Opinion

Bob Renton, consultant to Local Authority Building Standards Scotland, on the development of the Competency Assessment System and plans for implementation next year. The Competency Assessment System, or CAS for short, has been developed over the last couple of years by Local Authority Building Stand

In an exclusive feature for Scottish Housing News, Stephen Tucker, Glasgow-based partner at planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore, outlines his strong opposition to the Scottish Government’s consultation on removing the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Over

The minister for local government, housing and planning Kevin Stewart and chief planner John McNairney have written to stakeholders about progress and next steps for major planning workstreams including NPF4, Scottish Planning Policy, Scotland's Digital Strategy for Planning, Permitted Development R

2020 has been a year like no other; so what’s in store in the world of construction sector bidding in 2021? What will be changing in our ‘new normal’? What steps can bidders take to ensure that they are prepared for the year ahead? AM Bid's Andrew Morrison and David Gray set out wh

Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) CEO Stephen Good outlines five themes that will define construction in 2021, ranging from greater collaboration in the industry to the need for enhanced supply chain resilience. It would be safe to say that any predictions made about the past 12 mo

Following the publication of the Scottish Government's Climate Change Plan update, communities secretary Aileen Campbell reflects on progress so far, and opportunities to build a greener future as part of Housing to 2040 plans. Housing policy has a vital role to play in achieving many

Shawfair LLP director Nick Waugh on the importance of community engagement when building a new town. This year has taught us many things – most of them character-forming as my mother was fond of saying - but one genuinely good thing to have emerged from this pandemic is the curative power

As Grade A office stock reaches an all time low, Andy Cunningham from CBRE considers why we need to take stock and consider the workplaces of the future. A recent report published by CBRE, shows that Grade A office supply in Glasgow has now reached a critically low level and, with just one more mode

Leo Shand explains how the use of a 3D model has helped collaborate on the new Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh. The new Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh is a flagship project that involves the redevelopment of three existing Grade A-listed buildings and a new build to create a 5-star hotel with 225 bedrooms. The

Minister for local government, housing & planning Kevin Stewart reflects on a big week in the world of planning in Scotland. There is an especially busy and exciting period ahead for Scotland’s planning system.

We often think of flight to the suburbs as a modern phenomenon, but a conflict has raged for centuries between urban and suburban living. Cruden Homes’ sales and marketing director, Hazel Davies, explores this eternal dilemma. Travel out of any British city and you’re likely to find new

Sarah Alexander, senior associate at Dentons, discusses the intricacies of the NEC3 subcontract. With fewer than 10 reported decisions from the Court of Session on the interpretation of NEC3, any guidance from the court is welcomed with open arms. This is particularly so while the NEC suite of contr

In discussing conservation engineering and the work structural engineers do to repair, protect and conserve our building heritage, Gillian Ogilvie talks specifically about her own work at The Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Conservation engineering is about repairing and preserving what is there. Howe

The construction industry is confronted with historic challenges, as well as great opportunities in meeting the target of net zero, including a projected need for up to 300,000 new jobs. As last week marked the first Green Jobs Taskforce meeting, CITB’s sustainability and innovation lead, Rich

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity CEO Bill Hill reacts to the recent suicide figures published by the Office for National Statistics. As well as the word unprecedented, we are now hearing the words mental health every day. That’s good because it means people are talking about the i