Housing and homelessness
Exposed: Airbnb lobbying to stop laws on lets
Airbnb has been lobbying behind the scenes to stave off tighter regulations for short-term lets in Scotland, documents obtained by The Ferret reveal.
Andy Wightman
Environment
Bid to control hill tracks scarring the highlands
A move to impose tougher controls on landowners scarring hillsides by bulldozing tracks for deer stalking and grouse shooting has been launched in the Scottish Parliament.
Environment
New housing estates fail people by favouring cars, says study
New housing estates in Scotland have been branded “car sick” because they pander to drivers at the expense of pedestrians, public transport and bikes.
Environment
Scottish Government ‘repeating mistakes over Trump’ by helping new golf plan
The Scottish Government is under fire for repeating mistakes made with Donald Trump following revelations that it has been secretly trying to help another “pushy” US property developer.
Housing and homelessness
‘Dysfunctional’ Help to Buy subsidy should be scrapped, say critics
The Scottish Government has been urged to drop Help to Buy subsidies for home-buyers after data reveals it mainly benefits big house-builders.
Environment
Filmmakers urged to drop support for Pentland studio plan
A plan for a £250 million Scottish film studio on the outskirts of Edinburgh has been delayed, causing critics to question its future.
Politics
Charlotte Street Partners lobbying for Rupert Murdoch papers
Influential PR firm Charlotte Street Partners is lobbying on behalf of Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper titles in Scotland.
Human rights
Anger over Buccleuch ‘land grab’ in bowling green battle
Britain's biggest landowner accused of "land grab" after he sold off a bowling green that the community thought belonged to them.
Environment
Revealed: £1m tax sweetener for Cairngorms land deal
A Highland laird was given a tax “sweetener” in a secretive £7.2 million deal to buy an ancient Caledonian pine forest.