The recent UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds has cemented its place as a major platform for shaping the future of development across the country. With over 16,500 delegates from across the UK and abroad, it has become a central hub for policy and investment in real estate.

Regionalisation was one of the key topics for discussion this year with many of the regional combined authorities in England, like Manchester, Liverpool and Tees Valley, espousing the value and momentum that their devolved regional investment powers have brought to their respective cities and towns. If you go to any of these areas, you can see for yourself the levels of transformation that have been achieved in recent years.

The recent UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds has cemented its place as a major platform for shaping the future of development across the country. With over 16,500 delegates from across the UK and abroad, it has become a central hub for policy and investment in real estate.

Regionalisation was one of the key topics for discussion this year with many of the regional combined authorities in England, like Manchester, Liverpool and Tees Valley, espousing the value and momentum that their devolved regional investment powers have brought to their respective cities and towns. If you go to any of these areas, you can see for yourself the levels of transformation that have been achieved in recent years.

In a business environment that feels increasingly unpredictable, relationships grounded in long-term thinking and shared trust are more important than ever. From global supply chain disruptions to interest rate speculation and shifting consumer behaviour, companies are facing pressure to adapt quickly while still achieving growth and other priority goals. In this landscape, the need for clear, consistent and strategic communication is growing, but so too is the need to access experts who can solve the problems of the moment whilst enabling a business to stay on track.

At Perceptive Communicators, we’ve always believed that lasting client relationships are built on more than delivering to a brief. Our approach was recognised at the CIPR Excellence Awards in two categories this year, including Best Long-Term Client Care. This highlights the need for businesses to have expert support that will deliver insight-led, impact-focused communications, rooted in commercial understanding.

One year ago, Scotland declared a housing emergency, yet we are still nowhere near tackling this challenge. It’s a stark assessment but not a surprising one for those of us working at the heart of housing delivery.

It’s not just a challenge for the homebuilding industry but one that affects everyone. Having a safe and warm place to call home has a direct impact on educational attainment, physical and mental health. Recent statistics from Shelter report over 10,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, the highest level since records began in 2002, which has detrimental implications that can last a lifetime.

Work is now complete on The Auction Rooms, a distinctive, design-led office development in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town. Led by Edinburgh-based Atom Group, with design by award-winning Studio LBA and interiors by Nicola McMurray Design Studio, the restoration blends original features, such as grand staircases, ornate cornicing, and arched doorways, with contemporary design tailored to modern business needs. 

Students from New College Lanarkshire's Motherwell Campus recently visited the construction site at Ravenscraig, as part of their HNC and HND courses in Computer Aided Draughting and Design (CADD) and Architectural Technology.

The site visit focused on Motus Commercials' new 38,000 sqft commercial vehicle workshop and sales facility, which has commenced construction in Ravenscraig’s dedicated employment area, SevenFourEight.

A bold new £500 million vision to strengthen a major Scottish location for innovation, High Value Manufacturing, business space and green growth in Glasgow will be unveiled today with plans for business space, hotels and hundreds of homes delivering a coherent and cohesive proposition to ‘connect, collaborate, and create’.

The new ‘Clyde Gateway Innovation’ initiative will transform over 100 hectares - equivalent to the size of over 130 football pitches - of prime development land in Glasgow’s east end and South Lanarkshire into a dynamic, mixed-use ecosystem designed to create high-value jobs, deliver sustainable business growth and sustain increased inward investment.

Having worked with hundreds of clients in a range of businesses and organisations over the past three decades, one consistent challenge is under-performance.  This can result from a variety of causes, from being promoted too soon, struggling to meet performance expectations, a loss of motivation, strained colleague relationships, to stress and burn out.

When I am asked to coach someone described as a "poor performer," my first step is to check if coaching is the right approach. Poor performance is often attributed to attitudinal and behavioural issues, rather than a lack of skills or expertise which might actually be the case. Addressing underperformance also requires a deeper understanding of the employee’s motivations, perceptions, and emotional reactions. Again this is often overlooked.  

It’s been nearly two weeks since Spain’s national grid faltered - plunging parts of the Iberian Peninsula into chaos and dragging Portugal with it. The initial response, as ever, was to look for someone to blame. Hackers? Foreign powers? But there was no hostile actor behind the failure. This was a system buckling under the strain of its own transition.

It’s a stark reminder: as we rush to decarbonise, the energy transition is becoming increasingly stretched - and under strain is when things break.

Work has begun on an exciting new seven-story capsule hotel in the heart of Edinburgh, developed by TARKA Hotels in collaboration with award-winning architect Studio LBA.

In today’s housing landscape, developers have a greater responsibility than ever before. While addressing the national housing shortage remains a key part of our role, we need to go beyond numbers on a spreadsheet and take the time and care to create places where people of all ages can not only live, but thrive. That means building real communities.

At Cruden Homes, we believe that truly successful developments are those that promote multi-generational living; where young and old and everything in between can live harmoniously, side by side. Our award-winning Longniddry Village in East Lothian does exactly that - a development carefully conceived to cater for all life stages, from first-time buyers and young families to empty nesters and retirees.

As Scotland prepares for its next parliamentary election, the evolving political climate presents a unique opportunity to influence. We are approaching a critical juncture with just one year to go until the next Holyrood vote, whilst the new UK Labour Government will soon have had its first full year in office. 

They say a week is a long time in politics. For the Prime Minister that first year will have felt like an age, seeing his popularity plummet and his party’s lead in the polls disappear.

Scotland’s life sciences sector is a crucial part of the nation’s economy, contributing groundbreaking innovation in areas such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and vaccine manufacture.

Recent data shows the sector now contributes almost £10.5bn to the Scottish economy, with life sciences exports worth £4.3bn, and the potential is building. Its strong academic foundation, coupled with a robust talent pool and the Scottish Government’s life sciences strategy, makes Scotland a prime destination for innovation and investment.

Perceptive Communicators is shortlisted for Supporting Member of the Year at the Homes for Scotland Awards.

The energy industry is in a state of flux. As someone who has spent decades working in Scotland's renewable energy sector, I’ve witnessed first-hand just how dynamic and unpredictable this industry can be. But even I find myself awestruck by the pace of change we are experiencing now - a pace that feels exhilarating, but also deeply challenging.

Perceptive Communicators wins ‘Consumer Campaign of the Year’ for its work on the launch of Lost Shore Surf Resort at the 2025 PRmoment Awards.

As Edinburgh continues to grow and evolve, so too must its educational infrastructure. The rapid development of new housing projects in areas like Granton, Gilmerton and South Queensferry highlights a pressing need for new schools to accommodate families moving into these vibrant communities.

In my role at Will Rudd Edinburgh, I am acutely aware of the challenges and opportunities this presents. Our mission is to not only meet the demand for new educational facilities but to create schools that serve as integral, multifaceted hubs within their neighbourhoods, all with reduced budgets.

Studio LBA has been appointed for the next residential phase of the St Andrews West masterplan development, following successful progress of the first residential phase, which is due for completion November 2026.

In recent years, we have seen businesses increasingly prioritise the mental health of their workforce. While this is to be applauded, specific support around substance use remains vastly overlooked.

Research by the CIPD suggests that although half of employers have a disciplinary procedure for drug or alcohol-related incidents, only around a third provide information for employees on sources of support or guidelines for managers on how to deal with disclosure.

Construction is now underway on a new development that will bring 50 modern, energy-efficient homes for social rent to Glasgow’s Southside. The project, delivered by family-owned independent housebuilder AS Homes (Scotland) on behalf of Southside Housing Association, will bring much-needed affordable housing to the site on Pollokshaws Road.