Opinion

Coronavirus has caused significant delay to numerous projects across the UK. But what if it is critical that a project still completes by a specified date such as a school or student accommodation? As steps are made to move out of lockdown, parties may seek to accelerate works. What is an accel

On June 3, the Court of Session handed down a landmark judgment in the case of Gladman Developments Limited v Scottish Ministers in which it upheld the use of the ‘tilted balance’ in cases where there is a shortfall in the housing land supply. Burges Salmon’s Scottish planning and

HFD Construction managing director David Shearer gives his take on coming out of lockdown and some of the Phase 1 steps. On the 23rd March, the First Minister issued guidance that placed Scottish construction sites into lockdown. Almost since that moment, HFD has – like many others in the sect

Rural property valuer Gordon King offers his thoughts on Scotland’s post-lockdown energy potential. At the start of the 20th century, the company which became known first as Anglo-Persian Oil then British Petroleum was in deep financial trouble. Its hugely expensive concessions were not produc

John Jameson outlines a COVID-19 issue which many people may not have factored; the risk of Legionella created by stagnant water apparatus and cooling systems which have been largely redundant for over two months. As most property and health and safety professionals know, Legionnaires’ disease

As the Scottish Government prepares to update its COVID-19 construction sector guidance, Laura McCorquodale details the industry’s six-phase plan to resume work. A six-phase plan has been drawn up for construction work to resume in Scotland as lockdown begins to ease from the end of this week.

CMS partner and construction specialist Christine Worthington outlines how construction employers can make their workplaces safe for employees once restrictions are lifted. Scotland’s construction sector, significantly impacted by coronavirus lockdown measures, is now beginning to see the firs

DM Hall senior partner, Alan Gordon, talks about the challenges of leadership during the coronavirus pandemic. I suspect that for any new role, 33 years should be ample preparation. But taking over as the senior partner of DM Hall, one of Scotland’s leading independent firms of chartered surve

East Kilbride-based engineer Stuart Harrow details how COVID-19 could have an impact on transport planning and road infrastructure in the future. One of the first things which comes to the forefront of the public mind when a new residential development is proposed is the impact that it will have on

The current vogue for open-plan living has been with us for a while and shows no sign of diminishing through familiarity. Queensberry Properties’ sales and marketing director, Hazel Davies, explores the background to what has become a cornerstone in residential property design. In 1999, the ve

RICS head of UK government relations and city strategy Hew Edgar urges the Scottish Government to raise more awareness of the six-phase return plan for construction and issue clearer guidance with regard to the housing market. The Scottish Government should be commended for its clear messaging on he

The recent decision of the Inner House in Proven Properties (Scotland) Limited, reported in Scottish Construction Now on May 15, raises questions about the effectiveness, or at least the scope, of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011, writes Tom Marshall. Briefly, the case concerned a block of 1

Briar Homes marketing manager Ainslie McCrone on managing buyer interest as the housebuilding sector awaits the easing of lockdown restrictions. There are certain milestones in life that are set in, well, stone, and serve as evidence of our British-ness – or Scottish-ness for that matter.

Roddy Cormack, accredited specialist in construction law and legal director at Scottish law firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP, explores the role of designers in the return to operations for the construction industry in the new COVID normal. It’s important to remember the responsibiliti

Lighthouse Club CEO Bill Hill has his say on mental health in the construction industry in response to the recent CIOB survey. The year we cancel Mental Health Awareness Week will be because the mental health of our workforce is treated as significantly and comes as naturally as ensuring their physi