all live, work and spend our leisure time.

“The SPF ensures that the barriers to further investment in Scottish real estate are recognised and tackled at national and local level. Today the SPF reaches a significant milestone and I pay tribute to the SPF members and executive team in Scotland, for their work on behalf of our industry.”