Built Environment Commitments in the new Programme for Government

BEFS, which published an in-depth Manifesto for the Built Environment ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections, tracked today’s announcements with interest. Earlier in 2026, BEFS convened discussion and debate on built environment priorities for the new Scottish Parliament in a special hustings event in Edinburgh, and we have also reviewed built environment policy commitments by the six parties currently represented in Parliament.

The Programme for Government was published on 1 September

In this briefing, we draw attention to selected Programme for Government commitments under the five priority themes selected by BEFS Members during the Manifesto consultations. This is not an exhaustive list; further detail is available in the full 2026-31 Programme for Government. The First Minister recognised that, as a minority administration, the Scottish Government will need to work with other parties in Parliament to progress commitments.

BEFS look forward to engaging with relevant legislative plans as part of our regular policy influencing activity. Please sign up to the BEFS bulletin if you wish to be kept informed of ongoing policy developments.

Culture and Heritage

• Achieving an extra £100m annual investment in culture by 2028/29 (p26).
• Investing £110m in a series of events to 2030 to promote tourism to Scotland (p26).
• Work closely with the Glasgow School of Art to explore a faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building (p27).

Climate Emergency & Net Zero

• Implementing Scotland’s first carbon budget to support continued plans to achieve net zero by 2045 (p34-35).
• Publish a refreshed Energy Strategy (p40).
• Allocate an additional £15m in flood prevention and an additional £14m in coastal change adaptation (p37).
• Creation of a single national environment body bringing together Zero Waste Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and NatureScot (p46).

Repair, Maintenance & Retrofit

• Establish a Major Projects Office with specialist departments for housing and energy to support project delivery (p23).
• Take a strategic approach to addressing vacant and derelict land and buildings (p29).
• Introduction of Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill, and supporting clean heating and energy efficiency measures for 100k existing properties (p37 & p76).
• Increased funding of £15m for CARES (Community & Renewable Energy Scheme) to support up to 110 community buildings to decarbonise and up to 70 community energy projects (p40).
• Expand use of plug-in solar panels for domestic use, and solar panels in under-used spaces including rooftops (p40).

Training & Skills

• Expansion of apprenticeships to fund at least 150k, and deliver a new Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant programme (p16).
• Produce a National Skills Plan for Scotland by 2027 to capitalise on economic opportunities including green skills (p17).
• Address skills shortages in key sectors including engineering through regionally focused skills programmes in Growth Deal and Investment Zones (p17).

Planning & Place-making

• Reform the planning system to speed up developments of new housing (p12).
• Support for empowered regional economic partnerships, town centre regeneration and community wealth building (p28/29).
• Updating Community Asset Transfer Guidance in early 2027 and encourage community leasing and ownership (p40).
• Embed Architecture & Design Scotland within a new More Homes Scotland agency (p46).

2026-31 Programme for Government

The page references relate to the full Programme for Government document, which is available on the Scottish Government website.