Construction Scotland has called on the sector to renew its focus on its long-term planning objectives following last week’s referendum results.

Ed Monaghan, Chair of Construction Scotland, said the construction industry should use the momentum gathered by the referendum to take advantage of the increased activity in the sector.

Mr Monaghan said: “With the dust settling on Friday’s outcome from the Scottish referendum, now is an ideal time to reaffirm our focus on long-term planning for the continued success of our industry – witnessed in our successful bid to establish the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre which we secured in March 2014 and which will formally launch on 7 October in Glasgow.

“Now that the people of Scotland have said yes to remaining an integral part of the UK we will continue to focus on these long-term objectives, working in partnership with both the UK and the Scottish Governments as has been the case since our formation in 2012. We are proud of our positive and long-standing working relationship with Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and look forward to continuing that in the coming months.

“Inevitably over the last six months or so there has been a concentration on the referendum process, so now that we have the decision to remain part of the UK it is time to intensify attention on growing the Scottish economy, using the momentum which the referendum generated, with the construction industry having a significant role to play here.

“Within hours of the result being announced we have seen, for example, the housing market inundated with homes for sale after a few slow months – this is good news for the housing sector and for construction as a whole and I have no doubt that the weeks and months ahead will see all parts of the industry secure and deliver even more business in the wake of this outcome.

“With the Scottish Government already having devolved responsibility for our industry and other associated areas such as transport, health and education we already have the blueprint in place for taking them forward – we now need to concentrate on working together to achieve these goals and ensure a robust and buoyant construction industry continues to flourish here in Scotland.”