Scotland’s life sciences sector is smashing the targets set for it by the Industry Leadership Group, surpassing an £8bn contribution to the Scottish economy a full year ahead of schedule. With a new, ambitious target now set for 2035, the industry requires strategic action to solidify our position as a global leader in this high growth industry

 This will not be easy in the face of difficult economic headwinds: stubborn inflation, expected rises in global oil and gas prices, higher cost of living for employees. Pair this with sectoral specific issues such as shortages of skilled labour, adequate infrastructure and funding, and the outlook is challenging to say the least.

I often hear people talk about the retrofit challenge as though it’s a mountain too steep to climb. But having spent decades immersed in the engineering detail of social housing and working closely with progressive clients across the local authority and wider construction sector, I believe we can flatten that curve. We just need to work smarter, and faster, together.

There’s no question that the race to meet 2030 net zero goals is intensifying. And rightly so. But for local authorities and housing associations who carry much of the responsibility, the scale of the task can feel overwhelming. In Edinburgh alone, the housing stock is evenly split between Council and housing associations, with much of this in urgent need of retrofit investment.

Last week marked the halfway point of 2025 and it’s fair to say it’s been a whirlwind six months in the digital marketing world. Daily feature rollouts, the explosion of AI tools, and what feels like an identity crisis in SEO have left many teams spinning. But while the digital dust storm rages on, the truth remains clear; the best marketing still starts with a clear understanding of your audience.

There has been an undeniable shift in the role of housebuilders across the UK. With the housing crisis, cost of living pressures, and growing skills shortages all converging, the industry is being called to do more than simply deliver bricks and mortar.

Today, housebuilders must consider the fuller picture of how developments can empower and support the communities they serve. Community benefit is no longer a “nice to have” or a project afterthought. When delivered with purpose, it becomes a powerful tool for long-term social change, boosting skills, strengthening local economies, and building places people are proud to call home.

In June 2024, Homes for Scotland (HFS) took a bold step to fill a glaring gap in our national housing data. Our landmark report, Scotland’s SME Home Builders 2024: Data Review and Industry Insights, brought together for the first time a comprehensive picture of the state of Scotland’s SME home building sector—laying bare the vital role these businesses play, the ground they build on and the pressures threatening their survival.

The findings were sobering: since 2007, the number of SME home builders in Scotland has plummeted by two-thirds. 2023 alone saw a record number of dissolutions. The warning lights are flashing—and have been for some time.

Scotland’s largest vaccine producer Valneva has renewed its contract with Glasgow-based communications consultancy, Perceptive Communicators, for ongoing strategic communications support. Perceptive will continue to provide a range of public relations and stakeholder engagement services to support Valneva’s commercial goals and its impact in Scotland’s life sciences sector.

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.

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.

A UK government-backed innovation programme has delivered a major boost to regional economies, generating more than £140 million in new investment and creating up to 250 full-time equivalent jobs across the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Glasgow City Region.

Funded by Innovate UK, working with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), early impacts emerging from the Innovation Accelerator pilot programme demonstrate it is already delivering significant economic outcomes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Science has always been a catalyst for progress, shaping the way we understand and navigate the world. Yet, for centuries, the contributions of women in science have been overlooked, and despite many efforts, a yawning gender gap at a senior level in science persists.  

Today we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This acknowledges the impact of female scientists.  But why do we need days like this and initiatives like Senior Women in Science (SWIS), established by Perceptive Communicators, which aims to help move the needle on the number of women in senior positions?