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.

As we approach the ten-year anniversary of Clarus Networks Group later this year, I am proud to reflect on our journey from a small tech start-up in Bathgate, to a global leader in connectivity solutions with offices in both Scotland and England.

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.

Perceptive Communicators has announced its appointment to provide strategic communications services for Valneva Scotland, a specialty vaccine company that develops, manufactures, and commercialises vaccines for infectious diseases, addressing unmet medical needs.

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.

We are in the grip of a nationwide housing crisis, yet recent figures reveal that the timescale for average planning application is four times longer than the Government target. While this is clearly an issue for developers, why should this be an issue for those beyond the industry?

We are in the grip of a nationwide housing crisis, yet recent figures reveal that the timescale for average planning application is four times longer than the Government target. While this is clearly an issue for developers, why should this be an issue for those beyond the industry?

There is no denying that the challenges faced across the housebuilding and wider construction industry over the last few years have been particularly acute. A combination of planning and covid delays, inflationary cost increases for material and labour, rising cost of living and high mortgage interest rates all contributed to a negative ripple effect across the sector.

Last week the UK's Real Estate Investment Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) took place in Leeds. With over 12,000 delegates, the conference was a bustling hub of innovation, ideas, and challenges focusing on the vitality and dynamism of the real estate sector.

Perceptive Communicators has announced a significant milestone with its appointment to provide strategic communications services for Muir Group and expanding their specialist team with the addition of a Senior Account Executive, along with two award wins in two days.

This year sees Campion Homes celebrate 35 years of building not just homes, but communities. Over the years, we’ve faced numerous challenges, including the recessions of the early 1990s and the financial crisis of 2008. These periods tested our resilience but also taught us the value of adaptability and prudent financial management.

Perceptive Communicators has won at the 2024 Inspiring Workplaces Awards UK & Ireland. Perceptive Communicators was named as a Top 50 Inspiring Workplace, ranking #39 in the UK & Ireland, and received a Top Five award in the small business category (less than 50 employees).

As a female founder of a consultancy specialising in science communications, we are always keen to walk the talk, so have established Senior Women in Science, a network to help inspire and support women in this key sector.

The journey towards Net Zero is fraught with complexities and challenges that often seem insurmountable and with Scotland just reneging on its own climate targets, the path is not as clear as we once hoped.

All across the UK, there are monuments to our industrial heritage. They remind us of the burgeoning heavy industries that once helped power our country. Importantly, they remind us of the toil of the workers and communities that dedicated their working lives to these important industries.

Scotland has been synonymous with innovation for hundreds of years, building groundbreaking machines that powered the industrial revolution and inventing products that transformed the way we live our lives. Striving to always be at the forefront has served Scotland well.

While support with office space was always greatly appreciated, we faced a continued challenge – our workspaces weren’t permanent. With the need for our support increasing, we needed somewhere permanent to base ourselves.

Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation - it happens when people, places and purpose come together. Business innovation, where the commercially successful application of ideas, leads to new or improved products, processes or services, is a vital ingredient in strengthening local economies and driving national growth.

Regeneration companies like Clyde Gateway serve as a testament to the power of reversing economic fortunes. Using a mixture of private and public funding we have built momentum in delivering economic and social change for our communities.