Built Environment Forum Scotland

Spring Statement delivers a Barnett bonus The UK Spring Statement delivers £921 million extra for Scotland, easing budget pressures and boosting future flexibility.

📊 A new SPICe blog looks at the UK Spring Statement and its implications for Scotland’s public finances. Updated forecasts suggest £921m in additional Barnett consequentials for the Scottish Budget.

Read more 👇

Heritage matters RSA Fellows in Edinburgh and guests are invited to this event on safeguarding cultural and natural heritage.

🏛️ Heritage Matters — Tue 17 March | City Chambers
Join Secretary-General of Europa Nostra, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, on the Brussels Manifesto + shared Scotland–Europe heritage priorities.
🎟️ All welcome (ticket required):

BEFS Bulletin 392: BEFS Member news, consultations and events Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications & Consultations

BEFS Bulletin 392 is out! BEFS member news, consultations, events, plus the latest built environment policy updates, publications and opportunities across Scotland.
Read it here 👇

Scottish Apprenticeship Week As the construction sector marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week from today, newly released data from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) shows construction tops parental preferences for their child’s career path, and apprenticeships are a popular choice over other routes such as universi

Find out more👇

Scottish Apprenticeship Week highlights growing interest in construction careers.
New research from Chartered Institute of Building shows apprenticeships are now the preferred career path for many Scottish parents, with construction among the top sectors for young people.

Mick Duncan obituary Other lives: Architect who helped shape the design of the Scottish parliament building

We were saddened to learn of the death of architect Mick Duncan, associate architect of the Scottish Parliament and a significant figure in Scotland’s built environment.
www.theguardian.com/...

#BuiltEnvironment #Architecture #Scotland

Can solar panels turn around one of Scotland's most deprived communities? A community energy scheme is expected to raise about £1m which will be spent on projects in the Wallacetown area of Ayr.

🌞 Community energy in action

In Ayr’s Wallacetown, solar panels installed on three schools are set to generate around £1m over 25 years for local projects tackling fuel poverty, carbon reduction and community wellbeing.

Read more: www.bbc.co.uk/news/a...?

🎧 New Equality in Housing episode

Dr Sacha Hassan joins Gareth Young and Pedro Cameron to explore inclusive placemaking and the housing barriers faced by people with complex needs in Scotland.

Listen and download the transcript 👇
housingevidence.ac.u...

Part 2 supports detailed structural assessment.

Access the free guidance here 👇

New guidance published on RAAC in Scottish homes 🏠

The Institution of Structural Engineers has released RAAC Scottish Residential Property Guidance – Part 1, supporting the initial identification and appraisal of RAAC roof panels in residential properties.

Supporting community climate action Climate Engagement Fund reopens.

Climate Engagement Fund reopens 🌍
The Scottish Government’s £275,000 fund will support climate festivals, skills development, art exhibitions and community projects to boost climate awareness and action.
Applications close 1 March 2026.
Find out more and apply 👇

Lost and Found: Rediscovering Scotland’s Forgotten Prehistory - Historic Environment Scotland Blog Sites (Bronze Age barrow, Iron Age fort, and settlement) were found using lidar technology, rediscovering Scotland's forgotten prehistory

Using lidar technology, a Bronze Age barrow, Iron Age fort and enclosed settlement were identified and scheduled by HES

New discoveries in Scotland’s prehistoric landscape!
Three previously unrecorded monuments in Perth and Kinross and East Lothian have now been recognised as nationally important.

Reminder: Don't miss out on events and training in Scotland's built environment sector! Check the BEFS Calendar for upcoming opportunities: www.befs.org.uk/events/
Stay updated - subscribe to BEFS Bulletin: befs.us10.list-manag...

#BuiltEnvironment #ScotlandEvents

Rural Land Market Report 2024 - Land Matters Today I publish my annual analysis of large-scale rural land sales in 2024. It follows earlier reports for 2020-22 and for 2023. One of the key issues raised in the report and in this blog is covered by the Guardian today. You can dowload a copy of the report here (it is short - only

New! Andy Wightman’s analysis of the Rural Land Market Report 2024 highlights ongoing concentration of Scotland’s rural land and growing concerns over transparency in land sales 📊
The report questions use of “Implementation of Missives” to conceal sale prices.
Read:

Trust calls for VAT cuts to save heritage We are calling on all political parties fielding candidates in the 7 May election to commit to action to save the nation’s built heritage.

National Trust for Scotland is calling for VAT cuts on building repairs and greater investment in traditional skills to help protect Scotland’s built heritage 🏛️

They argue current policy favours demolition over retrofit.

Read more and join the conversation:

Accelerating home-building in Scotland 🏘️

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on measures to speed up housing delivery, including land assembly, build-out rates and support for SMEs.

Closes 30 April 2026.
Share your views 👇

BEFS has responded to the UK Government consultation on Alternative Clean Heating Solutions.

We highlighted the importance of fabric-first approaches and the careful application of technologies suited to traditional buildings.

Read our response 👇
www.befs.org.uk/wp-c...

The Scottish Civic Trust My Place Awards are now open 🏆
Celebrating community-led regeneration, civic champions, climate action and equalities in action across Scotland.
🗓 Closes 29th April
Enter or share with your networks 👇
www.scottishcivictru...

Shaping Scotland's Built Environment Cluster - Online Survey Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

BE-ST / Scottish Enterprise are seeking views to help shape the new Built Environment Cluster Management Organisation, supporting innovation, digital construction and decarbonisation.

🗓 Closes 27 Feb 2026
Take part 👇

BEFS Bulletin 391: Community Wealth Building, Draft Budget, and sector consultations Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications & Consultations

The Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill has passed unanimously.

New duties on public bodies to grow, retain and circulate wealth locally, from procurement to skills and community asset ownership.

Read more in our latest BEFS Bulletin 👇

Council agrees first round of Edinburgh Visitor Levy spend Visitor Levy

Edinburgh has confirmed the first spending programmes from its 5% Visitor Levy.

From ~£50m expected annually, £5m will support delivery of 472 homes, alongside funding for venues, heritage assets, public art and responsible tourism.

Read more:

BEFS Bulletin 391: Community Wealth Building, Draft Budget, and sector consultations Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications & Consultations

BEFS Bulletin 391 is out 📣

Community Wealth Building legislation passed, visitor levy updates, plus the latest built environment news, policy consultations, publications and opportunities.

Take a look 👇

🌍 BEFS has responded to the Draft Climate Change Plan (2026–40), welcoming its vision and ambition, but calling for clearer delivery detail and a stronger whole-systems approach across buildings, skills, reuse and place.
Read our response → www.befs.org.uk/wp-c...

📄 Read the report →housingevidence.ac.u...

Housing Quality and Health- an Economic Analysis examines the economic impact of poor-quality housing on health outcomes in Scotland, highlighting significant costs and the need for stronger evidence, monitoring, and investment to inform future health and housing policy.

New report from UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence 🏘️🩺

POWF Newsletter - Research in Action on Church Heritage In this edition of the POWF Newsletter, Dr. Emily Johnston and Dr. Lizzie Swarbrick share an update on Research in Action on Church Heritage (ReACH), a project addressing the urgent challenge of church closures across Scotland. The initiative has launched a symposium, established a Heritage Action Group, and is building a comprehensive database of Scotland's 860+ churches at risk. Dr Emily Johnston FSAScot is ReACH's Communities Officer. She joined the team in August 2025 after her PhD at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in community engagement in archaeology. Dr Lizzie Swarbrick is the Research Manager for ReACH and is an art and architectural historian, specialising in Scottish medieval churches.

📩 The Places of Worship Forum (POWF) Newsletter is out. Our featured blog highlights ReACH, responding to the challenge of church closures across Scotland and building a database of 860+ at-risk churches.
📖 Read the blog: ow.ly/KvvQ50YcKZc
🔎 POWF: ow.ly/yEwu50YcKZb l

Museums: Scotland's Stories, Scotland's Future Our campaign for the 2026 Scottish elections calls for political parties to recognise museums and galleries as essential civic institutions.

Find out more and get involved 👉

As the election approaches, the campaign makes the case for museums as essential civic institutions — supporting learning, wellbeing, community connection, fair work and economic recovery, and shaping Scotland’s future, not just preserving its past.