Opinion

Architect Oliver Wilson on the changing residential neighbourhoods being created in Scottish city centres. On moving to Edinburgh as a child, my first impression was that it seemed complete. It was like a drawing where all the elements and perspective fitted together perfectly. I&rsqu

Katherine Metcalfe compares building safety regulations north and south of the border. The UK government announced last month that a new building safety regulator for England, under the auspices of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), will be formed as part of a package of measures to improve high

Morris & Spottiswood’s strategic development director, Viv Sutherland, argues that the Brexit Transition Period is of vital importance to the UK construction sector. Brexit may have slipped down the news agenda for the moment, but the importance of the next few months to the future of the

A construction adjudication enforcement case in North Lanarkshire highlights why the use of 'without prejudice' does not make documents inadmissible in subsequent proceedings, says Harper Macleod senior associate Laura McCorquodale. There is an ongoing misconception that labelling any document 'with

The climate emergency has risen to the top of the UK’s political agenda in recent years, with green issues set to become one of the biggest political hot potatoes of the decade. Last year, the UK legislated for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This was recommended by the Committee on

Womble Bond Dickinson's partner Jeremy Smith, managing associate Michelle Essen and practice development lawyer Karen Plumbley-Jones highlight further changes to the off-payroll working rules (IR35). Changes to the off-payroll working rules - which will impact on the construction industry by placing

Dentons senior associate, Sarah Alexander, discusses the case of Babcock Marine (Clyde) Ltd v HS Barrier Coatings Ltd [2019] CSOH 110 and its impact on what an adjudicator needs to do if they use other people (like a QS) when preparing their decision. In December 2019, Scottish Construction Now publ

Highlighting the energy strategy behind making Shawfair as sustainable as possible, James Palmer said the project can become an exemplar for others to follow. In 2005 Apple launched the iPod Nano, mobile phones were used for making calls, and Al Gore began working on his documentary, “An Incon

While the build to rent (BTR) pipeline continues to grow in Scotland, Will Scarlett from Scarlett Land and Development said the sector’s viability should not be taken for granted. Scarlett Land and Development (SLD) are tracking 3,727 units in Edinburgh (excluding Mid-Market Rent) and c. 4,000

David Hamilton says his work on the Edinburgh Biomes programme proves that skills are transferable when it comes to project management. I have been on the programme board of a £70 million construction programme since 2018. As a project professional, it has been fascinating to discover the comm

Malcolm Thomson, sales and marketing director of Scotframe, details the need for collective action from the housebuilding industry to tackle climate change. It was Barack Obama who pointed out that the challenges of the 21 st century could not be met without collective action. And few would argue th

Shirley McIntosh, tax partner at RSM, discusses the new challenges facing the legal sector amid changes in property tax. The start of the new tax year on 6 April 2020 will see the latest in a long line of changes in the taxation of property introduced since April 2013, from new and abolished rules,

With 2020 marking the 20th anniversary of trade body Homes for Scotland, chief executive Nicola Barclay considers the changes that have (or more significantly haven’t) taken place on what is her own 4th year anniversary in the job. 2020 is set to be a year to remember for the Scottish home bui

Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) director Euan Leitch reflects on the Scottish Government’s response to recommendations from the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance and the recent Scottish House Condition Survey 2018 findings. The Scottish Parliamentary Working

Trainee solicitor at Jones Whyte Law, Lauren Hazlie, provides information on high rise cladding and what people should be aware of when looking to buy or sell a property which has inappropriate cladding. Over the past couple of decades, a number of high rise buildings in the UK have been built with