Opinion

Having studied planning application trends as a litmus test for whether land supply for housing is running out in Scotland, development & investment manager Jake Poole suggests that while the picture is not bleak across the board just yet, cracks are emerging, and it is a slow ship to turn. In r

Dr Andrew Robert Watson proposes the development of a Housing Stewardship Framework for understanding and improving how housing quality is produced and sustained across the system. Housing quality matters. There are well-established links between the condition of homes and levels of educational atta

Joe Warren, building consultancy partner at Knight Frank, looks ahead to the EPC changes coming into effect later in the year. There are lots of legislative and regulatory difference between Scotland and the rest of the UK. But perhaps one of the most misunderstood differences in property has been t

To demonstrate Grampian Housing Association’s journey to net zero whilst addressing fuel poverty, Zander Carle, director of asset management, discusses how social landlords can ensure tenants meaningfully help shape future energy-efficiency projects, turning climate commitments into actions. F

Greig Fenton, regional director at Thomas & Adamson, explores how real-time data can help spot issues like damp and mould earlier, supporting safer homes and more proactive asset management in line with new regulatory requirements. Digital technology is steadily influencing how buildings are pla

Lesley Peaty, regional director of The Scottish Procurement Alliance, highlights changes to SPA's rebates and Community Benefit Fund initiatives. Over the past decade, we’ve all felt the pinch. Across every level of society, we’ve had to make difficult choices about where limited resourc

The Scottish Government’s planned exemptions from rent control measures within the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 signal a more stable and investable landscape for developers, investors and funders, offering a timely catalyst for boosting housing supply across Scotland, write Russell Munro and Pa

As Scotland enters the final year before the analogue to digital switch-off, Sharon Hannah, project manager at the ​Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, kicks off a series of blogs for Scottish Housing News by outlining the historic and modern challenges facing Scotland at this moment. Te

Grampian Housing Association chief executive Craig Stirrat shares why a 1966 comedy sketch still speaks to Aberdeen in 2026. Two years on from a national housing emergency being declared, Shelter Scotland has warned that homelessness in the country is becoming the “new normal” as figures

Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association (LSHA) recently welcomed its CEO, Lowri Richards, back from maternity leave. Fanchea Kelly spent 2025 leading LSHA in Lowri’s absence and reflects on her time there, and on the importance of the housing association to the many local communities across Lo

One year on from the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 coming into force, Hamish Paterson – director and head of building surveying at Thomas & Adamson – reflects on the lessons learned during the first year of Scotland’s national cladding programme and the nex

After regulations were laid in the Scottish Parliament to exempt mid-market and build-to-rent properties from rent control proposals, Craig Sanderson has his say. This article appeared in Scottish Housing News last Friday. I have issues with it.

Nicola Woodward, senior director and head of the Edinburgh office at Lichfields, examines how current housing policy in Scotland, and the growing number of out-of-date local development plans, are affecting housing delivery. Scotland has been in a declared housing emergency since May 2024, yet the d

Scotland’s land ownership has been transformed over the past two centuries. New guidance on the Scottish Government’s land reform mapping tool highlights how communities can begin navigating today’s legal framework, writes Ameeta Panesar. Ownership can divide opinion, with a curren

The Salvation Army's Jeremy Bushnell looks ahead to the publication of new homelessness statistics and what they could signal as Scotland moves towards another election. This week, data published by the Scottish Government will set out how many people received support for homelessness from their cou