Opinion

Paul Kelly argues that more collaboration and regular communications with planning authorities is required to get projects moving. It’s no surprise to me that the number of affordable homes started in the last quarter has decreased significantly from the same period last year. For private sale

To protect customers, the UK government has introduced a new code of practice and ombudsman scheme applying to all private buyers of new homes for owner-occupation anywhere in the UK. Finlay Campbell explains the details. The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), an independent body established by Westmin

As part of Scotland Excel’s ‘Supporting the journey to net zero’ campaign, John Renwick, sector manager construction at ESP, reveals how Scotland’s colleges are transitioning at pace to develop low carbon heat and energy efficiency training facilities. The Scottish Government

In the first of a regular column for Scottish Construction Now, Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Scotland director Gordon Nelson recalls his attendance at a Tech 2 Grow event that highlighted the help and support available to the trades and SME construction companies in Scotland. The Federation o

Planning minister Tom Arthur and chief planner Fiona Simpson have written to update stakeholders on aspects of the work programme, heading into the summer recess period. For all of us, we have been working through what has been a particularly busy and important time for Scotland’s planning sys

Charles Livingstone and Jamie Dunne from Brodies respond to last week's announcement from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which provisionally found more competition law breaches in the construction sector. The UK's competition law enforcement body, the Competition and Markets Authority (

Steven Simpson from Cruden Homes (East) examines what lies ahead for the housing market, the challenges faced and meeting changing customer needs. Just last month Cruden Homes was amongst the winners at the annual Homes for Scotland Awards. Awards are always welcome, but they mean even more during t

Clyde Gateway chair Alison Thewliss discusses the company's ambition over the past decade to transform derelict and inaccessible sites into new green spaces - work inspired by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Glasgow is rightly known as the “dear green place” due to the

With the bidding process closing today, Sheelagh Cooley, real estate partner in the Edinburgh office of law firm Shoosmiths, considers the benefits and potential challenges ahead for the operators of Scotland’s Green Freeports. It has been well publicised that the Scottish Government is curren

Emma Dickson from Arcadis, who is also part of the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum, tackles alternative routes into the construction sector. Employers in the construction industry in Scotland hardly need to be reminded of the skills shortages which are hampering the industry as it continues t

Andy Sloan and John Ord discuss solutions for providing more energy storage in the UK to stabilise the grid while looking at the new Coire Glas project in the Highlands - the first pumped-storage scheme installed in the UK for decades which could double the UK’s energy storage capaci

Recent changes to the law of prescription in Scotland mark an important development to the law in Scotland that will certainly have an impact on construction-related disputes, argues Jonathan Seddon at Morton Fraser. What's the background?

As AIMCH, the UK's flagship collaborative R&D project, whose aim has been to develop, trial and scale up industrialised housing techniques ends, Stewart Dalgarno, its project director reflects on its achievements and predicts what’s next for the house building sector.

Derek Lennon from Akela Construction & Ground Engineering looks at the innovative techniques the firm is employing to help tackle the growing housing shortage. There is no silver bullet to the UK’s chronic housing shortage. Compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s an issue with

Dr Sophie Taysom from Keyah Consulting argues that environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors should be embedded within new developments. Scotland’s net zero commitments cannot be achieved without a clear focus on the built environment, which accounts for about 40% of global carbo