Opinion

A poor understanding of the updated Euroclass fire rating standard is bringing additional cost, confusion and quality issues to a sector faced with recladding up to 700 high rise building in Scotland alone, says Gillian Thomson. Replacing BS476, the European rating system EN13501-1 was updated in 20

In the first in a series of blogs about how planning can respond to new and old challenges, planning minister Kevin Stewart offers some thoughts about recent events and what the future might bring for our places and people. The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has made many of us ref

Cruden Group’s Kevin Reid outlines likely changes to the ways that we will build and what we will build now as a result of the pandemic. As the construction industry begins its journey through the restart plan, we consider how lockdown has afforded us the opportunity to rebuild the future of t

The Scottish Government needs to encourage investment in Later Living and, in turn, provide a boost for the construction industry, says residential property specialist Rodney Whyte.  A significant realignment in practically every part of our society is inevitable as we get to grips with life as

When a defect becomes apparent in a building or structure, how long does the owner have to make a claim? Dentons associate Kathryn Kelly explains more. In Scotland, defects claims have to be made within five years. Time starts to run when loss, injury and damage occurs (section 11(1) of the Prescrip

Coronavirus has had a significant impact on construction projects in terms of delay as well as direct and indirect costs and Claire Logue says it is uncertain how these will be dealt with by the courts. As the Rolling Stones wisely advise us, "You can't always get what you want… but if you tr

Scotland’s construction industry will face a potential domino effect of insolvencies without some form of government intervention, warns solicitor Roddy Cormack. The construction industry is facing a real uphill struggle. Although some restrictions are lifting, further increasing the work

Government guidance on the return of children to preschool education settings promotes the increased use of outdoor learning spaces to provide valuable education to infants, whilst providing the required distance between ‘cohorts’ or ‘bubbles’ of pupils. Holmes Miller has bee

Andrew Hill, lease advisory partner at Knight Frank's Edinburgh office, details the importance of collaboration between landlords and tenants during the coronavirus crisis. Times of extreme economic pressure tend to place a strain on business relationships. In the COVID-19 crisis we currently face,

Scottish residential house prices are not falling through the roof, despite what you may be reading elsewhere, according to Eric Curran, managing partner at DM Hall chartered surveyors. The last thing anybody needs at the moment is someone else banging on about fake news but if you were a house sell

Now is the time to consider the role of Modern Methods of Construction in the future of the construction sector, says partner Ian Atkinson and solicitor Ryan Lavers at law firm Womble Bond Dickinson. The construction sector is fundamentally important to the UK economy. Often cited as the barome

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