Albyn Housing Society has announced it will build 600 new homes over the next five years, responding to the Highland Council’s 2024 Housing Challenge, which calls for 24,000 new homes in the region over the next decade. This is supported by a £10 million loan from Bank of Scotland.

FLIC (Female Leaders in Construction) has appointed five new Advisory Board members.  Karen Campbell, Group Corporate Communications Director at the Springfield Group, Louise Chambers, Partner at Burness Paull, Hazel Davies, Sales & Marketing Director at Cruden, Elaine Farquharson-Black, Partner at Brodies and Marion Forbes, Director of Performance & Organisational Change at AC Whyte & Co Ltd.

Five-star housebuilder Cruden has been granted planning permission to redevelop the former St John Vianney’s Roman Catholic Church site at 40 Fernieside Gardens, Edinburgh. The plans will transform the vacant, deteriorating 1950s building into a high-quality, fully affordable housing development, delivering 35 much-needed new homes within one of the city’s well-connected 20-minute neighbourhoods.

Plans have been unveiled to transform part of Ravenscraig into what could become one of the UK’s largest green AI data centres – bringing thousands of new jobs and billions of pounds of inward investment. The ambitious proposal has been put forward by Edinburgh and York based renewable energy developer Apatura, with plans to develop a major data centre with battery energy storage. It will be powered by 550 megawatts of grid connections due to come online by 2030. 

Albyn Housing Society has appointed Robert Buchanan as a new Director of IT and Business Services to support the operations and resilience of the social housing provider as well as a new Head of Development and Sustainability in Marcie Ballance to help Albyn combat the Highland housing challenge.

Part of the wider Albyn Group, Highland Residential has also appointed a new board member in Margaret Morrison.

Celebrated later this week, the focus of International Women’s Day this year is accelerating action. A key sector which could benefit from such accelerated action is the construction sector. It is a major contributor to our economy, but its contribution is being suppressed with a lack of diversity.   

The statistics are stark. According to the Office for National Statistics, women make up just 15.8% of the total construction workforce, with those in director-level roles at low single figures. Yet, companies with diverse leadership teams consistently outperform competitors both financially and operationally. The absence of female voices at the top is not just an equality issue—it’s impacting on the performance of the sector and, in turn, our wider economy.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has appointed Studio LBA for the refurbishment and creation of a multi-purpose space for the Fringe Society, Fringe artists and community partners. 

As Scotland faces increasing economic challenges, the need for innovation and collaboration in public sector infrastructure has never been greater. The Scottish Government's recent Programme for Government has highlighted its commitment to addressing climate change, with a strong focus on decarbonisation sector-wide. At hub South West Scotland, we are proud to play a crucial role in this transformative agenda, working alongside our public sector shareholders to deliver sustainable infrastructure that meets the needs of communities today and for future generations.

The shortage of homes in Scotland has been quite clear for a number of years. Industry leaders put the shortfall to be somewhere in the region of 110,000. Given the recent significant reductions in new home starts and completions, this is not going to be fixed anytime soon.

The shortage of homes in Scotland has been quite clear for a number of years. Industry leaders put the shortfall to be somewhere in the region of 110,000. Given the recent significant reductions in new home starts and completions, this is not going to be fixed anytime soon.

Imagine for a moment how different your life might be without the security of a safe, comfortable home. Next week marks Scottish Housing Day, with the theme "Homes for Life." At Perceptive Communicators, we’re supporting our housebuilding clients around this, shining a spotlight on the incredible impact of homes on the quality of all of our lives and yet also the massive shortage of much needed homes. 

As I approach nearly a year as Chair of the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) Regional Group in Scotland, I've had the opportunity to reflect on the evolving responsibilities and influence of our profession.

As the UK grapples with a housing market that’s increasingly stretched at both ends, one solution that’s often overlooked is the potential of the retirement housing sector. Specifically, age-exclusive developments for the over-55s could play a crucial role in easing pressure on the market by encouraging downsizing, freeing up larger family homes, and ultimately ensuring a more efficient housing lifecycle.

Glasgow-based specialist communications consultancy Perceptive Communicators has been shortlisted as Property Marketing Team of the Year at the Herald Property Awards 2024. 

Ravenscraig's transformation is not just about clearing old remnants of its industrial past. It's about laying the groundwork for a future that offers high-quality housing, excellent transport links, and abundant educational and employment opportunities.

The economic benefits of building new housing are clear and well documented. The home building sector in Scotland supports 45,000 jobs directly and tens of thousands more up and down the supply chain. In 2019 the sector was worth £3.4 billion to the economy.

In the decade since the Commonwealth Games, Clyde Gateway has achieved remarkable progress. The area now boasts over 4,000 new homes, increasing the population to approximately 28,000.

In an age rapidly being defined by the pressing need for sustainability and environmental responsibility, traditional methods of construction are giving way to more innovative approaches, with modular construction leading the charge towards a greener future.

Last week, Homes for Scotland (HFS) published a report revealing a concerning decline in the small and medium enterprise (SME) home building sector. A day later, the Scottish Government released its quarterly housing statistics. Neither paint a positive picture.

Scotland’s housing system is at a critical juncture. The Scottish Government has acknowledged the nation’s housing emergency and announced its intention to recognise housing as a national outcome. This is a vital first step, but the real challenge is translating this intention into effective action.