Opinion

The Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group in Scotland has set four key procurement and project management priorities for 2017 to ensure the Scottish construction small firms remain productive, sustainable and efficient. PROJECT BANK ACCOUNTS (PBAS)

Stefano Smith RTPI Scotland convenor Stefano Smith sets out his plans for 2017

Craig McLaren RTPI Scotland director Craig McLaren looks back at the important things that have happened in Scottish planning in 2016

Richard Threlfall Richard Threlfall from KPMG forecasts that 2017 will be a year of feast and famine for the UK construction industry.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s new Local Development Plan provides a clear framework to manage the capital's growth, says Councillor Ian Perry. Edinburgh is a hugely successful city which is expected to grow by about 10 per cent in the next decade.

Paul Curran Paul Curran details a week which was marked by his first time heading up the Scottish Property Federation policy board and also a significant announcement from the Scottish Government on planning fees.

Roddy Cormack Roddy Cormack asks whether performance bonds could mean that it is possible to have a risk free construction project.

Hew Edgar Prior to the highly anticipated Planning Bill White Paper, RICS in Scotland has worked with ICE and RTPI to devise five shared priorities for planning in Scotland, writes Hew Edgar.

Matthew Goff Over the next 10 years, the UK’s construction industry could see a 25 per cent decline in available workforce. That represents uncharted territory, according to a report by Cast Consultancy’s CEO and founder, Mark Farmer. Commissioned by the Construction Leadership Council, the repo

Neil Collar Why do Ministers call-in planning cases? Does it make any difference to outcomes? Neil Collar from Brodies discusses.

What does a day in planning enforcement look like? A pertinent question for Katherine Pollard, the network manager at the RTPI’s National Association of Planning Enforcement (NAPE). Since my first day in 2015 I’ve been guided and am working alongside a dedicated voluntary committee which represe

Mark Macaulay Strict rules rightly govern contracts awarded by public bodies, and, in some cases, by utilities. Contractors must make clear not just their costs, but also exactly what they will do: so what happens when the buyer’s requirements change during a project? Recent regulations which soug

Stephen Good Stephen Good, chief executive of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, challenges the sector to be more adventurous to avoid standing still.

Lynsey Lennon By Lynsey Lennon, performance team leader - alliance management, Scottish Water

Often, businesses measure their growth by looking at revenue year on year.