Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications & Consultations
BEFS News
Last week BEFS hosted Places of Worship: Planning Forward, an event welcoming representatives from across Scotland to explore collaborative approaches and practical solutions to the issues facing Scotland’s places of worship in transition. Huge thanks to everyone that attended and contributed so generously to the conversations, to all our speakers and to the wonderful Pyramid at Anderston – built in 1968 by Glasgow architects Honeyman, Jack and Robertson for The Church of Scotland – which provided the perfect setting and inspiration. To find out about next steps, resources, projects, and future events on the topic, or to stay informed about BEFS work seeking sustainable futures for these special places, sign up for the Places of Worship Forum Newsletter.
It has been a summer of conversations about energy efficiency, with BEFS and sector stakeholders participating in a round table on Heat in Buildings with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, and consultations on Heat and Energy Efficiency Suitability Assessment (HEETSA), and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) recently closed. You can read submissions for both of these on BEFS website, highlighting the importance of joined up approaches to retrofit – alongside essential maintenance and repair appropriate to building typology, to improve thermal performance. A recent blog by CIOB’s Jocelyn Fleming explores the subject, emphasising the need for alignment across policy.
For those readers that have long engaged in discussions around tax incentives for works to historic buildings, and with an eye to developments south of the border, this podcast featuring Sarah Roller, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at BEFS Member organisation Historic Houses, is well worth a listen. Themes explored include: Why and how can heritage property be exempted from tax? What effect does this have? What qualifies for exemption, and what doesn’t?
The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) have seen positive steps in their Petition for Charter, following a review of their Memorandum and approval from the Privy Council Office (PCO) for the submission. IHBC Director Dr Sean O’Reilly said that the case was attested ‘by the strength of member and sector support for our work, as well as the wider public benefit inherent in both the IHBC’s corporate priorities and the conservation work of our members’.
And lastly, Historic Environment Scotland have launched their Talking About Heritage Survey 2025 – part of an ongoing conversation with people across Scotland about the heritage that is important to them. There are many ways to take part, through the online survey or at one of their engagement events. Have a say in shaping the future of heritage in Scotland, such as what you would like to see recorded, protected and managed.
Our next bulletin will be published on the 24th of September.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Please see our Link to Parliamentary Questions and Answers for recent questions regarding Data, Cladding Remediation, Affordable Homes, and Planning.
Consultations
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Financial Memorandum
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum. The Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands on 2 June 2025.
Closes 5 September 2025
Ecocide (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is seeking views on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill, a Member’s Bill introduced by Monica Lennon MSP on 29 May 2025. The Bill defines ecocide as causing severe environmental harm in such a way that is either reckless or intentional and will allow for people and organisations to be convicted of ecocide. Any individual convicted of ecocide could be jailed for up to twenty years and fined, whilst organisations convicted of ecocide are liable to receive a fine.
Closes 9 September 2025
Draft Climate Change Plan Scrutiny 2025
Scottish Parliament
The draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) is a strategy document which outlines how the Scottish Government intends to meet emissions reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy. This will be the first time the Scottish Parliament has considered a statutory CCP in draft form since the passing of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act of 2019 and the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Act 2024. To support the Parliament’s scrutiny, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is undertaking a Call for Views in advance of the draft CCP being published. It asks questions about what policies people think should be in the draft CCP across different sectors, and what else needs to be included to deliver a just transition to net zero by 2045.
Closes 19 September 2025
Draft Environment Strategy
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Draft Environment Strategy, which sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in tackling the global crises of nature loss, climate change and pollution. The draft Strategy comprises actions aimed at supporting green jobs and industries, tackling poverty and promoting social justice, including by transitioning to a circular economy, increasing renewable energy generation and implementing industrial decarbonisation, and supporting nature restoration projects. A Strategic Environmental Assessment of the draft strategy has also been published.
Closes 29 September 2025
Planning Obligations and Good Neighbour Agreements
Scottish Government
Draft guidance for comments on how planning obligations can be used to make developments acceptable, including advice on development planning and addressing cumulative impacts, is open for comment. The draft guidance, when finalised, will replace Planning Circular 3/2012. The guidance is being updated to reflect the new development planning system and developments in law and practice since the publication of that Circular, and to address issues that have arisen in that time. The Scottish Government ask that comments on the draft are sent to Planning.Obligations@gov.scot
Closes 30 September 2025
Building Standards: Flooding and groundwater guidance
Scottish Government
This consultation will inform updates to the guidance within Section 3.3 Flooding and groundwater of the Technical Handbooks. There is particular focus on property flood resilience for new buildings and new building work that is being undertaken in areas identified as being at risk of flooding. The intent of the proposed updates is to provide more guidance and information to enable designers to achieve compliance with Mandatory Standard 3.3 and to support building standards verifiers in their assessment of projects against the requirements of the standard.
Closes 3 October 2025
Community Right to Buy: Review
Scottish Government
The Community Right to Buy, introduced in Scotland in 2003, has empowered rural, urban, and crofting communities to acquire land and assets. The Scottish Government is consulting as part of a review aimed at simplifying the process and exploring improvements. The consultation document examines options for improvement across various stages of the community right to buy processes. An easy read version and Gaelic version of the consultation paper have also been published.
Closes 5 October 2025
Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy
Scottish Government
This consultation will explore the proposed approach to the next Land Use Strategy (LUS). The proposals are outlined in the Scottish Government consultation paper which sets out the strategic direction and vision for sustainable land use in Scotland, and the objectives, policies and actions that will help deliver it. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish Ministers, by law, to produce a Land Use Strategy every five years.
Closes 5 October 2025
Supporting Scotland’s Transition – Land use and Agriculture
Scottish Government
Between now and 2045, Scotland is aiming to transition to a Net Zero economy. Just transition is how to get to this net zero and climate resilient economy in a way that delivers fairness and tackles inequality and injustice. This consultation considers the role land use and agriculture plays in achieving that ambition. The Land use and Agriculture Just Transition Plan will describe what the Scottish Government will do to support people to take the first steps of that journey and start to deliver the outcomes of a Just Transition.
Closes 5 October 2025
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Strategy 2027-32
Scottish Government
The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Research programme is a multidisciplinary portfolio of research. It is structured in five-year cycles to enable long term strategic research and provide clarity on research priorities and programme structure. This consultation is of the draft version of the 2027-32 ENRA Research Strategy, and questions for examination cover the Strategy core mission, challenges, investment, impact, research areas, and more.
*NEW* Closes 24 October 2025
HES – Talking About Heritage Survey 2025
Historic Environment Scotland
Scotland’s heritage belongs to us all – from stone circles and high streets to tenements and schools. Heritage makes communities special and it’s everything we inherit from the past that shapes who we are today as well as influencing our future. Talking About Heritage is a national conversation. The results of this survey will have an impact on how HES think about and care for heritage in Scotland. Discover other ways to get involved here.
*NEW* Closes 7 December 2025
ScotLand Futures
Scottish Land Commission
ScotLand Futures is a national initiative led by the Scottish Land Commission exploring what a fully reformed approach to land in Scotland could look like and how to make it happen. The initiative aims to think big, tackle challenges, provide certainty for the future, and find practical solutions to ensure land benefits everyone. The Scottish Land Commission wants to hear from people across Scotland, whether they live in a city, town, village or rural area, about what land reform means to them and what changes they want to see.
No closing date specified
Consultation Responses
Collation of the results of the Aggregate minerals survey for Great Britain, 2023 (UK Gov 06/08/2025)
Proposal to designate two Historic Marine Protected Areas Consultation Report (Scot Gov 11/08/2025)
Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill
BEFS generally agreed that certain types of residential new construction should be subject to a levy, but that this should not apply to repair, maintenance, and retrofit as that would disincentivise works. BEFS position is also that the levy should be paid by medium and large-scale developments, rather than small scale and local schemes. Using the levy as to complement other investment streams in support of the nationwide cladding remediation programme is welcome, and BEFS would like to see more investment in data and cross-national sharing of outcomes and learning on levy development and implementation. (BEFS 15/08/2025)
Pre-Budget scrutiny 2026-27: funding for culture
BEFS responded that while there has been positive funding development for the sector, issues regarding flexibility, distribution, and communication remain. We raised that we are keen to see greater recognition of heritage within conversations around the value of culture. The sector needs reliable and consistent funding models with a wide impact net, and there are pre-existing models of leveraging further income for the sector to draw on. Critically, BEFS highlighted the key role of maintenance, reuse, and repair of the existing built environment in preventative spend as a clear and positive pathway for the culture budget, our national carbon targets, tourism, local and national economies, and the housing emergency. (BEFS 15/08/2025)
Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA)
A Scottish Government scoping consultation sought views on the introduction of HEETSA to support retrofit projects and investments. BEFS welcomed the potential of HEETSA, undertaken by appropriately qualified and skilled specialists, to improve building assessments prior to energy efficiency interventions. BEFS argued in favour of government regulation in a delivery model, and called for HEETSA assessors to be fully independent from those who undertake recommended works to avoid conflicts of interest and support consumer confidence. (BEFS 29/08/2025)
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the Private Rented Sector
BEFS produced a statement for a Scottish Government consultation on proposals to introduce MEES regulations in the private rented sector. In the context of 44% of the 300k privately rented homes in Scotland directly affected by fuel poverty, BEFS agreed that the regulations could play a considerable role in improving the energy efficiency of currently substandard and underperforming buildings, and help make serious progress towards a just transition in climate change. (BEFS 29/08/2025)
Environmental Standards Scotland Draft Strategy 2026-2031
BEFS responded to the ESS Strategy consultation with a statement. Environmental health and regulations are linked to re-use, adaptation, and reduction of construction waste. Therefore, BEFS highlighted that while the development of a circular economy as a key priority for ESS is positive, the scope of this priority needs to encompass the existing built environment and cultural heritage. BEFS also stated that it is a negative development to see “population, human health, and cultural heritage” being removed as a key priority in this iteration. (BEFS 29/08/2025)
National Marine Plan 2: Planning Position Statement Consultation Analysis Report (Scot Gov 29/08/2025)
Petitions
Scot Gov Submission on PE2138: Make publicly owned buildings accessible for people with colour blindness (Scot Parl 25/07/2025)
News Releases
Enric Miralles: Creating the Scottish Parliament and other stories by Benedetta Tagliabue and EMBT (EMBT Architects 31/07/2025)
Applications now open for the 2026 SPAB Fellowship (SPAB August 2025)
Reflections from Creative Industries 2025: The Road to Sustainability (Creative Industries Policy & Evidence Centre 01/08/2025)
How do we prepare our cities and buildings for drought? (UK Green Building Council 05/08/2025)
The Scottish Housing Regulator welcomes new Board member (Scottish Housing Regulator 12/08/2025)
Public lacks confidence in the next generation of New Towns, but has clear ideas for getting them right (RTPI 13/08/2025)
The Arrol-Johnston Factory: A Pioneering Industrial Landmark in Dumfries at Risk (AHSS 18/08/2025)
MGS urges sustained investment in 2026-27 Budget to safeguard sector’s future (Museums Galleries Scotland 19/08/2025)
Private rent and house prices, UK: August 2025 (ONS 20/08/2025)
Step behind the doors of Scotland’s upcoming Centre of Excellence (HES 21/08/2025)
Explore Edinburgh’s Heritage via the Cockburn Collections (The Cockburn Association 26/08/2025)
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations appoints new Chief Executive (SFHA 26/08/2025)
IHBC warmly welcomes PCO approval to Petition for Charter (IHBC 29/08/2025)
New survey reveals strong demand for rural home building amidst widespread economic and housing challenges for rural Scots (Delivering More Homes for Scotland 02/09/2025)
Publications
Rethinking retrofit: Relational insights for the design of residential energy efficiency policy (Energy Research & Social Science February 2025)
Recent progress in building energy retrofit analysis under changing future climate: A review (Applied Energy April 2025)
Planning for Great Places Newsletter (NatureScot August 2025)
Scottish Planner – Summer 2025 (RTPI Scotland August 2025)
National Churches Trust Annual Review 2024-25 (NCT August 2025)
Protection through Connection: Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland
(Museums Galleries Scotland 01/08/2025)
Managing Change in the Historic Environment: Conserving our Underwater Heritage (HES 11/08/2025)
Repurposing Empty Spaces: Addressing the Housing Crisis Across England, Scotland and Wales in 2025 (Habitat for Humanity 14/08/2025)
MGS 2024-25 Annual Review and Climate Report (Museums Galleries Scotland 18/08/2025)
Culture Counts Response to the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill (Culture Counts 20/08/2025)
UK Heritage Pulse: The Big Think: Sector-wide collaboration and relevance Survey Report (UK Heritage Pulse 27/08/2025)
Flooding in communities: Moving towards flood resilience (Audit Scotland 28/08/2025)
National Report on the Scottish Social Housing Charter – 2024-2025 (Scottish Housing Regulator 29/08/2025)
Scottish & UK: Governmental & Parliamentary Publications
Driving Excellence in Building Standards: A Year of Learning and Development Progress at the Scottish Building Standards Hub (Scot Gov 18/08/2025)
£6 million for Scotland’s environment (Scot Gov 21/08/2025)
Place Directors: factsheet (Scot Gov 22/08/2025)
Housing statistics: Scottish Landlord Register data (Scot Gov 26/08/2025)
Building and Fire Safety Working Group minutes: June 2025 (Scot Gov 26/08/2025)
Building standards – ministerial view: fire and rescue service access (Scot Gov 27/08/2025)
Building Standards Professional Competency Framework for Verifiers (Scot Gov 29/08/2025)
Correspondence between Gillian Martin and the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee regarding the National Marine Plan 2 (Scot Gov 29/08/2025)
Correspondence between the Scottish National Parks Strategy Project (SNPSP) and Association of Deer Management Group (ADMG) and the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee regarding the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 01/09/2025)
Planning and Infrastructure Bill – Committee (3rd Day) (House of Lords 01/09/2025)
SPICe Briefing: Desecration of War Memorials (SPICe 01/09/2025)
Tackling Scotland’s Housing Emergency (Scot Gov 02/09/2025)
Opinion & Comment
Blog – A room with a view: remaking the relationship between citizens and the built environment (DEMOS 12/08/2025)
‘Lives at risk’ as ministers spend just 11% of £97m Scots safety fund (The Herald 13/08/2025)
It’ll pay to make new towns more beautiful (The Times 14/08/2025)
Fifty years ago, people socialised very differently in public spaces. Clever design could reverse this unwelcome development (The Guardian 18/08/2025)
Heritage organisations warn PM of crippling cost of membership law (The Times 19/08/2025)
Archaeologists to excavate Glasgow skatepark (The Guardian 20/08/2025)
Glasgow’s Mackintosh Halls to be sold for the first time (Glasgow Times 21/08/2025)
Blog – Repairing Tenements. The urgent need for proactive repairs to maintain these historic buildings (The Cockburn Association 24/08/2025)
Future of arts in Musselburgh ‘will be bleak’ if RAAC affected Brunton Hall given listed status (Edinburgh Evening News 26/08/2025)
Blog – Edinburgh’s Historic Bridges: A Heritage at Risk (The Cockburn Association 27/08/2025)
Will Wiles weighs up the plans to demolish Grenfell Tower (Apollo Magazine 28/08/2025)
Jocelyne Fleming: Getting HEETSAs right – why we need systems thinking, not siloed approaches (Scottish Housing News 29/08/2025)
Row over loss of 35,000 landlords in Scotland’s housing emergency (The Herald 01/09/2025)
Blog – Skills passports: An essential part of a fair transition (IPPR 02/09/2025)
Events
For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar
Archaeology Scotland – Scottish Archaeology Month
Date & Time: Throughout September; various events and dates
Location: Scotland wide
Archaeology Scotland have launched another Scottish Archaeology Month! This September, communities across Scotland are opening up their sites, experiences and discoveries to all visitors for a range of archaeology themed events. From hands-on archaeology to local tours and exhibitions, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. If you’re interested in heritage, public engagement, ancient culture or just fancy something a bit different, it’s a great time to get involved. View the full online programme here and get planning!
Edinburgh’s First Burghers: Revealing the lives and hidden faces of Edinburgh’s Medieval citizens
Date & Time: On now until Sunday 30 November 2025
Location: St Giles Cathedral, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RE
Free to enter public exhibition celebrating the 900th Anniversaries of both St Giles Cathedral and the City of Edinburgh to explore the lives of medieval burials excavated by CEC Archaeology Service in 1981. The exhibition brings together new biomolecular approaches (DNA and isotope analyses) and state-of-the-art facial reconstruction and animated projections located throughout the Cathedral. It explores the lives of the earliest burial phases dating back to the foundation of the Cathedral and Edinburgh’s Burgh in the 12th century AD, two 15th Century pilgrims and a group of women interred within the Lady Chapel during the 15th and 16th centuries.
CaCHE – Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next?
Date & Time: Monday 8 September 2025; 9am-3:30pm
Location: James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University Avenue Glasgow G12 8QW
The International Journal of Housing Policy is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and together with the UK Centre for Collaborative Housing Evidence (CaCHE) is hosting a symposium on Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next? The seminar will situate its retrospective insights with an eye of the future direction of research. The occasion aims to be a celebration of the significant contributions of the housing research community and highlight the importance of continued research in shaping housing futures.
EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland – Unlocking the Potential of Scotland’s Heritage: The Economic Value of Heritage
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 September 2025; 10-11:30am
Location: Online
Historic Environment Scotland is developing a long-term strategy for the historic Properties and Collections in their care, that they manage on behalf of the people of Scotland and Scottish Ministers. In partnership with EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland, this special event will explore the economic and place-based benefits that the Strategy could deliver, how it may intersect with local place plans, visitor levies, and evolving management of heritage sites. Join sector leaders, policymakers, and economic development professionals for a dynamic discussion around how to productively use these heritage assets, through sustainable management, across Scotland with communities and partners.
RIAS BookshopLATES – Campaigning for Edinburgh
Date & Time: Thursday 11 September 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: RIAS Bookshop, 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh EH1 2BE
The RIAS Bookshop is hosting an event marking the Cockburn Association’s 150th anniversary with the authors of Campaigning for Edinburgh: The Cockburn Association 1875–2049 in conversation with accredited architect Calum Duncan. Hear how 150 years of civic activism has shaped the city’s green spaces, heritage and planning, and what the future might hold.
Under One Roof – Scottish Housing Day Webinar: Owners’ Associations
Date & Time: Wednesday 17 September 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Scottish Housing Day 2025 will be celebrating communities and good neighbours. Being part of an owners’ association can be a great way to build good relationships with the neighbours in your tenement building, and can make living in a tenement much more enjoyable. With this in mind, Under One Roof is hosting a short, lunchtime webinar on Scottish Housing Day, all about owners’ associations. Come along to find out what the benefits are of joining an owners’ association, and how to set one up in your tenement building.
Heritage Network – Coastal Heritage of the North East
Date & Time: Friday 19 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: The Salmon Bothy, Portsoy
This is a hugely exciting time for Portsoy and the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT) as the Trust works to develop its significant long-term pipeline of regeneration projects in and around Portsoy’s A-listed Old Harbour. Come along to hear directly from the NESPT and a variety of wonderful neighbouring projects as they showcase the diverse efforts being made to preserve and revive coastal heritage across north east Scotland. Willie Watt, Director of Nicoll Russell Studios Ltd and the artist behind The Architect’s Sketchbook, will deliver one of five presentations, and also lead a sketching workshop during the lunchbreak, providing the chance to take in Portsoy’s architecture through an artistic lens before touring the harbour buildings later in the afternoon. Members and non-members are welcome.
Under One Roof – Organising Tenement Repairs in Perth and Kinross
Date & Time: Tuesday 23 September 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Join Under One Roof, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and Perth and Kinross Council for a short, lunchtime webinar on tenement repairs, to hear about the proper procedures for organising repairs, and the difference between individual, mutual and common areas of your building. Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust will be presenting on the support they can offer tenement owners, and the work they do to preserve and enhance historic buildings.
RIAS BookshopLATES – Form Follows Fuel
Date & Time: Wednesday 24 September 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: RIAS Bookshop, 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh EH1 2BE
Modernists believed that “form follows function.” In their new book Form Follows Fuel, Florian Urban and Barnabas Calder show throughout history it is, in fact, energy which has been the biggest influence on the world’s architecture. Join the authors to hear about their work to quantify energy inputs on a range of historical and modern buildings and discuss how this research can offer practical solutions to current ecological challenges with architect Chris Stewart PPRIAS.
Heritage Network – Conference 2025
Date & Time: Sunday 28 – Tuesday 30 September 2025
Location: Bradford
Bradford City of Culture is the host for the heritage networking event of the year. The conference is a great opportunity to network with peers, other professionals in the sector, and heritage businesses and funders. The main day of conference is sandwiched between two half-days of tours and visits, which will include must-see buildings and projects, as well as some hidden gems highlighted by the steering group of local stakeholders. Delegates will be asked to select tours and visits closer to the event. Whilst there will be structured networking during the main conference day, there will also be plenty of opportunities for informal networking throughout the 3-day event.
RIAS – Conservation Seminar 2025: Principles and Practice
Date & Time: Tuesday 30 September 2025; 1-4:30pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ
Join RIAS as they celebrate 30 years of RIAS accreditation in conservation architecture. Hear from conservation accredited architects, suppliers and academics as they explore how organisations are working together to support sustainable, low carbon choices in principle and practice.
Under One Roof – Navigating tenement building repairs with Falkirk Council
Date & Time: Wednesday 1 October 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Landlords and homeowners in Falkirk are invited to a free one-hour webinar to learn about basic tenement repair and maintenance. Topics covered include: Understanding relevant legislation; the difference between individual, mutual and common repairs; and how to organise and pay for repairs with your co-owners. There will be time after the presentation to ask questions, and get answers from experienced tenement housing expert, Stephen Kelly.
RICS Scotland – Rural Conference 2025
Date & Time: Thursday 2 October 2025; 8:30am-4:45pm
Location: Perth Racecourse, Old Scone, Perth PH2 6BB
Scotland’s rural sector is evolving fast, with unprecedented shifts in policy, climate strategy, and economic pressures. The RICS Scotland Rural Conference gives professionals the opportunity to gain cutting-edge insights into land use, rural housing, taxation, valuation, and climate resilience and more, all tailored to the Scottish context. With expert-led sessions from NatureScot, the Scottish Land Commission, FAS Scotland, and RICS, this is the essential CPD event for rural surveyors navigating change. Book now to take advantage of an early bird discount, available until 14 September.
Under One Roof – Tenement Management and Repair with The City of Edinburgh Council
Date & Time: Friday 3 October 2025; 10am-1pm
Location: European Room, Edinburgh City Chambers, 253 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YP
Join the City of Edinburgh Council and Under One Roof for a morning event on tenement management and repair. Following the correct procedures for repairs can be complicated, so find out how to organise and pay for repairs in the shared, or ‘common,’ areas of your building. Christine Bone from Edinburgh Shared Repairs Service will be explaining how the Council’s Shared Repairs Service can help you to navigate the repairs process. Hilary Blackman from the City of Edinburgh Council will provide a summary of the Council’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy, what it means for you, and she will touch on opportunities to help improve your property. Following the presentations, there will be a Q&A session.
Training
The Engine Shed – Conserving Scotland’s Stained Glass
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 September 2025; 9:30am-6:30pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ
A day focussing on the historic use of decorative glass in Scotland’s traditional architecture, with a special focus on conservation best practice. Discover the variety of glass types, their physical characteristics and their use in Scotland’s traditional buildings. Recognise the key names in Scottish decorative glass production from the mid-19th century to present. Understand typical decay, defects and weathering issues affecting decorative glass and how best to address these issues according to current standards of good conservation practice. Learn about the materials and processes used to protect and preserve important examples of stained and decorative glass.
Heritage Network – Carbon Literacy Training
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 & 16 September 2025;10am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Carbon Literacy is a key way for organisations to gain an awareness of the causes and impacts of climate change and an understanding of carbon emissions. It provides a great foundation for individuals, teams and organisations to begin to take steps towards reducing their carbon emissions and become more environmentally sustainable. As a sector, this training will help to collectively make a difference through taking responsibility and committing to lowering emissions. The focus of Carbon Literacy is about empowering people to take action. To become certified as Carbon Literate you must pledge to undertake an individual and group action that will help you and your organisation to achieve net zero. The £15 (member) and £30 (non-member) charge for this course covers your Carbon Literacy Trust certification fee. If you have any questions, please email Samya Kelly.
The Engine Shed – Reducing Carbon Emissions in Traditional Buildings – Heat Pump Guidance
Date & Time: Tuesday 16 September 2025; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ/Online
Around 19% of buildings in Scotland are of traditional construction, understanding how buildings of this type can utilise clean heating solutions such as air source heat pumps is critical to meeting Government Targets. This event will launch new information commissioned by HES on the use of air source heat pumps in traditional buildings. Presentations will be given by the authors of this new information around installing air source heat pumps into traditional buildings alongside HES experts looking at the wider net zero context and considerations related to consents and planning. For those unable to attend in person, a virtual option using Microsoft Teams is available. The joining link will be sent the week before the event.
C&BS – Individual Giving Essentials
Date & Time: Tuesday 16 September 2025; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Are you interested in developing your individual giving programme? David Nelson provides insight and advice into this increasingly invaluable income stream. This short course will explore the key role individual giving can have within your fundraising strategy and how to create a donor-centric giving programme.
SPAB – Maintaining Scottish Churches – Cromarty East
Date & Time: Tuesday 16 September 2025; 10am-3:30pm
Location: Cromarty East Church, 51 Church Street, Cromarty IV11 8XA
Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland? Caring for a historic building can feel like a never-ending task, but thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to keep your building in good condition and reduce the likelihood of large repair projects further down the line. In this introductory one-day course, you will find out how your historic faith building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it. You’ll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your building with the course tutors and others attending.
C&BS – Introduction to being a Board Member
Date & Time: Wednesday 17 September & Wednesday 24 September 2025; 4-7pm
Location: Online
Do you have new trustees on your Board or have you taken on a trustee role yourself? If so, this is an essential course for launching or refreshing your Board career. C&BS Head of Board Development, Catriona Reynolds, takes new trustees and Board members through their paces in two information-packed, hands-on sessions.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Making Natural Paints, Pigments and Limewash Workshop
Date & Time: Friday 19 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Charlestown Workshops, 2 Rocks Road, Charlestown, Fife KY11 3EN
In this workshop you will discover how many ancient / traditional / historical paints were made (and still are) and where to start to make your very own natural paints and mineral pigments at home. A perfect starting point to create your own simple, efficient, sustainable, plastic-free art materials and/or to beginning a journey into making your own interior paints… Or to scratch that itch and understand where these extra pigments we use in construction and conservation actually come from.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Introduction to Plain Lime Plastering
Date & Time: Tuesday 23 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training Centre, Charlestown, Dunfermline KY11 3DR
This one day workshop aims to provide an introductory guide to plain lime plaster used for both lath and masonry backgrounds which abound our historic buildings for internal wall and ceiling finishes. The course is aimed at plastering, building and heritage professionals and home owners of traditional buildings, and will provide an introduction to the preparation, application and aftercare required for achieving traditional plasterwork schemes. By the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to recognise and appreciate the work required to successfully apply traditional 3 coat plain lime plastering as well as more vernacular 2 coat work.
C&BS – Introduction to Sponsorship
Date & Time: Thursday 25 September 2025; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Azets Edinburgh, Quay 2, 139 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QG
Are you considering corporate fundraising for the first time but not sure where to start? This introductory course, led by Alice Samtoy, covers the fundamentals of sponsorship. Designed to be a first step into corporate fundraising, this live classroom course offers an overview of essential sponsorship knowledge along with practical skills to help you develop successful sponsorships.
RICS – Global Building Conservation Conference 2025
Date & Time: Thursday 25 September 2025; 7:30am-5:15pm
Location: Online
RICS are delighted to announce the return of the RICS Global Building Conservation Conference, an invaluable event for all professionals operating within the built conservation landscape. In 2025, the conference asks: How to best preserve the technical skills needed by heritage professionals. Join the conference for industry-leading insights around: Collaborating with construction; attracting the next generation; uptake for traditional materials; placemaking under pressure and the realities of long costing long-term heritage projects; and harnessing new technologies. This year, global experts bring more examples of cutting-edge practice to life, illustrating the challenges they have faced, the lessons they’ve learned and the remarkable achievements they have made in sustaining and growing their practices. Attendees will leave with enhanced knowledge of case studies, as well as best-practice examples for the cutting-edge educational and professional programmes that are ensuring the transfer of skills from one generation to another.
SPAB – Pargeting
Date & Time: Saturday 27 September 2025; 9am-4:30pm
Location: Heritage & Rural Skills Centre, Buscot and Coleshill Estate, Swindon SN6 7PT
Join SPAB for a unique opportunity to learn the endangered craft of pargeting from one of the country’s highest regarded pargeters, Bill Sargent. This workshop is brought to you in association with the National Trust. This introductory workshop is for anyone interested in learning pargeting skills for work, general interest or leisure. No prior experience is required.
Planning Aid Scotland – Community Engagement Skills Training
Date & Time: Wednesday 1 October 2025; 10am-3:30pm
Location: Conference Room, Robertson House, 152 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4TB
Community Engagement Skills Training from Planning Aid Scotland gives professionals the tools to plan and deliver effective and meaningful engagement in planning and placemaking. Based on the SP=EED Framework, recognised in the Scottish Government’s Planning Advice Notes as a benchmarking tool, this practical workshop builds skills, confidence, and real-world know-how. Cost: £250
SPAB – Understanding your Old Building
Dates & Times: Monday 6 October until Sunday 30 November 2025: Access to pre-recorded presentations
Saturday 15 November 2025; 12:30-2pm: Live online Q&A session with the course tutors
Location: Online
Join SPAB for an introduction to the care and maintenance of period properties, ideal for homeowners and tenants of old buildings. This modular, self-paced online course features six pre-recorded presentations and a live Q&A session. It introduces the SPAB conservation approach and offers guidance on how best to tackle common problems and maintain the character and value of your home. If you live in or look after a period property, or are a professional who needs to brief their clients on understanding their old building, this course is ideal for you. The SPAB is an IHBC-recognised CPD provider and certificates of attendance are available on request. Prices: £100 early bird rate available when you book this course by 3 September 2025. Usual course fee is £120.
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In this edition of the POWF Newsletter, Dr. Lizzie Swarbrick shares the context and future ahead of the Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches project. Lizzie is the Research Manager for the Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches project run by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Scotland’s Churches Trust.
On the high streets of our towns and cities, at the centres of our villages, up country lanes, peppering our coastline – churches are central to Scotland’s built environment. Today, many of these buildings are in peril of closing their doors to the public. Approximately 800 churches in Scotland are either closing or due to close in the next few years, and with 200 closed recently, this amounts to around one third of all Scottish churches. Aiming to address this issue, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Scotland’s Churches Trust have teamed up for the project Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches. Thanks to grants from National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Pilgrim Trust, this two-year project will undertake a rapid assessment of Scotland’s at-risk church heritage and social value, and work with others to help communities find sustainable futures for their buildings.
The Challenge
All denominations are currently grappling with the issue of how to manage their estate at a time when congregations are dwindling. The church closures happening as a result are now proceeding at an unprecedented pace. Most in the built heritage sector will have been touched by the issue, whether formally through their role or simply because they are concerned about a cherished church’s planned closure. Some historically important buildings, such as Fowlis Easter (Scotland’s most complete pre-Reformation Church) and Croick (made famous by the record of the Clearances engraved on its windows) have galvanised support for closing churches, with the former a recent recipient of a grant from Architectural Heritage Fund and the latter acquired by Historic Churches Scotland. The Church of Scotland has also identified twelve ‘Signature Churches’, a scheme aimed at supporting some of their most vibrant and historic churches.
Still, there are hundreds of churches which are at risk. Many are architecturally important, others are like mini museums with important collections, and almost all of them are centres of significant intangible cultural heritage. It is also the case that we simply do not know what we might be losing because Scottish churches have long been undervalued and under-researched. There have already been accidents where historic interiors have been damaged in the closure process, and there is a real risk that we might not know what we’ve got ‘til it’s gone. The Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches project will create a publicly accessible database to record ecclesiastical heritage and social value, to empower the communities who care for churches and help heritage organisations take a strategic view of the challenges.
The Project
With funding for two years, the project team will undertake a rapid analysis of Scotland’s at-risk ecclesiastical heritage and the social value of churches. There are several existing resources available which survey heritage, such as Historic Environment Scotland’s Trove and specialist databases, for example, of church bells. So, the first job is to collate this data and identify gaps in knowledge. Then comes the tricky task of prioritising churches with particularly high heritage and/or social value to explore in greater depth. We are creating a method of assessment that is transparent, sensitive, and necessarily speedy given the scale of church closures. Ten sites will be chosen for full recording of their heritage using Scotland Churches Trust’s Church Recording scheme as a model, alongside in-depth research and expert advice. Ten churches will also be selected for social value surveys, based on the University of Stirling’s Social Value Toolkit. Throughout, we will engage with affected communities, placing them at the front and centre of all the work we do.
Get Involved
Launched in June 2025, the project is staffed by a Research Manager and a newly-appointed Communities Officer, supported by colleagues in the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Scotland’s Churches Trust. Collaboration is key, and we are in dialogue with the Church of Scotland, the Sacred Landscapes initiative run by the University of St Andrews, Historic Environment Scotland, National Museums Scotland, and members of the Places of Worship Forum. In particular, we are working closely with the team at Development Trusts Association Scotland who have their own programme ‘New Futures: Former Places of Worship’ focussing on bringing church buildings into sustainable community ownership. We are always keen to find new partners, and we are establishing an action group to contribute to our research and help advise churches on the heritage assets they hold. Please contact lizzie@socantscot.org if you would like to attend our launch event in Edinburgh on the 11th of September.
To stay abreast of the progress of the project, you can find us on Bluesky @ScotChurchFutures, follow Scotland’s Churches Trust on their social media for updates, and subscribe to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland’s public e-newsletter at www.socantscot.org/enews.
Dr Lizzie Swarbrick FSAScot is the Research Manager for the Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches project run by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Scotland’s Churches Trust. Lizzie is an art and architectural historian specialising in Scottish medieval churches, with a particular interest in how people have created, moulded, and used church buildings and their associated material culture. She joined the Society of Antiquaries in June 2025 after a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at the University of Edinburgh and a PhD at the University of St Andrews.
This blog is part of the second edition of the Places of Worship Forum (POWF) Newsletter which was published on 14 August 2025. To read the first edition, please click here. The newsletter aims to share the ongoing work of the group. Would you like to receive the next edition of the newsletter? Sign up here.
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BEFS News
New beginnings: At the end of July Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH) formally announced the appointment of Terry Levinthal as the new Director of Edinburgh World Heritage. Terry brings over 25 years’ experience in leadership roles in public and charity organisations, most recently as Director of the Cockburn Association. BEFS extends warmest congratulations to Terry and the team at EWH for this exciting new chapter.
The talk of the sector over the past weeks has been the the future of the Peter Womersley designed Bernat Klein studio. For those of you that missed the news, a consortium of BEFS Members Scottish Historic Buildings Trust alongside The Bernat Klein Foundation, with support from the National Trust for Scotland, successfully purchased the modernist masterpiece at auction. It is intended that The Studio will return to its original use as a design studio, as well as providing a permanent base in the Borders for the Bernat Klein Foundation.
At the start of the month BEFS Director attended an address by First Minister John Swinney, on the Value of Culture, at the Edinburgh International Festival Hub. The First Minister noted the importance of culture to people and wellbeing, and the cross-cutting benefits of investment. The ongoing commitment to increased funding, and the recognition that greater certainty and stability will be essential for cultural organisations to plan ambitiously, is welcome – and BEFS looks forward to continuing to work with the sector and Ministers to emphasise the role of cultural heritage as part of this.
More on culture – Inspiring Scotland has announced the Creative Communities Scotland programme, funded by the Scottish Government’s Culture Directorate. The fund aims to support and empower communities to develop cultural activities that benefit individual and collective wellbeing through grants to grassroots, community-led organisations. The fund runs from January to December 2026, with grants of up to £35,000 available.
Just a reminder that the BEFS Bulletin will return to its regular bi-monthly schedule from Wednesday 3 September onwards, and we look forward to a busy autumn for the sector.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Please see our Link to Parliamentary Questions and Answers for recent questions regarding Planning, Landlords, Crofting, and Renewables.
Consultations
Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee is seeking views on the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill. The Bill introduces a new tax, called the Scottish Building Safety Levy, to be charged on the construction of residential property development in Scotland. The main aim of the bill is to seek a contribution from the housebuilding sector to support the Scottish Government’s cladding remediation programme. Views are welcomed from individuals and organisations in the housebuilding sector, other industry experts, tax experts, academics and think-tanks, public bodies and any other stakeholders including the public with an interest in the subject.
Closes 15 August 2025
Scottish Aggregates Tax: proposed approaches to cross-border taxation
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on how to approach cross-border taxation for Scottish Aggregates Tax (SAT), which is intended to replace UK Aggregates Levy from 1 April 2026. The consultation focuses on two specific cross-border scenarios: a collection scenario where a customer in Scotland collects aggregate from a quarry in the rest of the UK for use in Scotland, and a middleman scenario where a rest of UK quarry supplies to a rest of UK middleman who then supplies the aggregate to a Scottish customer. The aim is to develop a pragmatic approach that minimises administrative burdens on taxpayers, ensures taxpayers are not subject to tax on the same taxable activity in both jurisdictions, minimises market distortions, and prevents opportunities for tax avoidance.
Closes 18 August 2025
Draft Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE). The plan sets out an integrated framework for sustainable offshore wind development in Scottish waters, informed by the latest scientific evidence. It identifies opportunities and constraints while balancing the needs of communities, nature and other sea users. The consultation includes supporting assessments covering environmental, socio-economic, habitats regulation, nature conservation, sustainability and business regulatory impact. A series of engagement events are being held across Scotland and online to gather stakeholder input on this complex landscape of choices and trade-offs.
Closes 22 August 2025
Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Social Justice and Social Security Committee is seeking views on the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Sarah Boyack MSP on 27 March 2025. The Bill creates a new public duty requiring all public bodies to have due regard for the need to promote wellbeing and sustainable development in the exercise of their functions and establishes a Future Generations Commissioner for Scotland. The committee welcomes responses from public sector organisations, third sector organisations, professionals, academics, children and young people, and members of the public to help inform their scrutiny of the Bill and selection of witnesses for oral evidence sessions.
Closes 24 August 2025
Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum. The Bill sets out that public bodies must take account of the need to promote wellbeing and sustainable development in their work and would establish a Future Generations Commissioner.
Closes 25 August 2025
Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) – Scoping Consultation
Scottish Government
The purpose of this Scoping Consultation is to set out the Scottish Government’s initial proposals for the scope of a Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) and seek stakeholder views on the overall concept of HEETSA and how it relates to other parts of the heat and energy efficiency retrofit landscape. Read the consultation paper.
Closes 29 August 2025
Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations in the domestic Private Rented Sector (PRS) using existing powers within in the Energy Act 2011. These regulations would mean all privately rented properties, as far as possible, reaching EPC Heat Retention Rating (HRR) band C from 2028 for new tenancies and by 2033 for all privately rented homes. Your views are welcomed, regarding the practical implications, as proposals are finalised to help ensure these regulations to work as effectively as possible. Read the consultation paper.
Closes 29 August 2025
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Financial Memorandum
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum. The Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands on 2 June 2025.
Closes 5 September 2025
Ecocide (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is seeking views on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill, a Member’s Bill introduced by Monica Lennon MSP on 29 May 2025. The Bill defines ecocide as causing severe environmental harm in such a way that is either reckless or intentional and will allow for people and organisations to be convicted of ecocide. Any individual convicted of ecocide could be jailed for up to twenty years and fined, whilst organisations convicted of ecocide are liable to receive a fine.
Closes 9 September 2025
Draft Climate Change Plan Scrutiny 2025
Scottish Parliament
The draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) is a strategy document which outlines how the Scottish Government intends to meet emissions reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy. This will be the first time the Scottish Parliament has considered a statutory CCP in draft form since the passing of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act of 2019 and the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Act 2024. To support the Parliament’s scrutiny, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is undertaking a Call for Views in advance of the draft CCP being published. It asks questions about what policies people think should be in the draft CCP across different sectors, and what else needs to be included to deliver a just transition to net zero by 2045.
Closes 19 September 2025
Draft Environment Strategy
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Draft Environment Strategy, which sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in tackling the global crises of nature loss, climate change and pollution. The draft Strategy comprises actions aimed at supporting green jobs and industries, tackling poverty and promoting social justice, including by transitioning to a circular economy, increasing renewable energy generation and implementing industrial decarbonisation, and supporting nature restoration projects. A Strategic Environmental Assessment of the draft strategy has also been published.
Closes 29 September 2025
Planning Obligations and Good Neighbour Agreements
Scottish Government
Draft guidance for comments on how planning obligations can be used to make developments acceptable, including advice on development planning and addressing cumulative impacts. The attached draft guidance, when finalised, will replace Planning Circular 3/2012. The guidance needs to be updated to reflect the new development planning system and developments in law and practice since the publication of that Circular, and to address issues that have arisen in that time. Please send any comments to Planning.Obligations@gov.scot no later than 30 September 2025.
Closes 30 September 2025
Building Standards: Flooding and groundwater guidance
Scottish Government
Consultation to consider updates to the guidance within Section 3.3 Flooding and groundwater of the Technical Handbooks with a particular focus on property flood resilience for new buildings and new building work that is being undertaken in areas identified as being at risk of flooding. The intent of the proposed updates is to provide more guidance and information to enable designers to achieve compliance with Mandatory Standard 3.3 and to support building standards verifiers in their assessment of projects against the requirements of the standard.
Closes 3 October 2025
Community Right to Buy: Review
Scottish Government
The Community Right to Buy, introduced in Scotland in 2003, has empowered rural, urban, and crofting communities to acquire land and assets. The Scottish Government is consulting as part of a review aimed at simplifying the process and exploring improvements. The consultation document examines options for improvement across various stages of the community right to buy processes. An easy read version and Gaelic version of the consultation paper have also been published.
Closes 5 October 2025
Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy
Scottish Government
Consultation on the proposed approach to the next Land Use Strategy (LUS). The proposals are outlined in the Scottish Government consultation paper which sets out the strategic direction and vision for sustainable land use in Scotland, and the objectives, policies and actions that will help deliver it. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish Ministers, by law, to produce a Land Use Strategy every five years.
*NEW* Closes 5 October 2025
Supporting Scotland’s Transition – Land use and Agriculture
Scottish Government
Between now and 2045 Scotland is aiming to transition to a Net Zero economy. Just transition is how to get to this net zero and climate resilient economy in a way that delivers fairness and tackles inequality and injustice. This consultation considers the role land use and agriculture plays in achieving that ambition. The Land use and Agriculture Just Transition Plan will describe what the Scottish Government will do to support people to take the first steps of that journey and start to deliver the outcomes of a Just Transition.
*NEW* Closes 5 October 2025
ScotLand Futures
Scottish Land Commission
ScotLand Futures is a national initiative led by the Scottish Land Commission exploring what a fully reformed approach to land in Scotland could look like and how to make it happen. The initiative aims to think big, tackle challenges, provide certainty for the future, and find practical solutions to ensure land benefits everyone. The Scottish Land Commission wants to hear from people across Scotland, whether they live in a city, town, village or rural area, about what land reform means to them and what changes they want to see.
No closing date specified
Petitions
PE2179: Strengthen veto powers when assessing Business Improvement District proposals (Scot Parl 11/08/2025)
Petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to require local authorities to veto proposals for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) if the levy due to be paid by businesses is not proportional with the rateable value of properties; and introduce a duty on Scottish Ministers to take such levy proportionality into account in any decisions regarding BID proposals.
News Releases
Public Backs Historic Churches: Research Reveals Significant ‘Heritage Premium’ (Historic England 09/07/2025)
MGS launches new Intangible Cultural Heritage project (Museums Galleries Scotland 16/07/2025)
Applications are open for the 2026 SPAB Fellowship (SPAB 18/07/2025)
Doors Open Days – September Weekend Schedule (Doors Open Days August 2025)
Edinburgh World Heritage appoints Terry Levinthal as new Director (EWH 21/07/2025)
The Archaeology Forum (TAF) publishes new promotional leaflet (CIfA 24/07/2025)
SPAB ‘Old House Project’ completes, and now for sale ‘to become a home’ (SPAB 25/07/2025)
Glasgow City Region backed by £30 million from UK Government to unlock local innovation and grow the economy (Glasgow City Region 29/07/2025)
Coalition secures Peter Womersley’s Bernat Klein Studio for the nation (Scottish Historic Buildings Trust 30/07/2025)
The Improvement Service turns 20 – the journey and impact (Improvement Service 30/07/2025)
First South of Scotland Heat Networks Prospectus launched (South of Scotland Enterprise 30/07/2025)
European Heritage Hub Educational Study Kit: A Practical Toolkit for Tomorrow’s Heritage Leaders (European Heritage Hub 30/07/2025)
Whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) software validation programme (RICS 31/07/2025)
2025 SURF Awards Applications invited (SURF 06/08/2025)
European Heritage Awards Applications invited (Europa Nostra 12/08/2025)
Creative Communities Scotland programme (Inspiring Scotland 12/08/2025)
Publications
Heritage Sector Resilience Plan 2025-35 (Historic Environment Forum June 2025)
Fire Safety Management in Traditional Buildings for Dutyholders (The Engine Shed 30/06/2025)
Moisture properties of insulation materials and their applicability to traditional construction (Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance July 2025)
Radical Retrofit: adapting cities for a resilient future (Economist Impact July 2025)
Good Practices Handbook on Identification, Participatory Management, Digital Storytelling, and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Europe Heritage Hub 01/07/2025)
The Green Belt Issue (Land Use Consultants 18/07/2025)
Planning Aid Scotland Strategy for 2025-2028 (PAS 21/07/2025)
Smarter Transformation Magazine – Retrofit Edition (BE-ST 31/07/2025)
No country for cold homes: Key considerations for the Warm Homes Plan (Resolution Foundation 07/08/2025)
Scottish & UK: Governmental & Parliamentary Publications
Correspondence between Ariane Burgess and Local Authorities and National Park Authorities regarding local place plans and local development plans (Scot Parl 01/07/2025)
Correspondence between Màiri McAllan and the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee regarding housing emergency response and Housing (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 01/07/2025)
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reform: government response (Scot Gov 11/07/2025)
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax – property investment funds: consultation (Scot Gov 11/07/2025)
Planning and Environmental Appeals Stakeholder Forum minutes: November 2024 (Scot Gov 11/07/2025)
Correspondence between Mairi Gougeon and the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee regarding National Parks (Scot Parl 14/07/2025)
Building and Fire Safety Expert Working Group minutes: June 2025 (Scot Gov 14/07/2025)
Protecting built heritage – Oral Evidence Session (UK Parl 15/07/2025)
Construction: Materials written answer (UK Parl 16/07/2025)
Deadline set for unsafe cladding removal (UK Gov 17/07/2025)
Scottish Housing Market Review: Q2 2025 (Scot Gov 17/07/2025)
SPICe Briefing: Housing (Scotland) Bill: Consideration prior to Stage 3 (SPICe 18/07/2025)
Scotland’s Wellbeing Economy (Scot Gov 18/07/2025)
Scotland’s wellbeing economy monitor: July 2025 (Scot Gov 18/07/2025)
Cultural Heritage: Industry written question (UK Parl 21/07/2025)
SPICe Briefing: Links between Climate Change and Health in Scotland (SPICe 22/07/2025)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025 (UK Gov 22/07/2025)
Asset transfer requests: index of notifications (Scot Gov 23/07/2025)
Correspondence between the Culture, Media & Sport Committee and Minister Baroness Twycross regarding Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (UK Parl 24/07/2025)
Correspondence between Gillian Martin and the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee regarding Climate Change Plan timings (Scot Parl 24/07/2025)
Housing (Scotland) Bill — Stage 3 amendments (Scot Parl 25/07/2025)
Towns Fund evaluation: Emerging findings from the process and intervention-level impact evaluations (UK Gov 25/07/2025)
Scotland’s Cladding Remediation Programme update: Q2 2025 (Scot Gov 29/07/2025)
Correspondence between Graeme Dey and the Education, Children and Young People Committee regarding RAAC in the college and university estate (Scot Parl 29/07/2025)
The Building Standards Compliance Plan Approach – Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Recommendations (Scot Gov 30/07/2025)
Building Safety Levy Expert Advisory Group minutes: March 2025 (Scot Gov 31/07/2025)
Membership of Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance (UK Gov 31/07/2025)
Scotland as a cultural leader – First Minister’s speech (Scot Gov 31/07/2025)
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme Funding Tracker (UK Gov 01/08/2025)
Place Directors: factsheet (Scot Gov 01/08/2025)
Development plan examinations: list (Scot Gov 06/08/2025)
37 local heritage sites to benefit from £15 million boost to breathe new life into communities across England (UK Gov 07/08/2025)
Correspondence between Màiri McAllan and the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee regarding the Cladding Remediation Programme (Scot Parl 07/08/2025)
Cladding Remediation Programme: Next Phase Plan of Action (Scot Gov 07/08/2025)
Waste Reprocessing Infrastructure in Scotland (Scot Gov 08/08/2025)
Part One of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill – as amended at Stage 2 (SPICe 11/08/2025)
Strengthening Scotland’s communities (Scot Gov 12/08/2025)
Motions
Submitted by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour.
Date lodged: 28/07/2025
That the Parliament celebrates the opening of The Ridge community support centre in Dunbar; recognises what it sees as the hard work, over many years, by volunteers and clients to turn the former waste ground into a community garden, as well as the work of the Ridge Foundation’s team of apprentices, and their trainers, to restore the site’s 18th century ruins, in conjunction with Historic Environment Scotland, and the many generous funders that have contributed to The Ridge; notes that the centre includes a drop-in area with consultation pods, a training kitchen, training and function rooms, and an office for Ridge staff; congratulates The Ridge for providing what it sees as high-quality, vital services and opportunities to members of the local community, who have previously struggled to access the help that they need, and wishes all the members of the team at The Ridge good luck in their ongoing and future work.
Opinion & Comment
Glasgow ABC student plans called-in over ‘significant risk’ to art school (Scottish Housing News 17/07/2025)
English Heritage and the National Trust are on the brink — this is why (The Times 18/07/2025)
Blog: 1.5 million new homes requires bolder reforms to planning committees (Centre for Cities 21/07/2025)
More than 100 Labour MPs urge Ed Miliband to explore radical energy bills overhaul (The Guardian 22/07/2025)
Regional skills mapping ‘best way to tackle worker shortage’ (Construction News 22/07/2025)
SNP accused of having ‘no real plan’ to ban boilers as clean heat applications decline (The Scotsman 24/07/2025)
Museums Galleries Scotland critical of Equality and Human Rights Commission proposals and warned “an environment of suspicion and policing of gender” already existed at some heritage sites (STV News 27/07/2025)
Final phase completed of Fountainbridge 20-minute neighbourhood (Deadline News 28/07/2025)
Blog: Ebenezer James MacRae: the man who transformed Edinburgh (HES 29/07/2025)
Glasgow homelessness crisis ‘bursting at the seams’ (The Herald 31/07/2025)
Edinburgh and Glasgow council chiefs to investigate if 2030 net zero aims still possible (The Scotsman 31/07/2025)
Edinburgh council re-checking housing stock for potentially dangerous RAAC concrete (Edinburgh Evening News 04/08/2025)
Charity set to take over Inverness’ oldest church (BBC News 07/08/2025)
Moderator visits ‘landmark’ Cumbernauld church devastated by fire (The Herald 07/08/2025)
Colleges must escape ‘survival mode’ to reach full potential (The Herald 07/08/2025)
Low-income and minority ethnic people in England most at risk from dangerously hot homes (The Guardian 10/08/2025)
Events
For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar
Scottish Parliament – Festival of Politics
Dates: Wednesday 20-Friday 22 August 2025
Location: Holyrood
In partnership with Scotland’s Futures Forum, the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics returns to Holyrood. The programme features leading experts from the worlds of politics, the arts, business, the media and the third sector. This series of lively debates presents inspiring voices tackling some of the most pressing issues of our time, with 32 individual events taking place over three days. See the website for the full programme
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Lens on Legacy: A Tour of Glasgow’s Buildings At Risk
Date & Time: Thursday 21 August 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: Meet at the GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
Join GCHT’s Director Niall Murphy for a walk around Glasgow City Centre, looking at some of the city’s most iconic, but at-risk, buildings. During the walk Niall will explore several buildings at-risk, discussing their history and the challenges they face, whilst also considering practical steps and creative solutions to support their repair and reuse, and how to make the city centre a welcoming, sustainable environment for the people of Glasgow. Please dress for all weather conditions!
Scottish Land Commission – What can land reform do for urban Scotland?
Date & Time: Thursday 28 August 2025; 4-5pm
Location: Online
Explore how land reform can tackle housing, climate, and inequality in urban Scotland with insights from an expert panel. The panel includes: Dr Calum MacLeod (Chair), Hanna Wheatley, Dr Carey Doyle and Euan Leitch
RIAS – Croft 3 Book Launch
Date & Time: Thursday 28 August 2025; 6pm (doors) for 6:30pm start
Location: RIAS Bookshop, 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh EH1 2BE
Croft 3 is a restaurant on a working croft on the Isle of Mull. The project won the 2024 RIBA Reinvention award and was a winner at the 2024 Civic Trust awards and the RIAS awards. Edward Farleigh-Dastmalchi will present an overview of Croft 3 before being joined by author Douglas Murphy to discuss the project in more depth. The event coincides with the publication of a new book on Croft 3, which will be available to buy at the event.
CaCHE – Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next?
Date & Time: Monday 8 September 2025; 9am-3:30pm
Location: James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University Avenue Glasgow G12 8QW
The International Journal of Housing Policy is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and together with the UK Centre for Collaborative Housing Evidence (CaCHE) is hosting a symposium on Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next? The seminar will situate its retrospective insights with an eye of the future direction of research. The occasion aims to be a celebration of the significant contributions of the housing research community and highlight the importance of continued research in shaping housing futures.
EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland – Unlocking the Potential of Scotland’s Heritage: The Economic Value of Heritage
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 September 2025; 10-11:30am
Location: Online
Historic Environment Scotland is developing a long-term strategy for the historic Properties and Collections in their care, that they manage on behalf of the people of Scotland and Scottish Ministers. In partnership with EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland, this special event will explore the economic and place-based benefits that the Strategy could deliver, how it may intersect with local place plans, visitor levies, and evolving management of heritage sites. Join sector leaders, policymakers, and economic development professionals for a dynamic discussion around how to productively use these heritage assets, through sustainable management, across Scotland with communities and partners.
Under One Roof – Scottish Housing Day Webinar: Owners’ Associations
Date & Time: Wednesday 17 September 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Scottish Housing Day 2025 will be celebrating communities and good neighbours. Being part of an owners’ association can be a great way to build good relationships with the neighbours in your tenement building, and can make living in a tenement much more enjoyable. With this in mind, Under One Roof is hosting a short, lunchtime webinar on Scottish Housing Day, all about owners’ associations. Come along to find out what the benefits are of joining an owners’ association, and how to set one up in your tenement building.
Date & Time: Friday 19 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: The Salmon Bothy, Portsoy
This is a hugely exciting time for Portsoy and the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT) as the Trust works to develop its significant long-term pipeline of regeneration projects in and around Portsoy’s A-listed Old Harbour. Come along to hear directly from the NESPT and a variety of wonderful neighbouring projects as they showcase the diverse efforts being made to preserve and revive coastal heritage across north east Scotland. Willie Watt, Director of Nicoll Russell Studios Ltd and the artist behind The Architect’s Sketchbook, will deliver one of five presentations, and also lead a sketching workshop during the lunchbreak, providing the chance to take in Portsoy’s architecture through an artistic lens before touring the harbour buildings later in the afternoon. Members and non-members are welcome.
Under One Roof – Organising Tenement Repairs in Perth and Kinross
Date & Time: Tuesday 23 September 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Join Under One Roof, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and Perth and Kinross Council for a short, lunchtime webinar on tenement repairs, to hear about the proper procedures for organising repairs, and the difference between individual, mutual and common areas of your building. Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust will be presenting on the support they can offer tenement owners, and the work they do to preserve and enhance historic buildings.
Heritage Network – Conference 2025
Date & Time: Sunday 28 – Tuesday 30 September 2025
Location: Bradford
Bradford City of Culture is the venue for the heritage networking event of the year. The conference is a great opportunity to network with peers, other professionals in the sector, and heritage businesses and funders. The main day of conference is sandwiched between two half-days of tours and visits, which will include must-see buildings and projects, as well as some hidden gems highlighted by the steering group of local stakeholders. Delegates will be asked to select tours and visits closer to the event. Whilst there will be structured networking during the main conference day, there will also be plenty of opportunities for informal networking throughout the 3-day event.
Training
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Sash and Case Window Repairs
Date & Time: Tuesday 2 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training centre, Fife KY12 3DR
Did you know that in most cases you can undertake simple repairs, retain these period features and ensure the value of your traditional building is not compromised? This practical course will prove invaluable if you have a property with Sash and Case Windows. The course will cover a short history of the development of windows before looking at the different components that make up a window and the issues to consider when approaching repairs. The course will allow attendees to identify and address various problems that commonly occur with sash windows. Topics covered will include window dismantling and reassembly, replacing ropes, weights, panes and putty. Various repair and improvement techniques will also be covered.
IHBC – Membership Accreditation Training Event
Date & Time: Tuesday 2 September 2025; 5-7pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Membership Accreditation Training Events (MATEs) advise on IHBC accreditation applications and provide free webinars for IHBC applicants. IHBC MATE SESSIONS provide CPD-certified advice on applying for IHBC accreditation (Full & Associate). Regular monthly sessions open to all (first 30 signed for any session).
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Making, Using and Specifying Hot Mixed Lime Mortars
Date & Time: Friday 5 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training centre, Fife KY12 3DR
Since the lime revival of the mid 1990s, the preparation and use of conservation mortars has been largely dominated by lime putty bound mortars or ‘cold’ mortars based on natural hydraulic limes (NHLs). Whilst all these mortar types have their place, a renewed interest in the production of what are perceived to be more authentic mortar preparations using quicklime and sand has been growing and this workshop aims to take the building professional through the process of specifying ‘hot mixed’ mortars including health and safety implications, constituents, preparation of mortars, correct mixing equipment and critically at which point these mortars should be used for particular applications . By the end of the course, attendees will be able to recognise traditionally made ‘hot mixed’ mortars in historic structures and buildings and be able to develop the skills to specify ‘hot mixed’ mortars in relation to authenticity, performance, exposure, season, substrate and nature of the masonry repairs required.
The Engine Shed – Conserving Scotland’s Stained Glass
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 September 2025; 9:30am-6:30pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ
A day focussing on the historic use of decorative glass in Scotland’s traditional architecture, with a special focus on conservation best practice. Discover the variety of glass types, their physical characteristics and their use in Scotland’s traditional buildings. Recognise the key names in Scottish decorative glass production from the mid-19th century to present. Understand typical decay, defects and weathering issues affecting decorative glass and how best to address these issues according to current standards of good conservation practice. Learn about the materials and processes used to protect and preserve important examples of stained and decorative glass.
Heritage Network – Carbon Literacy Training
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 & 16 September 2025;10am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Carbon Literacy is a key way for organisations to gain an awareness of the causes and impacts of climate change and an understanding of carbon emissions. It provides a great foundation for individuals, teams and organisations to begin to take steps towards reducing their carbon emissions and become more environmentally sustainable. As a sector, this training will help to collectively make a difference through taking responsibility and committing to lowering emissions. The focus of Carbon Literacy is about empowering people to take action. To become certified as Carbon Literate you must pledge to undertake an individual and group action that will help you and your organisation to achieve net zero. The £15 (member) and £30 (non-member) charge for this course covers your Carbon Literacy Trust certification fee. If you have any questions, please email Samya Kelly.
The Engine Shed – Reducing Carbon Emissions in Traditional Buildings – Heat Pump Guidance
Date & Time: Tuesday 16 September 2025; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ/Online
Around 19% of buildings in Scotland are of traditional construction, understanding how buildings of this type can utilise clean heating solutions such as air source heat pumps is critical to meeting Government Targets. This event will launch new information commissioned by HES on the use of air source heat pumps in traditional buildings. Presentations will be given by the authors of this new information around installing air source heat pumps into traditional buildings alongside HES experts looking at the wider net zero context and considerations related to consents and planning. For those unable to attend in person, a virtual option using Microsoft Teams is available. The joining link will be sent the week before the event.
C&BS – Individual Giving Essentials
Date & Time: Tuesday 16 September 2025; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Are you interested in developing your individual giving programme? David Nelson provides insight and advice into this increasingly invaluable income stream. This short course will explore the key role individual giving can have within your fundraising strategy and how to create a donor-centric giving programme.
SPAB – Maintaining Scottish Churches – Cromarty East
Date & Time: Tuesday 16 September 2025; 10am-3:30pm
Location: Cromarty East Church, 51 Church Street, Cromarty IV11 8XA
Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland? Caring for a historic building can feel like a never-ending task, but thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to keep your building in good condition and reduce the likelihood of large repair projects further down the line. In this introductory one-day course, you will find out how your historic faith building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it. You’ll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your building with the course tutors and others attending.
C&BS – Introduction to being a Board Member
Date & Time: Wednesday 17 September & Wednesday 24 September 2025; 4-7pm
Location: Online
Do you have new trustees on your Board or have you taken on a trustee role yourself? If so, this is an essential course for launching or refreshing your Board career. C&BS Head of Board Development, Catriona Reynolds, takes new trustees and Board members through their paces in two information-packed, hands-on sessions.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Making Natural Paints, Pigments and Limewash Workshop
Date & Time: Friday 19 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Charlestown Workshops, 2 Rocks Road, Charlestown, Fife KY11 3EN
In this workshop you will discover how many ancient / traditional / historical paints were made (and still are) and where to start to make your very own natural paints and mineral pigments at home. A perfect starting point to create your own simple, efficient, sustainable, plastic-free art materials and/or to beginning a journey into making your own interior paints… Or to scratch that itch and understand where these extra pigments we use in construction and conservation actually come from.
C&BS – Introduction to Sponsorship
Date & Time: Thursday 25 September 2025; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Azets Edinburgh, Quay 2, 139 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QG
Are you considering corporate fundraising for the first time but not sure where to start? This introductory course, led by Alice Samtoy, covers the fundamentals of sponsorship. Designed to be a first step into corporate fundraising, this live classroom course offers an overview of essential sponsorship knowledge along with practical skills to help you develop successful sponsorships.
RICS – Global Building Conservation Conference 2025
Date & Time: Thursday 25 September 2025; 7:30am-5:15pm
Location: Online
RICS are delighted to announce the return of the RICS Global Building Conservation Conference, an invaluable event for all professionals operating within the built conservation landscape. In 2025, the conference asks: How to best preserve the technical skills needed by heritage professionals. Join the conference for industry-leading insights around: Collaborating with construction; attracting the next generation; uptake for traditional materials; placemaking under pressure and the realities of long costing long-term heritage projects; and harnessing new technologies. This year, global experts bring more examples of cutting-edge practice to life, illustrating the challenges they have faced, the lessons they’ve learned and the remarkable achievements they have made in sustaining and growing their practices. Attendees will leave with enhanced knowledge of case studies, as well as best-practice examples for the cutting-edge educational and professional programmes that are ensuring the transfer of skills from one generation to another.
SPAB – Pargeting
Date & Time: Saturday 27 September 2025; 9am-4:30pm
Location: Heritage & Rural Skills Centre, Buscot and Coleshill Estate, Swindon SN6 7PT
Join SPAB for a unique opportunity to learn the endangered craft of pargeting from one of the country’s highest regarded pargeters, Bill Sargent. This workshop is brought to you in association with the National Trust. This introductory workshop is for anyone interested in learning pargeting skills for work, general interest or leisure. No prior experience is required.
SPAB – Understanding your Old Building
Dates & Times: Monday 6 October until Sunday 30 November 2025: Access to pre-recorded presentations
Saturday 15 November 2025; 12:30-2pm: Live online Q&A session with the course tutors
Location: Online
Join SPAB for an introduction to the care and maintenance of period properties, ideal for homeowners and tenants of old buildings. This modular, self-paced online course features six pre-recorded presentations and a live Q&A session. It introduces the SPAB conservation approach and offers guidance on how best to tackle common problems and maintain the character and value of your home. If you live in or look after a period property, or are a professional who needs to brief their clients on understanding their old building, this course is ideal for you. The SPAB is an IHBC-recognised CPD provider and certificates of attendance are available on request. Prices: £100 early bird rate available when you book this course by 3 September 2025. Usual course fee is £120.
Vacancies
Development Trusts Association Scotland – Churches Programme Officer: Community Ownership Support Service
Salary: £25,058 per annum
Status: full-time at 35 hours per week (excluding meal breaks); will also consider part-time, 28 hours over four days per week. Fixed-term; 18 months to December 2026
Location: Edinburgh or Inverness
Are you interested in the heritage sector and/or the community sector? Are you a good co-ordinator, with excellent communication skills and digitally confident? The Development Trusts Association Scotland is seeking a motivated and well-organised individual to support a new team working with communities across Scotland on the sustainable transfer of former places of worship into community ownership. This role is office-based, working in Edinburgh or Inverness, but with the potential for some home working. Travel throughout the country will also be required. If you would like to be considered, please email kay@dtascot.org.uk with your CV and a covering letter detailing your reasons for applying and specific experience to match the person specification, as well as an indication of your preferred working hour /days. Informal enquiries can be made to Linda Gillespie, Head of Community Ownership: linda@dtascot.org.uk More information can be found in this detailed Job Description. DTA Scotland is committed to a policy of equality & diversity.
Closing date: 12pm on Monday 18 August 2025
We are truly grateful for your continued support and engagement.
Thank you for the trust you have placed in us to deliver relevant and timely information about the built environment sector.
Please consider forwarding this newsletter on to colleagues, friends and family who are part of the sector, so they know where to go for staying informed about built environment sector news, vacancies, insights, policies.
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Your support helps us grow and improve our service to the existing Scottish built environment community. Thank you for being part of our journey!
The Archaeology Forum (TAF) has published a new leaflet, with the purpose of promoting archaeology to audiences unfamiliar with the subject and the wide range of positive effects it can have for people and society.
- informs change
- unleashes creativity
- drives innovation
- sustains growth, and
- improves wellbeing
As the aim of the leaflet is to help everyone promote a better understanding of what archaeology is, does and could do more of outside of the sector, please feel free to download and share widely.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) are developing an online training course for planners about the historic environment.
The scope of the course is to provide in-depth knowledge and practical guidance, empowering planners to make informed decisions about the historic environment. It will cover a range of topics but will have a clear focus on understanding legislation and policy around the historic environment and change management, roles and responsibilities, and how to find/apply key guidance.
HES has commissioned the Diffley Partnership to engage with stakeholders and conduct a training needs analysis (TNA) to inform the development of this course. Your input is essential in helping design relevant and impactful training.
You can get involved in two simple ways:
- Attend a TNA workshop. This will be a collaborative online session (less than 2 hours) where you can share your thoughts on training needs for planning authorities around the historic environment. Please register your interest in attending a workshop by Monday 28 July. A privacy notice and participant information sheet is available to view as linked on the registration form. The workshops are being hosted by the Diffley Partnership who will be in touch later to confirm the dates and times for the workshops that work for most people.
- Complete an online survey. This will ask questions about what you see as the current skills gaps and priorities for learning. The survey is particularly directed towards planners as the learner group but responses from all stakeholders are welcomed. The survey (hosted by HES on Citizen Space) is open until Friday 22 August.
You can also sign up to the mailing list to stay informed. You will receive updates on future opportunities to share your views and help shape the direction of the project. Sign up here.
However you choose to share your views, your contribution will help shape future learning and development efforts. If you have any questions or would prefer to share your thoughts directly, please contact heritagepolicy@hes.scot
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Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications & Consultations
BEFS News
Read all about it! The Places of Worship Forum (POWF) launches its inaugural POWF Newsletter! This new quarterly publication will include news, resources and funding information for organisations, individuals and communities with an interest in transition pathways and sustainable futures for buildings that have had – or still have – use as active places of worship of in Scotland. In the first edition Audrey Dunn, Churches Advisor at COSS (Community Ownership Support Services) introduces their New Futures Programme – Former places of Worship in Scotland, a new initiative dedicated to supporting churches into community ownership.
Further good news for Scotland’s places of worship as BEFS Members The Society of Antiquaries and Scotland’s Churches Trust received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their project Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches. The 2-year project will collate information on the heritage and community value of the nation’s churches, helping to explore practical solutions to avoid the loss of heritage when churches are closed, share resources and prioritise sites for further action.
In housing news, the Scottish Government is investing £2m through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership 2025-26 to bring more privately-owned houses back into use. The investment builds on a decade of funding for Empty Homes Officers across 22 local authorities, as council tax figures from 2024 show that 43,538 properties across Scotland have been empty for more than six months. 73% of these have sat empty for longer than a year. Nine local authorities have so far agreed to employ additional empty homes officers and funding will help to train and induct new staff, grow services and ensure empty homes are utilised, including support for local authorities to make compulsory purchase orders.
As cities across Scotland are considering the implications of introducing visitor levies, the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has received a second wave of support for its open letter to the Minister for Public Finance, raising sector concerns about the visitor levy in its current form, with the letter now sitting at over 800 signatories. Following recent engagement with the Scottish Government and VisitScotland, the STA Policy Working Group has been working on a risk matrix that sets out several of the headline challenges that they feel need to be addressed before any levy scheme goes live.
And finally, BEFS congratulates Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, as she moves to take up the role of CEO at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) later this year.
The holidays are upon us and so BEFS bulletin will be moving to a summer schedule, with the next edition out on 13 August. Our regular bi-monthly service will resume from September.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Please see our Link to Parliamentary Questions and Answers for recent questions regarding Heat In Buildings, Apprenticeships and Green Jobs.
Consultations
Housing (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on how powers within the Housing (Scotland) Bill could be used to exempt certain types of properties from rent control. It also looks into circumstances where rents could be increased above the level of the rent cap and scope for clarifying how joint tenancies in the private sector are ended. The Bill brings forward a package of reforms to help ensure people have a safe, secure and affordable place to live. It includes measures that provide a framework for a long-term system of rent control in Scotland. The consultation addresses three main areas: properties that should be exempt from rent control area restrictions; properties that should be subject to modified rent control area restrictions; and clarifying how joint tenancies in the private rented sector are ended.
Closes 18 July 2025
Update to the 2020 Offshore Wind Policy Statement: Scotland’s Offshore Wind ambition
Scottish Government
The outlook for offshore wind in Scotland has changed since the original Offshore Wind Policy Statement was published in 2020. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of potential offshore wind developments due to the ScotWind and the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation.
Closes 13 August 2025
Pre-Budget scrutiny 2026-27: funding for culture
Scottish Parliament
The Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee is seeking views on funding for culture to support its 2026-27 pre-budget scrutiny. The Committee is taking a cumulative approach to budget scrutiny over Session 6, focusing primarily on the culture spending portfolio. The consultation seeks input from stakeholders and the public on cultural funding priorities and challenges ahead of the 2026-27 Scottish Budget process.
Closes 15 August 2025
Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee is seeking views on the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill. The Bill introduces a new tax, called the Scottish Building Safety Levy, to be charged on the construction of residential property development in Scotland. The call for views aims to help the Committee to understand the reasons people have for either supporting or opposing the Bill and how people would like to see the Bill amended. Above all, they would like to find out to what extent the proposed Scottish Building Safety Levy (SBSL) aligns with the Scottish Government’s 2024 Tax Strategy and with the principles of good tax policy making included in the Framework for Tax 2021. Views are welcomed from individuals and organisations in the housebuilding sector, other industry experts, tax experts, academics and think-tanks, public bodies and any other stakeholders including the general public with an interest in the subject.
Closes 15 August 2025
Scottish Aggregates Tax: proposed approaches to cross-border taxation
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on how to approach cross-border taxation for Scottish Aggregates Tax (SAT), which is intended to replace UK Aggregates Levy from 1 April 2026. The consultation focuses on two specific cross-border scenarios: a collection scenario where a customer in Scotland collects aggregate from a quarry in the rest of the UK for use in Scotland, and a middleman scenario where a rest of UK quarry supplies to a rest of UK middleman who then supplies the aggregate to a Scottish customer. The aim is to develop a pragmatic approach that minimises administrative burdens on taxpayers, ensures taxpayers are not subject to tax on the same taxable activity in both jurisdictions, minimises market distortions, and prevents opportunities for tax avoidance.
Closes 18 August 2025
Draft Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE). The plan sets out an integrated framework for sustainable offshore wind development in Scottish waters, informed by the latest scientific evidence. It identifies opportunities and constraints while balancing the needs of communities, nature and other sea users. The consultation includes supporting assessments covering environmental, socio-economic, habitats regulation, nature conservation, sustainability and business regulatory impact. A series of engagement events are being held across Scotland and online to gather stakeholder input on this complex landscape of choices and trade-offs.
Closes 22 August 2025
Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Social Justice and Social Security Committee is seeking views on the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Sarah Boyack MSP on 27 March 2025. The Bill creates a new public duty requiring all public bodies to have due regard for the need to promote wellbeing and sustainable development in the exercise of their functions and establishes a Future Generations Commissioner for Scotland. The committee welcomes responses from public sector organisations, third sector organisations, professionals, academics, children and young people, and members of the public to help inform their scrutiny of the Bill and selection of witnesses for oral evidence sessions.
Closes 24 August 2025
Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum. The Bill sets out that public bodies must take account of the need to promote wellbeing and sustainable development in their work and would establish a Future Generations Commissioner.
*NEW* Closes 25 August 2025
Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) – Scoping Consultation
Scottish Government
The purpose of this Scoping Consultation is to set out the Scottish Government’s initial proposals for the scope of a Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) and seek stakeholder views on the overall concept of HEETSA and how it relates to other parts of the heat and energy efficiency retrofit landscape. Read the consultation paper.
Closes 29 August 2025
Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations in the domestic Private Rented Sector (PRS) using existing powers within in the Energy Act 2011. These regulations would mean all privately rented properties, as far as possible, reaching EPC Heat Retention Rating (HRR) band C from 2028 for new tenancies and by 2033 for all privately rented homes. Your views are welcomed, regarding the practical implications, as proposals are finalised to help ensure these regulations to work as effectively as possible. Read the consultation paper.
Closes 29 August 2025
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Financial Memorandum
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum. The Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands on 2 June 2025.
*NEW* Closes 5 September 2025
Draft Climate Change Plan Scrutiny 2025
Scottish Parliament
The draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) is a strategy document which outlines how the Scottish Government intends to meet emissions reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy. This will be the first time the Scottish Parliament has considered a statutory CCP in draft form since the passing of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act of 2019 and the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Act 2024. To support the Parliament’s scrutiny, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is undertaking a Call for Views in advance of the draft CCP being published. It asks questions about what policies people think should be in the draft CCP across different sectors, and what else needs to be included to deliver a just transition to net zero by 2045.
Closes 19 September 2025
Draft Environment Strategy
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Draft Environment Strategy, which sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in tackling the global crises of nature loss, climate change and pollution. The draft Strategy comprises actions aimed at supporting green jobs and industries, tackling poverty and promoting social justice, including by transitioning to a circular economy, increasing renewable energy generation and implementing industrial decarbonisation, and supporting nature restoration projects. A Strategic Environmental Assessment of the draft strategy has also been published.
*NEW* Closes 29 September 2025
Building Standards: Flooding and groundwater guidance
Scottish Government
Consultation to consider updates to the guidance within Section 3.3 Flooding and groundwater of the Technical Handbooks with a particular focus on property flood resilience for new buildings and new building work that is being undertaken in areas identified as being at risk of flooding. The intent of the proposed updates is to provide more guidance and information to enable designers to achieve compliance with Mandatory Standard 3.3 and to support building standards verifiers in their assessment of projects against the requirements of the standard.
*NEW* Closes 3 October 2025
Community Right to Buy: Review
Scottish Government
The Community Right to Buy, introduced in Scotland in 2003, has empowered rural, urban, and crofting communities to acquire land and assets. The Scottish Government is consulting as part of a review aimed at simplifying the process and exploring improvements. The consultation document examines options for improvement across various stages of the community right to buy processes. An easy read version and Gaelic version of the consultation paper have also been published.
*NEW* Closes 5 October 2025
ScotLand Futures
Scottish Land Commission
ScotLand Futures is a national initiative led by the Scottish Land Commission exploring what a fully reformed approach to land in Scotland could look like and how to make it happen. The initiative aims to think big, tackle challenges, provide certainty for the future, and find practical solutions to ensure land benefits everyone. The Scottish Land Commission wants to hear from people across Scotland, whether they live in a city, town, village or rural area, about what land reform means to them and what changes they want to see.
No closing date specified
News Releases
High-level masonry inspections, looking at the impact of climate change on historic sites set to begin at sites across Shetland (HES 02/07/2025)
SFHA calls for national accessible housing strategy as it launches ‘Homes Fit For The Future’ Policy Paper (SFHA 02/07/2025)
Museum Futures Programme: a pioneering journey towards long-term sustainability (Museums Galleries Scotland 03/07/2025)
POWF Newsletter- Community Ownership Support Services (COSS) (BEFS 03/07/2025)
RTPI Chief executive Victoria Hills to leave to take up role with CIOB later this year (RTPI 04/07/2025)
NatureScot Opinion Survey shows that Scots want to do more to help nature given the immediate threat of the climate crisis (NatureScot 04/07/2025)
7 Most Endangered Programme 2026: Call for nominations now open (Europa Nostra 15/07/2025)
Publications
The Role of Alternatives to Primary Aggregates in Reducing Emissions from the Construction Sector (ClimateXChange 25/06/2025)
Backing the Bedrock 2025: Heritage Fiscal & Funding Priorities (The Heritage Alliance 01/07/2025)
Integrated Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25 annual report (The Crown Estate 02/07/2025)
Creative Industries Employers’ Perspectives on Skills Initiatives (Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre 08/07/2025)
Housing Outlook Q2 2025 (Resolution Foundation 11/07/2025)
The Big Think: Strategic Choices for Sustainability (UK Heritage Pulse/Heritage Fund 14/07/2025)
Scottish & UK: Governmental & Parliamentary Publications
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Parl 24/06/2025)
Correspondence between Jamie Hepburn and the Finance and Public Administration Committee regarding the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 25/06/2025)
Applications of non-use values in the context of culture and heritage – executive summary (UK Gov 26/06/2025)
European Collaboration in Building Standards (Scot Gov 01/07/2025)
Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming strategy: consultation analysis (Scot Gov 02/07/2025)
Museum Futures Programme launched (Scot Gov 02/07/2025)
Bringing more empty homes back into use (Scot Gov 03/07/2025)
Draft Environment Strategy (Scot Gov 03/07/2025)
Draft Environment Strategy: strategic environmental assessment (Scot Gov 03/07/2025)
Planning Obligations and Good Neighbour Agreements: draft guidance (Scot Gov 03/07/2025)
Housing Tender Return (HTR) and Scottish Social Housing Tender Price Index (SSHTPI) (Scot Gov 07/07/2025)
Scottish Social Housing Tender Price Index (SSHTPI) quarterly report: June 2025 (Scot Gov 07/07/2025)
Development plan examinations: list (Scot Gov 09/07/2025)
Neighbourhood Plans: Planning Decisions Debate (UK Parl 09/07/2025)
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reform: government response (Scot Gov 11/07/2025)
Building standards – guidance changes: letter to local authority verifiers – 11 July 2025 (Scot Gov 11/07/2025)
Planning and Environmental Appeals Stakeholder Forum minutes November 2024 (Scot Gov 11/07/2025)
Building and Fire Safety Expert Working Group minutes: June 2025 (Scot Gov 14/07/2025)
Place Directors: factsheet (Scot Gov 14/07/2025)
Protecting built heritage – Oral evidence (UK Parl 15/07/2025)
Motions
Date lodged: 11/07/2025
That the Parliament welcomes the decision by Glasgow City Council, on 12 June 2025, to sell the former Martyrs’ School building in Townhead, which was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and completed in 1898, to the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland; believes that this will preserve an early and significant example of Mackintosh’s architectural legacy; notes that the building’s new function as a public museum for Scottish Catholic archives and office space will bring renewed public access, meaning there will be no more prolonged vacancy of this heritage building; believes that the museum will safeguard and showcase Scotland’s Catholic cultural and religious heritage, while creating a historic and educational focal point linked to St Mungo’s Church; further believes that this project represents a sustainable and community-focused reuse of a vacant Category A listed structure, and calls on the Scottish Government to support and encourage similar initiatives that bring unused listed buildings back into active public use, fostering heritage preservation and community engagement.
S6M-18289
Submitted by: Rona Mackay, Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: 11/07/2025
That the Parliament celebrates what it believes to be a landmark moment in Scotland’s heritage regeneration journey, with the formal transferral of a 200-year-old church in the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency to the local community; understands that Campsie High Kirk, at the heart of Lennoxtown, is to be transformed into a community arts hub for the benefit of local people; notes that the move is the culmination of a flagship case for the new ownerless property transfer scheme (OPTS), which was launched in 2024 by the King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR); believes that the church, one of Scotland’s best known kirks, was officially handed over by KLTR, John Logue, to East Dunbartonshire Provost, Gillian Renwick, at a public ceremony on 9 July 2025; praises community organisation Friends of Campsie High Kirk for its tenacity in putting forward the case to rescue the church, which had lain empty without an owner for years after a fire in 1984, which led to the community organisation acquiring the building from the KLTR for the sum of £1 in May 2025; recognises the role of the OPTS in providing opportunities for properties that have fallen to the Crown, as ownerless, to be brought back into purposeful use for the benefit of local communities, therefore empowering local people, and sends its very best wishes for the future of the former kirk to boost the Lennoxtown area, both culturally and economically.
Opinion & Comment
Art school closes a stained glass studio which helped keep the endangered craft alive (The Herald 30/06/2025)
There is still a long way to go to make Scotland’s tourism sector sustainable (Holyrood Magazine 01/07/2025)
RIAS raise the alarm over an insidious ‘race to the bottom’ on procurement (Urban Realm 02/07/2025)
Architect reports Glasgow City Council to police over tenement collapse (Scottish Housing News 14/07/2025)
Signs of trouble ahead for Glasgow’s precious historic buildings (The Herald 14/07/2025)
Events
For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Energy Solutions for Community Buildings
Date & Time: Thursday 17 July 2025; 1-2pm
Location: GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
In this session, HeatHack founder Jean Carletta will share the challenges faced by churches and community organisations in managing energy use. You’ll gain insights into the client perspective and practical ideas for your own work, as well as influence what HeatHack does next in trying to bridge the gap between clients and professionals. HeatHack supports community groups in keeping their buildings well-used and energy-efficient. By exploring occupancy patterns, building preservation, retrofitting and low-carbon heating options, HeatHack helps churches, halls, and community centres understand how they can improve thermal comfort while using less energy. This event is free, but booking is essential.
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Greek Thomson and Beyond: A Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour
Date & Time: Thursday 17 July 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: Meet at the GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
Join conservation architect Scott Abercrombie, Associate Director at John Gilbert Architects and former Chair of the Alexander Thomson Society, for a walking tour exploring the legacy of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson and his circle. Starting from GCHT’s office at 54 Bell Street, the 90-minute walk will take in key surviving buildings by Thomson and along the way, Scott will look to highlight the work of Thomson’s contemporaries, collaborators, and successors. The route finishes at the Centre for Contemporary Arts on Sauchiehall Street, where participants are welcome to stay for further discussion in the Third Eye Bar. Please note: the walk will proceed at a gentle pace but involves a steady uphill route. As always in Glasgow, please dress for all weather conditions!
NESTA – A policy plan for clean heat in Scotland
Date & Time: Thursday 24 July 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
With the 2045 net zero targets inching closer, the Heat in Buildings Bill due to pass through Scottish Parliament next year, a new Climate Change Plan required, and Holyrood elections coming up, there’s never been a more important time to act – and there’s no shortage of opportunities for change. NESTA would like to convene experts to deep-dive into Nesta’s new report A policy plan for clean heat in Scotland, exploring how Scotland can unlock policy action and provide clear direction for the clean heat transition. This event is for Scottish policymakers, clean heat installers, net zero campaigners, and all those interested in a compelling, workable solution to the clean energy transition across Scotland.
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Lens on Legacy: A Tour of Glasgow’s Buildings At Risk
Date & Time: Thursday 21 August 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: Meet at the GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
Join GCHT’s Director Niall Murphy for a walk around Glasgow City Centre, looking at some of the city’s most iconic, but at-risk, buildings. During the walk Niall will explore several buildings at-risk, discussing their history and the challenges they face, whilst also considering practical steps and creative solutions to support their repair and reuse, and how to make the city centre a welcoming, sustainable environment for the people of Glasgow. Please dress for all weather conditions!
CaCHE – Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next?
Date & Time: Monday 8 September 2025; 9am-3:30pm
Location: James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University Avenue Glasgow G12 8QW
The International Journal of Housing Policy is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and together with the UK Centre for Collaborative Housing Evidence (CaCHE) is hosting a symposium on Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next? The seminar will situate its retrospective insights with an eye of the future direction of research. The occasion aims to be a celebration of the significant contributions of the housing research community and highlight the importance of continued research in shaping housing futures.
EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland – Unlocking the Potential of Scotland’s Heritage: The Economic Value of Heritage
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 September 2025; 10-11:30am
Location: To be confirmed
Save the Date: Join EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland for a special event. Full details coming soon.
Heritage Network – Coastal Heritage of the North East
Date & Time: Friday 19 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: The Salmon Bothy, Portsoy
This is a hugely exciting time for Portsoy and the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT) as the Trust works to develop its significant long-term pipeline of regeneration projects in and around Portsoy’s A-listed Old Harbour. Come along to hear directly from the NESPT and a variety of wonderful neighbouring projects as they showcase the diverse efforts being made to preserve and revive coastal heritage across north east Scotland. In addition to presentations, the day will include networking opportunities, a tour of Portsoy’s historic harbour buildings, and time to explore the Salmon Bothy’s community museum space. Members and non-members are welcome.
Heritage Network – Conference 2025
Date & Time: Sunday 28 – Tuesday 30 September 2025
Location: Bradford
Bradford City of Culture is the venue for the heritage networking event of the year; an exhilarating three days of tours, visits, presentations, discussions, socialising and networking.
Training
SPAB – Hands-on Glazing Mortar
Date & Time: Saturday 2 August 2025; 10am-4pm
Location: Heritage & Rural Skills Centre, Buscot and Coleshill Estate, Swindon SN6 7PT
Presented by The British Society of Master Glass Painters, in partnership with The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, this unique course will focus on the performance requirements of traditional glazing mortars in historic buildings. This course is aimed primarily at practicing stained glass and leaded light craftspeople, conservators and artists. It is also open to allied buildings craftspeople or professionals with an interest in exploring the lime mortars used for the installation of leaded glazing into masonry apertures.
IHBC – Membership Accreditation Training Event
Date & Time: Tuesday 5 August 2025; 4-6pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Membership Accreditation Training Events (MATEs) advise on IHBC accreditation applications and provide free webinars for IHBC applicants. IHBC MATE SESSIONS provide CPD-certified advice on applying for IHBC accreditation (Full & Associate). Regular monthly sessions open to all (first 30 signed for any session).
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Introduction to Maintaining Traditional Buildings
Date & Time: Wednesday 6 August 2025; 10am-3pm
Location: Charlestown Workshops, Fife KY11 3EN
This course provides the perfect starting point if you are considering undertaking some simple repairs yourself or will enable you to speak your builder’s language and be confident that you are being given the correct advice. The course will outline the maintenance that traditional buildings require and attendees will gain an understanding of traditional building techniques and the correct materials to use when undertaking repairs. This is also an excellent opportunity to speak to the SLCT’s expert tutors about your project; attendee’s are welcome to bring along photos and mortar samples for some specific advice.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Sash and Case Window Repairs
Date & Time: Tuesday 2 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training centre, Fife KY12 3DR
Did you know that in most cases you can undertake simple repairs, retain these period features and ensure the value of your traditional building is not compromised? This practical course will prove invaluable if you have a property with Sash and Case Windows. The course will cover a short history of the development of windows before looking at the different components that make up a window and the issues to consider when approaching repairs. The course will allow attendees to identify and address various problems that commonly occur with sash windows. Topics covered will include window dismantling and reassembly, replacing ropes, weights, panes and putty. Various repair and improvement techniques will also be covered.
IHBC – Membership Accreditation Training Event
Date & Time: Tuesday 2 September 2025; 5-7pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Membership Accreditation Training Events (MATEs) advise on IHBC accreditation applications and provide free webinars for IHBC applicants. IHBC MATE SESSIONS provide CPD-certified advice on applying for IHBC accreditation (Full & Associate). Regular monthly sessions open to all (first 30 signed for any session).
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Making, Using and Specifying Hot Mixed Lime Mortars
Date & Time: Friday 5 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training centre, Fife KY12 3DR
Since the lime revival of the mid 1990s, the preparation and use of conservation mortars has been largely dominated by lime putty bound mortars or ‘cold’ mortars based on natural hydraulic limes (NHLs). Whilst all these mortar types have their place, a renewed interest in the production of what are perceived to be more authentic mortar preparations using quicklime and sand has been growing and this workshop aims to take the building professional through the process of specifying ‘hot mixed’ mortars including health and safety implications, constituents, preparation of mortars, correct mixing equipment and critically at which point these mortars should be used for particular applications . By the end of the course, attendees will be able to recognise traditionally made ‘hot mixed’ mortars in historic structures and buildings and be able to develop the skills to specify ‘hot mixed’ mortars in relation to authenticity, performance, exposure, season, substrate and nature of the masonry repairs required.
Heritage Network – Carbon Literacy Training
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 & 16 September 2025;10am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Carbon Literacy is a key way for organisations to gain an awareness of the causes and impacts of climate change and an understanding of carbon emissions. It provides a great foundation for individuals, teams and organisations to begin to take steps towards reducing their carbon emissions and become more environmentally sustainable. As a sector, this training will help to collectively make a difference through taking responsibility and committing to lowering emissions. The focus of Carbon Literacy is about empowering people to take action. To become certified as Carbon Literate you must pledge to undertake an individual and group action that will help you and your organisation to achieve net zero. The £15 (member) and £30 (non-member) charge for this course covers your Carbon Literacy Trust certification fee. If you have any questions, please email Samya Kelly.
SPAB – Pargeting
Date & Time: Saturday 27 September 2025; 9am-4:30pm
Location: Heritage & Rural Skills Centre, Buscot and Coleshill Estate, Swindon SN6 7PT
Join SPAB for a unique opportunity to learn the endangered craft of pargeting from one of the country’s highest regarded pargeters, Bill Sargent. This workshop is brought to you in association with the National Trust. This introductory workshop is for anyone interested in learning pargeting skills for work, general interest or leisure. No prior experience is required.
Vacancies
Edinburgh World Heritage – Public Realm Projects Manager
Salary: £35,020 per annum
Status: Full time, 35 hrs per week; fixed term contract to 31 March 2026 (permanent contract afterwards subject to funding being secured)
Location: 146 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DD; hybrid working?(min 2 days p/w office-based)
Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH) distributes around £600,000 in grants each year, funding projects across the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site which conserve, celebrate and widen access to Edinburgh’s unique historic buildings and public spaces. Grants are funded by Historic Environment Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage’s own repayable grants fund.
The Public Realm projects programme helps to retain the authenticity and integrity of the historic streets and public spaces within the World Heritage Site. It promotes the better understanding, appreciation and care of the city’s historic environment through partnering with the Council and other stakeholders to repair, conserve, reinstate or interpret historic elements such as monuments and memorials, lanterns, ironwork, gardens and stairways.
Reporting into the Head of Conservation (Public Realm), the Public Realm Projects Manager will manage and progress grant-aided partnership projects. They will work with partners to initiate, seek funding for, develop, manage and deliver new projects to benefit the World Heritage Site using best practice methodologies for building conservation and community engagement. The Public Realm Projects Manager will be the first point of contact for the community small grants programme responding to queries and administering the grant funds. Projects work in close collaboration with artists and craftsmen, local communities and organisations, the City of Edinburgh Council and other key stakeholders.
Click here for the full job description and to apply.
If you have any questions, please contact Fiona Rankin: fionarankin@ewht.org.uk
Closing date: 12pm on Friday 25 July 2025
Stirling City Heritage Trust – Board Trustees
Stirling City Heritage Trust are looking to recruit new volunteer Trustees to join their Board of Trustees in 2025. There are 3 vacancies for Trustees to support the Trust staff, raising the profile of the organisation and helping with strategic decision-making.
To complement their existing Board members, they are particularly seeking individuals who have skills and experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Financial Management and Accountancy
- Legal
- Governance
- Building Conservation
Applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience, and with the ability to make an effective contribution to the organisation are welcomed. They are also keen to attract young people to join so if you are aged 18-30 please consider applying; or if know someone in that age group who is interested in Stirling’s heritage please encourage them to consider joining. Above all, applicants should have an interest in Stirling’s traditional architecture and recognise the importance of the maintenance of traditional buildings.
Founded in 2004, the Trust is a Scottish charity and company limited by guarantee funded by Historic Environment Scotland and Stirling Council. The Trust operates the Traditional Buildings Health Check, offers grants for traditional repairs and supports local education projects which promote an understanding of Stirling’s heritage. They also offer energy efficiency advice through their Retrofit Service. For more information go here. For further information or to discuss the position contact SCHT Manager, Lindsay Lennie on 01786 498462 or manager@scht.org.uk
Please note the position is not salaried.
Closing date: Monday 28 July 2025
The Cockburn Association – Director
Salary: £50,000 per annum, negotiable according to skills and experience
Status: Three-year fixed term contract. 35 hours Monday-Friday with options negotiable for flexible working and reduced or compressed hours
Location: Central Edinburgh; hybrid working options are negotiable but normally three days per week are required to be based in the office
The Cockburn Association is seeking a new Director. The Director holds full executive responsibility for developing, implementing and monitoring the Cockburn Council’s strategies, objectives, policies and decisions, enabling the Association to fulfil its charitable purposes.
The job priorities are focused on ensuring financial sustainability, membership growth, and enhanced organisation profile, working closely with the Chair, Trustees, and President. While a keen interest in Edinburgh and the quality of its environment, and commitment to the principle of citizen participation are expected, specialist skills or experience in planning, architecture, conservation or design are not a requirement. At this stage of the Association’s history, a Director is being sought with management and business skills who will implement a change programme for long-term sustainability. The job is focused on leading and managing the first phase of the Cockburn Council’s longer term change programme. The job also includes a number of other ongoing operational duties which will be expected to form part of the Director’s everyday workload. It is essential that the successful candidate is qualified to degree level in a subject relevant to the job description. A Masters level qualification or other professional qualifications or certifications relevant to the job are desirable but not essential. The Cockburn Association is committed to a culture which values diversity and inclusive work practices, welcoming applications from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.
Please see the full job description for more information about The Cockburn Association and the role, and details on how to apply. For general background information about the Cockburn Association, please contact Brigid Golden in the first instance on 0131 557 8686 or admin@cockburnassociation.org.uk. For a confidential informal discussion about the role, please contact the Chair, Dr Lesley Martin on 07969 178483.
Closing date: Friday 8 August 2025
War Memorials Trust – Conservation Officer
Salary: £28-30,000 pro-rata; depending on experience
Status: part-time; 3-4 days a week on a 12-18 month contract which may be extended
Location: potential to be based in the London office, a hybrid option or home worker
War Memorials Trust is seeking a new part-time Conservation Officer to help deliver services and fulfil the Trust’s charitable objectives.
This is an exciting opportunity for a Conservation Officer with initiative, enthusiasm and experience. The successful candidate will become part of the Conservation Team managing a varied and busy workload of casework, grants and digital engagement. The role may suit a recent conservation graduate embarking on a career in the sector or could be of interest to someone more experienced looking for a different challenge. As a member of the Conservation Team, you will acquire responsibility for particular areas of work. These may be designated geographically or by type of work depending on location, skills and experience. Technical Advice is focussed on encouraging best conservation practice, delivering grants that support repair and conservation as well as initiating efforts to improve the condition of war memorial heritage. This aspect of the role can include providing advice based on photographs, working with other organisations to encourage protection or attending site visits. Close cooperation with colleagues is essential to ensure consistency and a shared understanding of approaches. Through Public Engagement the charity seeks to provide a response to the wider variety of public enquiries about war memorials from basic maintenance to adding names or background history to how long wreaths should remain in situ. It also seeks to engage the public with their war memorial heritage through talks, workshops and online educational materials for different age groups.
The successful candidate will have knowledge of the conservation of the historic environment, relevant legislation and the technical issues involved in the care and repair of war memorials. You should be able to provide advice and guidance to custodians and members of the public on all aspects of war memorials and their care as well as having the ability to act as an advocate for the protection and appreciation of unique war memorial heritage.
War Memorials Trust is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
Closing date: 9am on Friday 8 August 2025
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In the first edition of the Places of Worship Forum (POWF) Newsletter, Audrey Dunn, Churches Advisor at COSS (Community Ownership Support Services) introduces their New Futures Programme – Former places of Worship in Scotland a new initiative dedicated to supporting churches into community ownership. COSS is delivered by the Development Trusts Association Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government to support the sustainable transfer of predominantly public assets into community ownership.
It is now well known that the Church of Scotland (CoS) in particular, is rationalising its estate at pace and our research shows that as many as 800 church assets across Scotland (across all denominations) are potentially up for sale in the next few years. COSS (Community Ownership Support Services) has been supporting groups over the years with their ambitions to bring churches and glebe land into community ownership but to support this unprecedented demand we have now launched a new dedicated support service.
I am the Churches Advisor covering the North half of Scotland and my colleague Claire Martin, covers the Southern half. A third advisor will also be coming on board shortly as our research shows that demand is due to further increase next year. This research was started by the DTAS (Development Trusts Association Scotland) Research and Insights team and further developed by our new Programme Support Officer, Harry Whitmore.
Harry is part of our churches team and has been leading on developing an open-source database detailing the status of all Church of Scotland assets from local presbytery plans and other publicly available material on other denominations into one handy searchable document that we can continue to update. This will provide communities and stakeholders with vital information to help them plan support and community action.
As advisors we will provide dedicated support along with training and guidance to equip communities to make informed decisions on the future of their local church assets, providing the tools for community ownership where appropriate and ensuring communities across Scotland have the support they need. We will also be raising awareness, visiting targeted areas and highlighting to communities the assets that may be being disposed of the support available to them. So, in summary, our service will, over the next three years provide-
- early-stage guidance and advice to communities including 1-2-1 Advisor support
- start up support, mentoring and sharing good practice with groups
- peer-to-peer networking and learning exchanges
- help building capacity in community ownership through training workshops, guidance and resources
- dedicated web pages with digital resources (still to be developed) as well as signposting to other support bodies
- a ‘Churches SOS’ Crisis Support Service for groups that need to access support quickly to access their options
- microgrants to groups to set up to hold early-stage community consultation events, print leaflets etc.
- work with a range of partners and stakeholders to ensure holistic package of support.
We are also looking forward to continuing our work with BEFS, by co-developing and delivering workshop sessions and exploring how best we can support local authority officers in this fast-paced environment.
As the programme develops, we will be sharing information and findings with partners across the UK and look forward to working with a variety of stakeholders including those involved in the Places of Worship forum.
It’s early days and our webpages are still under construction, but we have been busy! Since 2024 the COSS team have been working with over 50 active community groups who are exploring the options available to them and we have launched our first series of online workshops. The topics so far cover place planning and community engagement delivered in partnership with Coalfields Regeneration Trust and an information session on Community Right to Buy delivered by Scottish Government. The past few months we have delivered workshops such as “Churches into Community Ownership – First steps”, “Finance and Fundraising”, and “Business Planning”.
This three-year project is possible thanks to funding by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS).
Please do share our contact details amongst your network and we very much look forward to hearing from new groups considering taking a former place of worship into community ownership.
Delivered by the Development Trusts Association Scotland, the Community Ownership Support Service is funded by the Scottish Government to support the sustainable transfer of predominantly public assets into community ownership.
Audrey Dunn, Churches Advisor at COSS (Community Ownership Support Services) introduces their New Futures Programme – Former places of Worship in Scotland a new initiative dedicated to supporting churches into community ownership.
This blog is part of the Places of Worship Forum (POWF) Newsletter which launched 3 July 2025. To read the first edition, please click here. The newsletter aims to share the ongoing work of the group. Would you like to receive the next edition of the newsletter? Sign up here.
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Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications & Consultations
BEFS News
Now out! BEFS ‘Joining the Dots’ blog series highlights the many interconnected policy agendas for Scotland’s built environment. In the fourth edition, Dr Caroline Brown, Director for Scotland, Ireland and English Regions at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), explores how data integration could transform policy implementation and decision-making across Scotland’s planning system. Joining the Dots is available on BEFS website.
Some further recommended reading, in case you missed it: Irene Mosota, chief executive of Knowledge-Bridge UK, shares a thought-provoking piece, building on her address at Scotland’s Historic Environment Forum in June, and asks is the heritage sector an exclusive sector? And, if so, what more can we do to invite everyone in? Read the full article here.
Scotland’s Landscape Alliance has launched Scotland’s Landscape Charter 2025, promoting awareness of the contribution of landscapes to all our lives and the action required to maximise their benefits now and for the future. The Charter aims to achieve a collaborative, cross-sectoral approach to delivering functional, resilient and dynamic landscapes that support Scotland’s net zero and nature positive ambitions, and is endorsed by the Scottish Government, NatureScot, Historic Environment Scotland, the Scottish Land Commission, and Architecture and Design Scotland.
BEFS Member Stirling City Heritage Trust is seeking three new Board Trustees. To complement their existing Board members, they are seeking individuals who have skills and experience in one or more of the following areas: Financial Management and Accountancy; Legal; Governance and Building Conservation. Applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience, and with the ability to make an effective contribution to the organisation are welcomed.
The National Trust for Scotland has announced that Dame Sue Bruce will succeed Sir Mark Jones as Chair in August 2025. Dame Sue brings extensive senior experience in the public and charity sectors, which will support the Trust as it continues implementing its 10-year strategy “Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone” and looks ahead to its centenary in 2031.
And finally, the National Churches Trust is inviting submissions from architects and surveyors for its Architecture 2025 awards. The awards, run in partnership with the Ecclesiastical Architects & Surveyors Association (EASA), celebrate excellence in church architecture and conservation. Deadline for submissions is the 9th of July!
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Please see our Link to Parliamentary Questions and Answers for recent questions regarding Green Jobs, Apprenticeships, Construction, and Land Reform.
Consultations
Creative Industries Sector Plan Survey
UK Parliament, Culture, Media and Sport Committee
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has launched a survey for people working in the creative industries ahead of an evidence session examining the UK Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan. The survey seeks views from those working across the creative industries to inform the Committee’s scrutiny of whether the government’s plan is ambitious enough and truly addresses the challenges faced by talented people working in the sector. The evidence session with Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP and others will take place on 8 July.
*NEW* Closes 8 July 2025
Housing (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on how powers within the Housing (Scotland) Bill could be used to exempt certain types of properties from rent control. It also looks into circumstances where rents could be increased above the level of the rent cap and scope for clarifying how joint tenancies in the private sector are ended. The Bill brings forward a package of reforms to help ensure people have a safe, secure and affordable place to live. It includes measures that provide a framework for a long-term system of rent control in Scotland. The consultation addresses three main areas: properties that should be exempt from rent control area restrictions; properties that should be subject to modified rent control area restrictions; and clarifying how joint tenancies in the private rented sector are ended.
Closes 18 July 2025
Update to the 2020 Offshore Wind Policy Statement: Scotland’s Offshore Wind ambition
Scottish Government
The outlook for offshore wind in Scotland has changed since the original Offshore Wind Policy Statement was published in 2020. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of potential offshore wind developments due to the ScotWind and the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation.
*NEW* Closes 13 August 2025
Pre-Budget scrutiny 2026-27: funding for culture
Scottish Parliament
The Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee is seeking views on funding for culture to support its 2026-27 pre-budget scrutiny. The Committee is taking a cumulative approach to budget scrutiny over Session 6, focusing primarily on the culture spending portfolio. The consultation seeks input from stakeholders and the public on cultural funding priorities and challenges ahead of the 2026-27 Scottish Budget process.
*NEW* Closes 15 August 2025
Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliament
The Finance and Public Administration Committee is seeking views on the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill. The Bill introduces a new tax, called the Scottish Building Safety Levy, to be charged on the construction of residential property development in Scotland. The call for views aims to help the Committee to understand the reasons people have for either supporting or opposing the Bill and how people would like to see the Bill amended. Above all, they would like to find out to what extent the proposed Scottish Building Safety Levy (SBSL) aligns with the Scottish Government’s 2024 Tax Strategy and with the principles of good tax policy making included in the Framework for Tax 2021. Views are welcomed from individuals and organisations in the housebuilding sector, other industry experts, tax experts, academics and think-tanks, public bodies and any other stakeholders including the general public with an interest in the subject.
*NEW* Closes 15 August 2025
Scottish Aggregates Tax: proposed approaches to cross-border taxation
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on how to approach cross-border taxation for Scottish Aggregates Tax (SAT), which is intended to replace UK Aggregates Levy from 1 April 2026.
*NEW* Closes 18 August 2025
Draft Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE). The plan sets out an integrated framework for sustainable offshore wind development in Scottish waters, informed by the latest scientific evidence. It identifies opportunities and constraints while balancing the needs of communities, nature and other sea users. The consultation includes supporting assessments covering environmental, socio-economic, habitats regulation, nature conservation, sustainability and business regulatory impact.
Closes 22 August 2025
Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
The Social Justice and Social Security Committee is seeking views on the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Sarah Boyack MSP on 27 March 2025. The Bill creates a new public duty requiring all public bodies to have due regard for the need to promote wellbeing and sustainable development in the exercise of their functions and establishes a Future Generations Commissioner for Scotland. The committee welcomes responses from public sector organisations, third sector organisations, professionals, academics, children and young people, and members of the public to help inform their scrutiny of the Bill and selection of witnesses for oral evidence sessions.
*NEW* Closes 24 August 2025
Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) – Scoping Consultation
Scottish Government
The purpose of this Scoping Consultation is to set out the Scottish Government’s initial proposals for the scope of a Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) and seek stakeholder views on the overall concept of HEETSA and how it relates to other parts of the heat and energy efficiency retrofit landscape. Read the consultation paper.
Closes 29 August 2025
Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations in the domestic Private Rented Sector (PRS) using existing powers within in the Energy Act 2011. These regulations would mean all privately rented properties, as far as possible, reaching EPC Heat Retention Rating (HRR) band C from 2028 for new tenancies and by 2033 for all privately rented homes. Your views are welcomed, regarding the practical implications, as proposals are finalised to help ensure these regulations to work as effectively as possible. Read the consultation paper.
Closes 29 August 2025
Draft Climate Change Plan Scrutiny 2025
Scottish Parliament
The draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) is a strategy document which outlines how the Scottish Government intends to meet emissions reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy. This will be the first time the Scottish Parliament has considered a statutory CCP in draft form since the passing of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act of 2019 and the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Act 2024. To support the Parliament’s scrutiny, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is undertaking a Call for Views in advance of the draft CCP being published. It asks questions about what policies people think should be in the draft CCP across different sectors, and what else needs to be included to deliver a just transition to net zero by 2045.
*NEW* Closes 19 September 2025
Rural Tourism in Scotland Survey
Historic Houses Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates
Member properties of Historic Houses Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates are invited to complete this survey to provide data for a major report on rural tourism in Scotland. The survey aims to gather evidence on the impact of rural tourism businesses on Scotland’s economy and address challenges and opportunities facing the sector. The report will feed into VisitScotland and the Scottish Government’s aims for growing tourism across Scotland in a sustainable way. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
No closing date specified
ScotLand Futures
Scottish Land Commission
ScotLand Futures is a national initiative led by the Scottish Land Commission exploring what a fully reformed approach to land in Scotland could look like and how to make it happen. The initiative aims to think big, tackle challenges, provide certainty for the future, and find practical solutions to ensure land benefits everyone. The Scottish Land Commission wants to hear from people across Scotland, whether they live in a city, town, village or rural area, about what land reform means to them and what changes they want to see.
No closing date specified
Consultation Responses
Protecting Scotland’s Historic Places – HES Designations Strategy BEFS responded to a Historic Environment Scotland (HES) call for views on its Draft Designations Strategy, the system used to provide legal recognition and protection for more than 55,000 heritage sites across Scotland, for 2025-35. BEFS welcomed the timing of the Strategy, and its focus on improving information and recognising emerging heritage, but shared Members’ desire for a greater level of ambition and highlighted their concerns about the sector’s capacity to deliver. (BEFS 01/07/2025)
ECHOES Survey
BEFS fed into this European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage survey, which aims to better understand the priorities, challenges, and expectations of professionals, volunteers and institutions engaged in cultural heritage across Europe. The survey will inform further development of a new digital cultural heritage platform, updates on which will be shared in future bulletins. (BEFS 30/06/2025)
Building regulations – proposed review of fire safety topics: analysis of responses
(Scot Gov 30/06/2025)
Petitions
SPICe briefing for the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee on PE2157: Update planning advice for energy storage issues (Scot Parl 19/06/2025)
News Releases
Repair and Adaptation Fund Applications (Museums Galleries Scotland 30/05/2025)
Skills for Planet: Powering designers for the green transition by 2030 (Design Council 05/06/2025)
Almost £1million for community regeneration projects in Glasgow after council bids accepted (Glasgow City Council 10/06/2025)
St Paul’s to launch world class heritage craft training centre on Cathedral’s 350th anniversary (St Paul’s Cathedral 18/06/2025)
New campaign seeks to boost wellbeing through connection to heritage (HES 18/06/2025)
Nominations open for the Europa Nostra UK Committee 2025 (Europa Nostra 22/06/2025)
Funding boost for postgrad students undertaking any course (BE-ST 25/06/2025)
City of Edinburgh Council’s retrofit project: Plans submitted to transform city’s iconic Cables Wynd House and Linksview House (City of Edinburgh Council 27/06/2025)
Publications
Reuse First Policy Manifesto (Circular Communities Scotland May 2025)
Healthier Cities and Communities through Public Spaces (UN-Habitat June 2025)
Scotland’s blueprint: the art of the possible (Prosper June 2025)
Designing for inclusive and accessible learning environments (Architecture and Design Scotland June 2025)
From raised voices to voices raised: putting people at the heart of planning (Demos 17/06/2025)
The Business Case for Integrated Retrofit: How banks, insurers, and the government can support healthy, efficient, and resilient homes (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership 18/06/2025)
EDII and Behavioural Research: Inclusive and Rigorous Science (Behavioural Research UK 18/06/2025)
Heritage Sector Resilience Plan 2025-35 (Historic Environment Forum 19/06/2025)
Progress in reducing emissions – 2025 report to Parliament (Climate Change Committee 24/06/2025)
Scottish & UK: Governmental & Parliamentary Publications
Architecture and Design Scotland review: summary report (Scot Gov 17/06/2025)
Correspondence between Gillian Martin and the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on carbon budgets and the Climate Change Plan (Scot Gov 17/06/2025)
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Parl 17/06/2025)
Scotland in 2050 (Scot Gov 17/06/2025)
Cladding Remediation Programme: factsheet (Scot Gov 18/06/2025)
Place Directors: factsheet (Scot Gov 18/06/2025)
Private residential tenancy: information for tenants (Scot Gov 19/06/2025)
Public service reform strategy launched (Scot Gov 19/06/2025)
Scottish National Adaptation Plan – Annual Progress Report 2024-2025 (Scot Gov 19/06/2025)
Statement To Accompany The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (Scottish Carbon Budgets) Amendment Regulations 2025 (Scot Gov 19/06/2025)
Validation of RdSAP U-value calculation methodology for traditional stone walls in Scotland (Scot Gov 19/06/2025)
Historic Environment Records: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government written question (UK Parl 19/06/2025)
Correspondence between Gillian Martin and the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee regarding the laying of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (Scot Parl 19/06/2025)
Correspondence between the Deputy First Minister and the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee regarding Community Wealth Building Bill (Scot Parl 19/06/2025)
Planning and Architecture: Water Resilient Dundee (Scot Gov 20/06/2025)
Just Transition Fund: application form and guidance (Scot Gov 23/06/2025)
Correspondence between The Education, Children and Young People Committee and Mairi McAllan regarding RAAC in college and University Buildings (Scot Parl 23/06/2025)
The climate jigsaw part one: the general framework of devolution and climate change (SPICe 23/06/2025)
The climate jigsaw part two: sectoral issues in devolution and climate change (SPICe 23/06/2025)
Clerk’s note- National Planning Framework 4 Annual Review (Scot Parl 24/06/2025)
SPICe Spotlight. Climate Change and Scottish Parliament Committees: Finance and Public Administration Committee (SPICe 24/06/2025)
Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update: New Housebuilding and Affordable Housing Supply to end March 2025 (Scot Gov 24/06/2025)
Housing statistics quarterly update: new housebuilding and affordable housing supply (Scot Gov 24/06/2025)
Open Government action plan 2021 to 2025 – commitment 4: climate change (Scot Gov 24/06/2025)
Quarterly Housing Statistics in the year to end of March 2025 (Scot Gov 24/06/2025)
War Memorials Debate (UK Parl 24/06/2025)
EAC Chair – Government must redouble efforts as Climate Change Committee reports on progress in reducing emissions (UK Parl 25/06/2025)
Scotland’s Fiscal Outlook: The Scottish Government’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy (Scot Gov 25/06/2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill – Second Reading (House of Lords 25/06/2025)
Climate change and the Public Audit Committee Report (SPICe 25/06/2025)
Correspondence between the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee and the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy regarding Climate Change Plan timing (Scot Parl 26/06/2025)
Households and Dwellings in Scotland, 2024 (NRS 26/06/2025)
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee Report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill (Scot Parl 26/06/2025)
Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-22 to 2025-26: progress report 2024 to 2025 (Scot Gov 27/06/2025)
Planning and Environmental Appeals Division: annual review 2024 to 2025 (Scot Gov 27/06/2025)
Building standards approved energy assessment software: guidance (Scot Gov 30/06/2025)
Building Safety Regulator: Reforms to Accelerate Housebuilding (UK Gov 30/06/2025)
Community Rights to Buy: overview (Scot Gov 30/06/2025)
Housing to 2040 Strategic Board minutes: March 2025 (Scot Gov 30/06/2025)
Motions
S6M-18031
Submitted by: Meghan Gallacher, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date Lodged: 19/06/2025
That the Parliament recognises the contribution of Homes for Scotland in helping to address the reported skills shortage in Scotland’s planning system through the launch of five new Future Planners bursaries; notes that the bursaries total to £25,000; further notes that these bursaries aim to attract individuals from diverse backgrounds into the planning profession by supporting course fees, living expenses and mentoring opportunities, which are administered by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI); understands that the bursaries will support students on RTPI-accredited Planning master’s courses at the University of Glasgow, the University of Dundee and Heriot-Watt University for the 2025-26 academic year; recognises that this initiative, supported by Brodies, Mac Mic Group, Miller Homes, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey, complements the 30 bursaries already available via Scottish Government grant funding; welcomes this initiative during a time of what it sees as significant pressure on Scotland’s planning system, and amid an ongoing housing emergency, and commends Homes for Scotland for its leadership in marking its 25th anniversary year by investing in the future of planning in Scotland and supporting a sustainable pipeline of talent to help deliver the homes that it considers Scotland needs.
Opinion & Comment
Retrofitting tenements – Under One Roof takes to the mic with The Scottish Housing News Podcast (Scottish Housing News 02/06/2025)
Place building to subsidise ‘affordable’ house building? (Build Edinburgh 07/06/2025)
We cannot protect historic buildings without protecting the skills to care for them (Building Design 16/06/2025)
Imposing planning fees on listed buildings would be a huge mistake (The Times 17/06/2025)
Calls for end to ‘boom and bust’ heritage funding (Arts Professional 19/06/2025)
Glasgow gives go-ahead for ‘tourist tax’ on visitors (BBC News 20/06/2025)
Housebuilding slows amid rising demand and financial pressures (Scottish Construction Now 24/06/2025)
Scots tourism reports record year for international visits (The Herald 24/06/2025)
Stone Stories: how Glasgow’s tenements can weather the climate crisis (River Clyde Homes 24/06/2025)
Consultation on scrapped Galloway national park cost £160,000 (BBC News 25/06/2025)
Historic England head tries to block protection for listed cinema (The Times 25/06/2025)
Data integration could be the key to joining the dots in Scotland’s complex policy landscape (BEFS 26/06/2025)
English Heritage chief steps down after a turbulent 18 months in post (The Art Newspaper 27/06/2025)
Community support service provides outstanding support to Clydebank tenants (Clydebank Housing Association 28/05/2025)
Glasgow School of Art closes last link to stained glass studio where Mackintosh studied, which helped keep the endangered craft alive (The Herald 30/06/2025)
Events
For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar
RIAS – BookshopLATES… 1960s University Buildings
Date & Time: Thursday 10 July 2025; 6:30-7:30pm (doors 6pm)
Location: RIAS Bookshop, 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH1 2BE
Join John Barr as he discusses his new book ‘1960s University Buildings’ with Professor Gordon Murray PPRIAS. In his newly published book, John Barr examines the architectural thinking of the 1960s and proposes it is the university buildings of the era that represented the cutting edge of modern architecture in the UK. While there were notable buildings being built in other spheres, no other field of architecture provided the opportunity to express these new ideas as freely, while also reflecting innovative thinking about education and society.
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Energy Solutions for Community Buildings
Date & Time: Thursday 17 July 2025; 1-2pm
Location: GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
In this session, HeatHack founder Jean Carletta will share the challenges faced by churches and community organisations in managing energy use. You’ll gain insights into the client perspective and practical ideas for your own work, as well as influence what HeatHack does next in trying to bridge the gap between clients and professionals. HeatHack supports community groups in keeping their buildings well-used and energy-efficient. By exploring occupancy patterns, building preservation, retrofitting and low-carbon heating options, HeatHack helps churches, halls, and community centres understand how they can improve thermal comfort while using less energy. This event is free, but booking is essential.
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Greek Thomson and Beyond: A Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour
Date & Time: Thursday 17 July 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: Meet at the GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
Join conservation architect Scott Abercrombie, Associate Director at John Gilbert Architects and former Chair of the Alexander Thomson Society, for a walking tour exploring the legacy of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson and his circle. Starting from GCHT’s office at 54 Bell Street, the 90-minute walk will take in key surviving buildings by Thomson and along the way, Scott will look to highlight the work of Thomson’s contemporaries, collaborators, and successors. The route finishes at the Centre for Contemporary Arts on Sauchiehall Street, where participants are welcome to stay for further discussion in the Third Eye Bar. Please note: the walk will proceed at a gentle pace but involves a steady uphill route. As always in Glasgow, please dress for all weather conditions!
NESTA – A policy plan for clean heat in Scotland
Date & Time: Thursday 24 July 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
With the 2045 net zero targets inching closer, the Heat in Buildings Bill due to pass through Scottish Parliament next year, a new Climate Change Plan required, and Holyrood elections coming up, there’s never been a more important time to act – and there’s no shortage of opportunities for change. NESTA would like to convene experts to deep-dive into Nesta’s new report A policy plan for clean heat in Scotland, exploring how Scotland can unlock policy action and provide clear direction for the clean heat transition. This event is for Scottish policymakers, clean heat installers, net zero campaigners, and all those interested in a compelling, workable solution to the clean energy transition across Scotland.
Glasgow City Heritage Trust – Lens on Legacy: A Tour of Glasgow’s Buildings At Risk
Date & Time: Thursday 21 August 2025; 6-7:30pm
Location: Meet at the GCHT Offices, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
Join GCHT’s Director Niall Murphy for a walk around Glasgow City Centre, looking at some of the city’s most iconic, but at-risk, buildings. During the walk Niall will explore several buildings at-risk, discussing their history and the challenges they face, whilst also considering practical steps and creative solutions to support their repair and reuse, and how to make the city centre a welcoming, sustainable environment for the people of Glasgow. Please dress for all weather conditions!
CaCHE – Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next?
Date & Time: Monday 8 September 2025; 9am-3:30pm
Location: James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University Avenue Glasgow G12 8QW
The International Journal of Housing Policy is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and together with the UK Centre for Collaborative Housing Evidence (CaCHE) is hosting a symposium on Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next? The seminar will situate its retrospective insights with an eye of the future direction of research. The occasion aims to be a celebration of the significant contributions of the housing research community and highlight the importance of continued research in shaping housing futures.
EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland – Unlocking the Potential of Scotland’s Heritage: The Economic Value of Heritage
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 September 2025; 10-11:30am
Location: To be confirmed
Save the Date: Join EDAS and Historic Environment Scotland for a special event. Full details coming soon.
Heritage Network – Coastal Heritage of the North East
Date & Time: Friday 19 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: The Salmon Bothy, Portsoy
This is a hugely exciting time for Portsoy and the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT) as the Trust works to develop its significant long-term pipeline of regeneration projects in and around Portsoy’s A-listed Old Harbour. Come along to hear directly from the NESPT and a variety of wonderful neighbouring projects as they showcase the diverse efforts being made to preserve and revive coastal heritage across north east Scotland. In addition to presentations, the day will include networking opportunities, a tour of Portsoy’s historic harbour buildings, and time to explore the Salmon Bothy’s community museum space. Members and non-members are welcome.
Heritage Network – Conference 2025
Date & Time: Sunday 28 – Tuesday 30 September 2025
Location: Bradford
Bradford City of Culture is the venue for the heritage networking event of the year; an exhilarating three days of tours, visits, presentations, discussions, socialising and networking.
Training
RICS – Global Introduction to Whole Life Carbon Assessment – 3 Part Series
Date & Time: Tuesday 1, Wednesday 9 & Wednesday 16 July 2025; 2:30-4pm
Location: Online
The RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment standard provides the industry with tools to carry out carbon assessments in line with the requirements of the standard which is heavily complex and technical. Learn about how to predict the impact of legislation across the UK and globally; consider when to start a carbon assessment and the validity of a carbon assessment; recognise how the construction stage impacts on carbon emission; and understand how to assess infrastructure end of life carbon impact. The webclass will be delivered in three parts.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Introduction to Maintaining Traditional Buildings
Date & Time: Wednesday 6 August 2025; 10am-3pm
Location: Charlestown Workshops, Fife KY11 3EN
This course provides the perfect starting point if you are considering undertaking some simple repairs yourself or will enable you to speak your builder’s language and be confident that you are being given the correct advice. The course will outline the maintenance that traditional buildings require and attendees will gain an understanding of traditional building techniques and the correct materials to use when undertaking repairs. This is also an excellent opportunity to speak to the SLCT’s expert tutors about your project; attendee’s are welcome to bring along photos and mortar samples for some specific advice.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Sash and Case Window Repairs
Date & Time: Tuesday 2 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training centre, Fife KY12 3DR
Did you know that in most cases you can undertake simple repairs, retain these period features and ensure the value of your traditional building is not compromised? This practical course will prove invaluable if you have a property with Sash and Case Windows. The course will cover a short history of the development of windows before looking at the different components that make up a window and the issues to consider when approaching repairs. The course will allow attendees to identify and address various problems that commonly occur with sash windows. Topics covered will include window dismantling and reassembly, replacing ropes, weights, panes and putty. Various repair and improvement techniques will also be covered.
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – Making, Using and Specifying Hot Mixed Lime Mortars
Date & Time: Friday 5 September 2025; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: Merryhill Training centre, Fife KY12 3DR
Since the lime revival of the mid 1990s, the preparation and use of conservation mortars has been largely dominated by lime putty bound mortars or ‘cold’ mortars based on natural hydraulic limes (NHLs). Whilst all these mortar types have their place, a renewed interest in the production of what are perceived to be more authentic mortar preparations using quicklime and sand has been growing and this workshop aims to take the building professional through the process of specifying ‘hot mixed’ mortars including health and safety implications, constituents, preparation of mortars, correct mixing equipment and critically at which point these mortars should be used for particular applications . By the end of the course, attendees will be able to recognise traditionally made ‘hot mixed’ mortars in historic structures and buildings and be able to develop the skills to specify ‘hot mixed’ mortars in relation to authenticity, performance, exposure, season, substrate and nature of the masonry repairs required.
Heritage Network – Carbon Literacy Training
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 & 16 September 2025;10am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Carbon Literacy is a key way for organisations to gain an awareness of the causes and impacts of climate change and an understanding of carbon emissions. It provides a great foundation for individuals, teams and organisations to begin to take steps towards reducing their carbon emissions and become more environmentally sustainable. As a sector, this training will help to collectively make a difference through taking responsibility and committing to lowering emissions. The focus of Carbon Literacy is about empowering people to take action. To become certified as Carbon Literate you must pledge to undertake an individual and group action that will help you and your organisation to achieve net zero. The £15 (member) and £30 (non-member) charge for this course covers your Carbon Literacy Trust certification fee. If you have any questions, please email Samya Kelly.
Vacancies
Edinburgh World Heritage – Energy Retrofit and Adaptation Specialist
Salary: £35,020 per annum
Status: Full time for a fixed term to 31 March 2026 (permanent contract afterwards subject to funding being secured); 35hrs per week
Location: Edinburgh EH8 8DD; hybrid working (min 2 days per week office-based)
Edinburgh World Heritage are looking for an Energy Retrofit and Adaptation Specialist to deliver innovative energy retrofit and adaptation pilot projects which preserve the historic and architectural significance of buildings in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. The role involves conducting targeted research, producing and disseminating guidance on reducing carbon emissions of historic buildings and improving their resilience against the impacts of climate change. This is an exceptional opportunity to play a key role in the conservation of the city’s rich heritage through developing sensitive and practical solutions to support the transition of historic buildings and to adapt them to climate change. More information and application process can be found here.
Interviews: w/c 21 July 2025 (expected to be on Tuesday 22 and/or Wednesday 23 July 2025 – may be subject to change)
Closing date: 12pm on Monday 14 July 2025
Stirling City Heritage Trust – Board Trustees
Stirling City Heritage Trust are looking to recruit new volunteer Trustees to join their Board of Trustees in 2025. There are 3 vacancies for Trustees to support the Trust staff, raising the profile of the organisation and helping with strategic decision-making. To complement their existing Board members, they are particularly seeking individuals who have skills and experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Financial Management and Accountancy
- Legal
- Governance
- Building Conservation
Applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience, and with the ability to make an effective contribution to the organisation are welcomed. They are also keen to attract young people to join so if you are aged 18-30 please consider applying; or if know someone in that age group who is interested in Stirling’s heritage please encourage them to consider joining. Above all, applicants should have an interest in Stirling’s traditional architecture and recognise the importance of the maintenance of traditional buildings.
Founded in 2004, the Trust is a Scottish charity and company limited by guarantee funded by Historic Environment Scotland and Stirling Council. The Trust operates the Traditional Buildings Health Check, offers grants for traditional repairs and supports local education projects which promote an understanding of Stirling’s heritage. They also offer energy efficiency advice through their Retrofit Service. For more information go here. For further information or to discuss the position contact SCHT Manager, Lindsay Lennie on 01786 498462 or manager@scht.org.uk
Please note the position is not salaried.
Closing Date: Monday 28 July 2025
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In the fourth of our ‘Joining the Dots’ series exploring the interconnected nature of policy agendas for Scotland’s built environment, Dr Caroline Brown, Director for Scotland, Ireland and English Regions at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), explores how data integration could transform policy implementation and decision-making across Scotland’s planning system.
In her first Joining the Dots piece, Hazel Johnson said that the policy landscape is complex. I’d like to add to that assessment and suggest that policy complexity is not a static feature – but it’s something that changes over time, as policy develops. Looking at things from planning perspective, the last few years have added new topics, new technologies and new duties to the remit of planners – whether that’s play sufficiency assessments, nature networks, battery storage and hydrogen to name a few. The result is a policy landscape that is complex and dynamic, and trends towards both deepening and broadening.
As well as increasing numbers of topics, planning now involves many more technical assessments and tools. As a case in point the guidance on NPF4 Policy 2 climate mitigation and adaptation was published very recently, explaining how lifecycle carbon assessments are to be used in the decision-making process. It’s not enough to support renewables and energy efficiency, planners are being asked to consider a technical assessment of lifecycle carbon as part of the planning process.
These examples are in themselves a form of Joining the Dots – linking national policy goals through to decisions and developments on the ground. And technical assessment is a necessary step in realising those national ambitions. But just adding more work to the system isn’t yet delivering the step change needed. So, what else could be done?
I want to make the case here for data – and the potential of data integration as a way of joining the dots. As a former (recovering) academic, you might not be surprised that I’m keen on building an evidence base to support all forms of policy development and implementation. There is lots of data out there, but it’s not necessarily in the right places or available in the right formats to make it usable.
All of us will be aware of reports commissioned at various times and places about biodiversity, ground conditions, archaeology, or something else – but which exist solely in a stand-alone document, possibly in PDF. Local authority planning portals must collectively have thousands of examples of these sitting on the cyber shelves. Many of these provide useful data about individual plots of land and the surrounding neighbourhood – but it’s both inaccessible and invisible in its current format. What if we could make it available and usable?
Let’s just imagine that scenario and what it might mean. For local authorities, it would allow data submitted to support planning applications – transport models, ground conditions, contaminated land assessments, site investigations and ecological surveys to be presented in a map layer – making it accessible to decision makers. This could be embedded into a digital twin or a digital gazetteer and allow local authority officers and members to interrogate that the data layer to help inform decision making. I think we could all imagine how that might be useful. There is also something else here about the accumulation and collation of spatial data. We all understand the idea of crowd-sourcing information and the power of citizen science using mass observation to build robust data sets. But where data is stored in a PDF, there’s no opportunity to harness that robustness.
If you have never come across it before then please let me introduce you to GiGL. One of my favourite acronyms in the built environment sector – Greenspace information for Greater London – is a records centre that manages, collates and does useful things with environmental data. GiGL offers an array of tools, including data visualisations such as maps, tables and infographics. These tools can help professionals assess a specific site as well as consider wider issues across a neighbourhood or a whole London borough. For example, GiGL has developed a nature deficiency measure – mapping areas in London which have the least greenspace. This tool joins the dots between environmental data and policy goals on accessible natural greenspace and maps them in a way that makes it usable to practitioners. That can of course include decisions on planning applications, or the preparation of a new development plan – but it can also influence other public sector strategies on parks, active travel, school grounds, street trees and budgets for local nature projects.
In Scotland we are blessed with Canmore which has been refreshed as Trove (an excellent name for all that treasured data). Trove also demonstrates the power of collating information, digitising records and making things accessible and searchable through a web interface. But, imagine going further than GiGL and Canmore and combining heritage data, transport information and all the other things you can think of into the same digital platform. Imagine being able to draw on the information collected through the planning process. What else could you do? What other links could be made? What other synergies could be discovered?
Glasgow City Council has been doing its own digital data integration work, creating a digital twin which has just been made public (June 2025). It’s a work in progress, but good to see the variety of data layers which have been included in the model – including data about trees and forest cover. In the era of big data, AI tools and the commercialisation of data, joining up data to inform decision makers seems an obvious step. We shouldn’t get hung up on the technicalities of the best way to do this – but rather press ahead with trying it out. And, since architecture and building design is already happening in digital form, digital twins can also support the integration of CAD models of new buildings into the city’s datascape.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced a new AI tool called ‘Extract’ being rolled out to planners in England. The tool will enable data to be extracted from planning documents and turn it into data ‘in minutes’. Whilst the emphasis of the Labour Government is on speeding up planning, I think AI tools like this one just might do something much more profound. They could bring data and evidence into decision-making in a way that is simply not possible at the moment. What a breakthrough that would be.
Dr. Caroline Brown MRTPI is Director for Scotland, Ireland and English Regions at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Caroline is a chartered town planner and experienced planning academic whose research and teaching interests focus on green and blue health, cycling and walking, sustainability and urban form. Over the years she has been involved in several international research collaborations and is currently part of the child-focussed cities network with researchers in Brazil, Australia, Africa and Europe. For the last six years Caroline was Senior Editor at the journal Cities & Health, helping to develop a place for the dissemination of cross-disciplinary research spanning academic, policy and practitioner boundaries in urban planning, public health and policy.
This blog is part of BEFS ‘Joining the Dots’ series exploring interconnected policy areas. See the first blog for an introduction to the series.
Get in touch – to find out more about BEFS work or to discuss a particular topic or policy area email us at info@befs.org.uk or contact the Team.
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BEFS News
Last week BEFS team attended Scotland’s Historic Environment Forum (SHEF) in Edinburgh. The event brought together representatives from across the sector to explore next steps towards delivering Our Past Our Future, Scotland’s strategy for the historic environment. BEFS was pleased to facilitate a workshop session on “Demonstrating our Impact” examining how the historic environment sector can better advocate for its impact on wider society, and champion the sector’s value to Scotland, maximising our contribution to national interests. BEFS Director Hazel Johnson and Gavin MacGregor, Director at Archaeology Scotland, also presented the closing summary with an address that called for collaborative approaches, sharing knowledge, expertise, and resources – towards collective positive action. Thanks to Historic Environment Scotland for hosting this important forum and to all participants for their valuable contributions. Learn more about Our Past Our Future and the Sustainable Investment Tool, a useful resource for demonstrating value.
BEFS Member SURF has launched their 2025 SURF Awards. Delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government, the awards highlight, celebrate and share achievements of initiatives addressing physical, social and economic challenges in communities across Scotland. The five categories are: Community Led Regeneration, Removing Barriers to Employability, Improving Scotland’s Places, Housing and Regeneration, and Creative Regeneration. Applications close at 5pm on Monday 1 September. To find out more about the awards and how to apply visit the SURF website.
The Forth Bridge World Heritage Site to is to update its management plan. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015 the plan is now ten years old and is being updated in 2025 for the next ten-year period by a multi-partner working group, with membership drawn from Network Rail, Fife Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Historic Environment Scotland, VisitScotland and Transport Scotland. Members of the public are being asked for their input via an online questionnaire. There will be further consultation on the draft management plan when it is ready later this year.
At the start of the month a new Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill was introduced. The Bill creates a new tax to be charged on construction or conversion of residential property developments. Administered by Revenue Scotland the levy will fund building safety expenditure, particularly the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme, with Scottish Government committed to ensuring cladding remediation costs ‘do not fall directly onto affected homeowners’.
In case you missed it – Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is seeking views on their long-term strategy for heritage designation. With more than 55,000 sites currently protected across Scotland, this consultation will help shape HES’ vision for designations in 2035 and their mission and priorities for 2025-28. Whether you’re a heritage professional, planning consultant, local authority planner, or simply passionate about Scotland’s built environment, you can submit your response online, attend the Edinburgh event (19 June, 12:30-4pm) or join the online session (23 June, 11am-12:30pm). The consultation closes on 1 July 2025.
And finally, four key vacancies in the sector have been announced. The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture is seeking to appoint four new Chairs, one to each of the boards of National Galleries of Scotland, National Library of Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and Creative Scotland. Further information can be found here.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Please see our Link to Parliamentary Questions and Answers for recent questions regarding Housing, Cladding Remediation, Land Reform, and Renewable Energy.
Consultations
Developing an Ecosystem Restoration Code for Scotland
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is seeking views on developing an Ecosystem Restoration Code (ERC) for Scotland as a new high-integrity market mechanism to attract responsible private investment into nature restoration and biodiversity projects. This commitment, outlined in the 2024 Natural Capital Market Framework, is being delivered via a Scottish Government-NatureScot partnership project. An Engagement Paper has been published summarising the results of the Discovery Phase and setting out key issues to be explored during co-development with stakeholders. Responses to the survey will be analysed, alongside evidence from Engagement Phase events, to inform a series of recommendations for developing/writing the ERC during the later stages of this project.
Closes 29 June 2025
Skills Survey for Historic Environment Employers
Historic Environment Scotland
HES is seeking input from employers, sole traders and organisations in the heritage sector about skills needs, gaps, and training provision. The survey aims to monitor the skills health of the sector and inform planning for support programmes. This follow-up to the 2023 survey will help track trends and prioritise actions outlined in the Skills Investment Plan for the Historic Environment (SIP) published in April 2024. HES particularly wants to hear from those working in archaeology, heritage architecture, conservation, museums, traditional building skills, and related fields. Results will influence the direction of the SIP over the next four years.
Closes 30 June 2025
Forth Bridge World Heritage Site Management Plan
Forth Bridge World Heritage Management Group
The Forth Bridge was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015. The Forth Bridge’s Management Plan is now ten years old and is being updated in 2025 for the next ten-year period. A multi-partner working group has begun the task of updating the management plan with membership drawn from Network Rail, Fife Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Historic Environment Scotland, VisitScotland and Transport Scotland. The process is being overseen by the wider Forth Bridges Forum and Forth Bridge World Heritage Management Group. Members of the public are initially being asked for their input into the content for the new management plan and there will be further consultation on the draft management plan when it is ready later this year.
*NEW* Closes 30 June 2025
ECHOES Consultation
European Cloud for Heritage Open Science
The ECHOES project is building a shared digital space, the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH), designed to support heritage professionals and researchers across Europe. To ensure this platform meets real-world needs, ECHOES has launched a consultation survey to better understand the priorities, challenges, and expectations of the cultural heritage community. The consultation is open to all cultural heritage stakeholders, including professionals, researchers, computer scientists/developers, umbrella organisations and institutions with a vested interest in the development and application of the Cultural Heritage Cloud.
Closes end of June 2025
Scotland’s protected historic places – consultation on a long-term strategy for heritage designation
Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is looking for your views on their strategy for how to identify and legally protect Scotland’s most important historic sites and places. Heritage designation is the system used to provide legal recognition and protection for historic sites across Scotland. More than 55,000 sites are currently protected in this way. The strategy sets out a long-term approach to delivering national-level heritage designations. HES is setting out their vision for designations in 2035, their mission, and priorities for the three-year period 2025-28. Download the strategy consultation paper.
Closes 1 July 2025
Clean Heat Market Mechanism: revisions ahead of Scheme Year 2 (2026/2027)
UK Government
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has launched a consultation on the heat pump credit target for Year 2 of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism. It also explores views on proposals to name the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) the sole certification scheme for the Clean Heat Market Mechanism. The consultation seeks views on setting a Year 2 heat pump target level within the proposed range of 8-10% of relevant boiler sales.
Closes 2 July 2025
Housing (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on how powers within the Housing (Scotland) Bill could be used to exempt certain types of properties from rent control. It also looks into circumstances where rents could be increased above the level of the rent cap and scope for clarifying how joint tenancies in the private sector are ended. The Bill brings forward a package of reforms to help ensure people have a safe, secure and affordable place to live. It includes measures that provide a framework for a long-term system of rent control in Scotland. The consultation addresses three main areas: properties that should be exempt from rent control area restrictions; properties that should be subject to modified rent control area restrictions; and clarifying how joint tenancies in the private rented sector are ended.
Closes 18 July 2025
Draft Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE). The plan sets out an integrated framework for sustainable offshore wind development in Scottish waters, informed by the latest scientific evidence. It identifies opportunities and constraints while balancing the needs of communities, nature and other sea users. The consultation includes supporting assessments covering environmental, socio-economic, habitats regulation, nature conservation, sustainability and business regulatory impact. A series of engagement events are being held across Scotland and online to gather stakeholder input on this complex landscape of choices and trade-offs.
Closes 22 August 2025
Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) – Scoping Consultation
Scottish Government
The purpose of this Scoping Consultation is to set out the Scottish Government’s initial proposals for the scope of a Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) and seek stakeholder views on the overall concept of HEETSA and how it relates to other parts of the heat and energy efficiency retrofit landscape. The Scottish Government’s objective in making these initial proposals is to safeguard consumers by developing a technical suitability assessment, which ensures that building owners can identify the ‘right’ measures when improving their energy efficiency and changing their heating systems. Read the consultation paper.
*NEW* Closes 29 August 2025
Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)
Scottish Government
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations in the domestic Private Rented Sector (PRS) using existing powers within in the Energy Act 2011. These regulations would mean all privately rented properties, as far as possible, reaching EPC Heat Retention Rating (HRR) band C from 2028 for new tenancies and by 2033 for all privately rented homes. This will improve those homes, reduce energy costs for tenants and support the transition to clean heating. Your views are welcomed, regarding the practical implications, as proposals are finalised to help ensure these regulations to work as effectively as possible. Read the consultation paper.
*NEW* Closes 29 August 2025
Rural Tourism in Scotland Survey
Historic Houses Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates
Member properties of Historic Houses Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates are invited to complete this survey to provide data for a major report on rural tourism in Scotland. The survey aims to gather evidence on the impact of rural tourism businesses on Scotland’s economy and address challenges and opportunities facing the sector. The report will feed into VisitScotland and the Scottish Government’s aims for growing tourism across Scotland in a sustainable way. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
No closing date specified
ScotLand Futures
Scottish Land Commission
ScotLand Futures is a national initiative led by the Scottish Land Commission exploring what a fully reformed approach to land in Scotland could look like and how to make it happen. The initiative aims to think big, tackle challenges, provide certainty for the future, and find practical solutions to ensure land benefits everyone. The Scottish Land Commission wants to hear from people across Scotland, whether they live in a city, town, village or rural area, about what land reform means to them and what changes they want to see.
No closing date specified
Consultation Responses
Petition to Safeguard Scottish Listed Buildings at Risk of Unnecessary Demolition
Correspondence from BEFS to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee has been published, further to BEFS Director Hazel Johnson’s contributions to a 4 June evidence session for Petition PE2105, calling on the Scottish Government to take specific actions to safeguard listed buildings from unnecessary demolition. BEFS previously shared a submission statement with the Committee. An official report of the evidence session is now available (BEFS 02/06/25)
Scottish Building Safety Levy: consultation analysis report and published responses (Scot Gov 06/06/02025)
Petitions
Clerk’s note on PE2138: Make publicly owned buildings accessible for people with colour blindness (Scot Parl 18/06/2025)
Clerk’s note on PE2150: Amend the Scottish Housing Regulator’s mandate or create a body to protect owners of ex council properties (Scot Parl 18/06/2025)
Clerk’s note on PE2152: Review and update the Home Report system to ensure it protects both the seller and the buyer (Scot Parl 18/06/2025)
News Releases
Joint letter expressing concerns about the Visitor Levy (Scottish Tourism Alliance 23/05/2025)
2025 SURF Awards – Launch for Applications (SURF 05/06/2025)
UKRI Policy Fellowships 2025 – open for applications (UKRI 09/06/2025)
Grant funding targets heritage for all (HES 11/06/2025)
Accelerate to Zero Awards open for submissions (BE-ST 11/06/2025)
European Commission and Europa Nostra announce the winners of Europe’s top heritage awards 2025 (Europa Nostra 12/06/2025)
RTPI Scotland calls for a stronger focus on monitoring and analysis in the continued implementation of Scotland’s National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) (RTPI 18/06/2025)
Publications
Europeans’ attitudes towards culture (European Commission May 2025)
Comprehensive tools for understanding urban development and planning activities (City Scope June 2025)
AI Guide Survey: to make exploring history and culture accessible and personalised for everyone (Aurorion June 2025)
Research on access to culture in Scotland (National Galleries of Scotland 04/06/2025)
Left in the cold: Report outlining some of the harms experienced by people living in homes with poor energy efficiency (Citizens Advice Scotland 05/06/2025)
Housing Investment Taskforce: Report (CaCHE 10/06/2025)
Places, people, and possibilities of urban retrofit (Urban Retrofit 13/06/2025)
Reflections on the Housing Investment Taskforce (CaCHE 13/06/2025)
Tick tock for tenements (CaCHE 13/06/2025)
Scottish & UK: Governmental & Parliamentary Publications
Correspondence between the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee and the Economy and Fair Work Committee regarding the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 21/05/2025)
Correspondence between Colleges Scotland and the Economy and Fair Work Committee regarding the inquiry into skills delivery (Scot Parl 23/05/2025)
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Parl 29/05/2025)
A just transition for Aberdeen and the North East: Climate Action Minister’s statement (Scot Gov 03/06/2025)
Delegated powers in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 (Scot Parl 03/06/2025)
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee: Official Report (Scot Parl 03/06/2025)
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee: Official Report (Scot Parl 03/06/2025)
Planning and environmental appeals: guidance for reporters (Scot Gov 03/06/2025)
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee: Official Report (Scot Parl 04/06/2025)
Economy and Fair Work Committee: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Parl 04/06/2025)
Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Schemes Contract administration and management: equality impact assessment (Scot Gov 04/06/2025)
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Parl 04/06/2025)
NPF4 Planning Guidance: Policy 2 – Climate Mitigation and Adaptation (Scot Gov 05/06/2025)
Scotland’s cladding remediation estimates: June 2025 (Scot Gov 05/06/2025)
Cladding Remediation Programme update: letter from Minister for Housing (Scot Gov 05/06/2025)
Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill introduced (Scot Parl 05/06/2025)
Improving home energy efficiency – retrofit assessment review: policy report (Scot Gov 06/06/2025)
Affordable and social housing finance innovation – synthesis, reflection and implications for Scotland: international evidence (Scot Gov 09/06/2025)
City Region and Regional Growth Deals: response from Deputy First Minister (Scot Parl 09/06/2025)
Consultations related to next steps of the Heat in Buildings Bill: letter from Minister for Climate Action (Scot Parl 09/06/2025)
Housing Investment Taskforce report (Scot Gov 09/06/2025)
Historic Environment Records; written question regarding planning applications (UK Parl 09/06/2025)
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: letter from Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Scot Parl 09/06/2025)
New Clause 69 – Examination of applications for development consent. Planning and Infrastructure Bill Debate (UK Parl 09/06/2025)
Planning circular 2/2025: fees for applications (Scot Gov 09/06/2025)
Planning circular 3/2025: fees for local reviews and appeals (Scot Gov 09/06/2025)
PM unveils AI breakthrough to slash planning delays and help build 1.5 million homes (UK Gov 09/06/2025)
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee: Minutes (Scot Parl 10/06/2025)
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Annual Conference 2025: First Minister’s speech (Scot Gov 10/06/2025)
Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund: progress report (Scot Gov 10/06/2025)
Wind turbine appeal decisions: statistics (Scot Gov 10/06/2025)
Buildings: Cultural Heritage written question (UK Parl 11/06/2025)
Carbon budget regulations and climate change plan timeline: letter to Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Scot Parl 11/06/2025)
Condition of Government property (UK Parl 11/06/2025)
Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill – clerks note (Scot Parl 11/06/2025)
Housing placed at the heart of Cabinet (Scot Parl 11/06/2025)
Housing (Scotland) Bill Stage 2: letter from Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Scot Parl 11/06/2025)
National Planning Framework 4: Policy 22 (flood risk and water management) – Chief Planner letter (Scot Gov 11/06/2025)
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill – clerks note (Scot Parl 11/06/2025)
Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs (UK Gov 11/06/2025)
Spending Review presents challenges (Scottish Gov 11/06/2025)
UK Government announces 25 “trailblazer neighbourhoods” to receive long-term investment (UK Gov 11/06/2025)
BICS weighted Scotland estimates: data to wave 133 (Scot Gov 12/06/2025)
Correspondence between the Scottish Tourism Alliance and Economy and Fair Work Committee regarding the Visitor Levy (Scot Parl 12/06/2025)
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee report on the Environmental Regulation (Enforcement Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025 (Scot Parl 16/06/2025)
Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) annual review – clerks note (Scot Parl 17/06/2025)
Future Trends for Scotland – Findings from the 2024-25 Horizon Scanning Project (Scot Gov 17/06/2025)
Review of Architecture & Design Scotland Background Report and Summary Report (Scot Gov 17/06/2025)
Clerk’s note on Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill (Stage 1) (Scot Parl 18/06/2025)
Motions
S6M-17700
Submitted by: Alexander Stewart, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date Lodged: 04/06/2025
That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as the vital importance of Scotland’s towns’ and cities’ high streets, including in the Mid Scotland and Fife region; understands that Scotland’s retail industry employs almost 230,000 people of all ages and abilities in more than 22,000 shops, which collectively produce a turnover of £27 billion per annum; further understands that Scotland’s retailers have donated and raised over £100 million for Scottish good causes since 2016, whilst Scottish retail contributes around £525 million in tax revenue; believes that retailers wish to work with the Scottish Government to deliver net zero, thus building a more circular economy whilst creating a far healthier Scotland; notes the view that there is a pressing need for a visible and effective high street police presence, especially in relation to reports of rising rates of theft and shop worker abuse; further notes the calls from high street business owners for more investment into transport infrastructure, to give apprenticeship levy payers access to skills training on the basis of those contributions, as well as to review all public sector bodies to assess whether there are opportunities for the identification of efficiencies, and notes the calls from retailers to universally revitalise high streets, which, it believes, have the potential, if nurtured, to be accessible for all, in addition to being safe, diverse, vibrant and attractive places for both residents and visitors alike.
Status: Has not yet achieved cross-party support
S6M-17862
Submitted by: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour.
Date Lodged: 09/06/2025
That the Parliament agrees that the Lomond Banks planning application for a development at Balloch should be called in for determination by the Scottish Ministers; that any subsequent decision on the planning application should be made in a fair and impartial way that takes into account all relevant legal requirements and maintains the integrity of the planning process; believes that the significant public interest in this application and its location within a national park make it a matter of national interest, and asks that ministers assess the application’s compatibility with National Planning Framework 4, as approved by the Parliament in 2023, and with the statutory aims of the national park.
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday 11 June 2025
Opinion & Comment
Alexander McCall-Smith: ‘A tartan nightmare, shallow and garish’ threatens Edinburgh; The Future of Edinburgh Series (The Herald 03/06/2025)
Labour MPs poised to rebel over planning bill amid concerns for nature (The Guardian 04/06/2025)
Scots have best access to culture in UK, but statistics indicate a class divide still exists (The Independent 04/06/2025)
Homeowners warned over green energy scammers (BBC Scotland 09/06/2025)
Mackintosh building to be turned into Catholic museum (BBC News 09/06/2025)
Damp and mouldy housing means too many people are left in the cold (Third Force News 10/06/2025)
Plans for Loch Lomond Flamingo Land resort stalled (BBC Scotland 10/06/2025)
Spending Review: ‘deeply concerning’ and ‘self-imposed injury’, arts leaders warn (Whats On Stage 11/06/2025)
Spending Review: Kirkcaldy town centre set for game-changing multi-million pound investment (Fife Today 11/06/2025)
Spending Review: £1.2bn Annual Investment in Skills and Training (FE News 11/06/2025)
These are the latest plans at the Glasgow School of Art. Really? (The Herald 16/06/2025)
SNP plan to cut £1bn of public sector ‘waste’ (The Herald 17/06/2025)
St Paul’s trains new craftsmen to save historic buildings (The Times 17/06/2025)
Events
For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar
The Cockburn Association – Campaigning For Edinburgh Book Launch
Date & Time: Thursday 19 June 2025; 7-9pm
Location: Laigh Hall, Faculty of Advocates, Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF
Join The Cockburn Association for the launch of their new publication, Campaigning for Edinburgh. To mark the 150th anniversary of the Association in 2025, this publication outlines the many issues and campaigns in which the Association was involved. It reflects on Henry Cockburn’s legacy, who asked in 1849, “how will Edinburgh look in 1949, or 2049?”. The evening will include talks from the authors, an exhibit from the Faculty of Advocates’ collections on Lord Henry Cockburn, and a reception.
IHBC/RTPI – Finding the Balance: Built Heritage & Landscape Conservation in Development Planning
Date & Time: Friday 20 June 2025; 10:30am-4:15pm
Location: Dunkeld and Birnam
The neighbouring communities of Dunkeld and Birnam in Perthshire are locations for this training day. They benefit from multiple and overlapping heritage designations. This event will review the history of planning in Dunkeld and consider the challenges and opportunities facing today’s planners in allowing development while conserving their rich built heritage. Hosted by IHBC Scotland and RTPI Scottish Young Planners Network.
Under One Roof – Navigating Tenement Building Repairs for Landlords, with East Ayrshire Council
Date & Time: Tuesday 1 July 2025; 10-11am
Location: Online
Landlords in East Ayrshire are invited to a free one-hour webinar to learn about basic tenement repair and maintenance. Topics covered include: Understanding relevant legislation; understanding the Repairing Standard; the difference between individual, mutual and common repairs and; how to organise and pay for repairs with your co-owners and co-landlords.
NESTA – A policy plan for clean heat in Scotland
Date & Time: Thursday 24 July 2025; 12-1pm
Location: Online
With the 2045 net zero targets inching closer, the Heat in Buildings Bill due to pass through Scottish Parliament next year, a new Climate Change Plan required, and Holyrood elections coming up, there’s never been a more important time to act – and there’s no shortage of opportunities for change. NESTA would like to convene experts to deep-dive into Nesta’s new report A policy plan for clean heat in Scotland, exploring how Scotland can unlock policy action and provide clear direction for the clean heat transition. This event is for Scottish policymakers, clean heat installers, net zero campaigners, and all those interested in a compelling, workable solution to the clean energy transition across Scotland.
CaCHE – Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next?
Date & Time: Monday 8 September 2025; 9am-3:30pm
Location: James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University Avenue Glasgow G12 8QW
The International Journal of Housing Policy is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and together with the UK Centre for Collaborative Housing Evidence (CaCHE) is hosting a symposium on Reflections and Developments in Housing Research: What’s Next? The seminar will situate its retrospective insights with an eye of the future direction of research. The occasion aims to be a celebration of the significant contributions of the housing research community and highlight the importance of continued research in shaping housing futures.
Heritage Network – Conference 2025
Date & Time: Sunday 28 – Tuesday 30 September 2025
Location: Bradford
Bradford City of Culture is the venue for the heritage networking event of the year; an exhilarating three days of tours, visits, presentations, discussions, socialising and networking.
Training
Heritage Network – Carbon Literacy Training
Date & Time: Tuesday 9 & 16 September 2025;10am-12:30pm
Location: Online
Carbon Literacy is a key way for organisations to gain an awareness of the causes and impacts of climate change and an understanding of carbon emissions. It provides a great foundation for individuals, teams and organisations to begin to take steps towards reducing their carbon emissions and become more environmentally sustainable. As a sector, this training will help to collectively make a difference through taking responsibility and committing to lowering emissions. The focus of Carbon Literacy is about empowering people to take action. To become certified as Carbon Literate you must pledge to undertake an individual and group action that will help you and your organisation to achieve net zero. The £15 (member) and £30 (non-member) charge for this course covers your Carbon Literacy Trust certification fee. If you have any questions, please email Samya Kelly.
Vacancies
National Trust for Scotland – Conservation Maintenance Surveyor
Salary: – £40,707 – £44,847 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Status: Full-Time, Permanent (40 Hours Per Week)
Location: Highland and Island region, but potentially flexible on an informal basis under Hybrid Working arrangements and requirement to attend sites regularly.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) are seeking a Conservation Maintenance Surveyor. This role is located in the Highlands and Islands regional team. As the regional building maintenance specialist, you will work closely with the regional Building Surveyor to advise and support Operations Teams, putting the Trust’s Conservation Principles into practice through focusing on planned and reactive maintenance of all built structures. In this role, you will be instrumental in shaping the way the Trust manages the maintenance of its buildings, helping to build maintenance plans for each building and dealing with backlog maintenance projects. This job will support the National Trust for Scotland Strategy by contributing to improving the condition of buildings, delivering best practice in built heritage conservation and maintenance management, and supporting the safe operation of sites. Reporting directly to the National Maintenance Lead this role has responsibility for supporting and undertaking the planning and delivery of sensitive conservation, maintenance and repair to NTS buildings and advising property operations teams on all aspects of buildings care. The role also assists operations staff to maintain public access to sites and buildings during essential building work. You will have experience of working in maintenance planning and management or demonstrable understanding of maintenance management processes e.g. through similar experience or trade background or experience of working in a role caring for historic buildings. The Trust are interested in speaking to people from a range of professional building and trade backgrounds, and would be happy to advise you whether your qualifications suit their needs. Any enquiries should be forwarded to: workforus@nts.org.uk. Please see this link for more detailed information on applications and the detailed job application.
Closing date: Friday 20 June 2025
National Trust for Scotland – Building Conservation Surveyor
Salary: £40,707- £53,128 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Status: Full-Time, Permanent (40 Hours Per Week)
Location: Broadstone Hub, 50 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9LD. Flexibility to include some working-at-home under Hybrid Working arrangements and requirement to attend sites regularly.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) are seeking a Building Conservation Surveyor. The Building Conservation Team delivers direct support to the regional management and operations teams, under the management and supervision of the Lead Conservation Surveyor and the Head of Building Conservation. Each Region is supported by a Building Conservation Surveyor and a Maintenance Surveyor, who between them support Trust property and conservation operations by delivering conservation maintenance activities to ensure that all buildings are fit for purpose, safe and welcoming for visitors, meet legislative standards of compliance and deliver the Trust’s charitable purposes. This role will be based in the Edinburgh and East Region of Scotland providing support to the regional team. A Building Conservation professional with at least 2 years’ post-qualification experience, you will be part of the team that supports the Trust’s operational regions in caring for and operating buildings. You will work with castles, cottages, museums, offices, bothies, residential and agricultural lets, and toilet blocks – old and new buildings are all part of the NTS portfolio. You will promote and deliver best practice in conservation, safe construction and maintenance management and support operational colleagues with guidance and advice. You will undertake surveys, diagnose defects, specify repairs, and manage projects to deliver conservation, improvement, repair, and maintenance works to the Trust’s built assets. Please see this link for more information on applications and the detailed job description.
Closing date: Sunday 22 June 2025
Edinburgh World Heritage – Energy Retrofit and Adaptation Specialist
Salary: £35,020 per annum
Status: Full time for a fixed term to 31 March 2026 (permanent contract afterwards subject to funding being secured); 35hrs per week
Location: Edinburgh EH8 8DD; hybrid working (min 2 days per week office-based)
Edinburgh World Heritage are looking for an Energy Retrofit and Adaptation Specialist to deliver innovative energy retrofit and adaptation pilot projects which preserve the historic and architectural significance of buildings in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. The role involves conducting targeted research, producing and disseminating guidance on reducing carbon emissions of historic buildings and improving their resilience against the impacts of climate change. This is an exceptional opportunity to play a key role in the conservation of the city’s rich heritage through developing sensitive and practical solutions to support the transition of historic buildings and to adapt them to climate change. More information and application process can be found here.
Interviews: w/c 21 July 2025 (expected to be on Tuesday 22 and/or Wednesday 23 July 2025 – may be subject to change)
Closing date: 12pm on Monday 14 July 2025
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