Opinion

Apprentice Cameron Mustard discusses the importance of bridging the skills gap in the construction sector and providing younger generations with a successful route into the industry through apprenticeships and training opportunities. Recent ONS reports for Scotland’s construction sector show t

Bill Roddie from Spectrum Properties shares his thoughts on what to expect in the property and construction industry in 2023 including a catalogue of challenges to housebuilding and the private rental market. Given the social, political and economic turmoil of the past three years, it would be

AM Bid founder Andrew Morrison unveils what he believes is in store for bids and proposals over the next 12 months. 2022 was the year when the term VUCA really came into its own. The acronym describes a world which is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous, and most people would now agree with t

With a variety of social issues highlighted by adverts over the festive period, Homes for Scotland chief executive Jane Wood considers why now, more than ever, we should reflect on the role housing has in our society. Supporting everyone’s right to an adequate standard of living and enshrined

Alastair Wallace, senior partner from Thomas & Adamson, reviews 2022 and outlines what he feels lies ahead for the construction industry in the coming year. It was the year that was defined by change and unpredictability. Covid restrictions might have gradually eased and disappeared, but were re

Homes for Scotland's Liz Hamilton looks ahead to the National Planning Framework 4 and outlines what it means for the Scottish economy. Scotland needs more homes. With a shortfall now approaching 100,000 houses since 2007, this is beyond doubt and we require a robust and ambitious plan to put this r

The monthly column from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) continues with Joseph Kilroy who looks at how stamp duty or LBTT can be deferred on properties to incentivise energy efficiency improvements. Introduction

Data specialist Anna Reed explores the four key trends driving Scotland’s commercial real estate sector and shaping the future of the country. Scotland’s economy is getting back to business and so is its commercial real estate (CRE) sector. Creating opportunities for developers, investor

Last week saw the closure of the Scottish Government’s consultation on a Scottish Aggregates Levy. Scott Brewster of Brewster Brothers outlines why he believes the Levy should provide a springboard for the resource management sector. One of the aims of the Scottish Government’s prop

Employment lawyer Pauline Hughes outlines the implications of changes to flexible working laws. The Scottish Government has recently announced that they will soon be passing new legislation around flexible working, updating the current rules to, ironically, make the scheme more flexible for emp

Anderson Strathern’s employment law specialist Musab Hemsi has long argued that engaging someone through the Construction Industry Scheme doesn’t necessarily always mean they will be defined as self-employed – and this recent ruling (Richards v Waterfield Homes Limited) confirms hi

Richard Hepburn, managing director at Millar & Bryce and Landmark Scotland, discusses the state of the Scottish property market. At Millar & Bryce we have witnessed increasingly regular changes to the Scottish property market, and none more so than a reduction in home completions since the r

Angela Pllu provides an update on Balfour Beatty’s ongoing journey towards the zero carbon construction site at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. It’s been a little while since we’ve updated on our journey towards the zero carbon construction site of the future on our Victorian

Continuing the regular Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) column in Scottish Construction Now, Jocelyne Fleming outlines the organisation's support for the Scottish Government's reuse and repair culture. Sustainability continues to be at the forefront of CIOB’s policy work. In order t

While the finalised version of the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) has environmental considerations at its heart, Alastair Wood asks whether it will have the ability to deliver on the Scottish Government’s 2045 net zero ambitions and whether planning will still be able to support the