Rhona Brankin, Scottish minister for communities, will tonight unveil the Scottish Property Federation as the new voice for the property industry in Scotland
The launch of the federation, which is due to take place at Edinburgh Castle this evening, acknowledges the importance of Scotland’s £51bn commercial property industry and its contribution to the vitality of the national economy.
The federation will represent the commercial property industry in Scotland, featuring property investors, developers, professional advisors based in Scotland and other UK and international investors who have interests north of the border.
Like its parent lobby group, the British Property Federation, the Scottish Property Federation will liaise directly with the Scottish executive and parliament with a view to offering practical and technical assistance on policy initiatives relevant to the industry.
The federation will launch with 75 members, many from the existing BPF membership, and a board that includes representatives of Grosvenor, Land Securities, Standard Life, the Royal Bank of Scotland, British Land and Elphinstone. It will have its own staff and offices in Edinburgh.
David Hunter, chairman of the Scottish Property Federation, said: 'The significance of the federation’s formation cannot be overstated.
'We will adopt a similar approach to working with the government to that which has been so successful for the BPF.
'As well as highlighting the major contribution which the commercial property industry makes to the Scottish economy, we are committed to constructively engaging in the policy debate and we are confident that the federation will raise the profile of the industry right across the board.'