Housing Associations and the Scottish Economy Research Launch
Professor Duncan Maclennan launched his latest independent research into housing associations’ role in improving Scotland’s economy.
Thursday 3rd September 2026
Professor Duncan Maclennan presented his latest independent research for The David Hume Institute into housing associations’ role in improving Scotland’s economy.
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) commissioned research from the David Hume Institute and global housing expert, Professor Duncan Maclennan to better understand the contribution of housing associations to Scotland’s economy.
Professor Maclennan is an applied economist specialising in housing, neighbourhoods and cities with his professional background involving both senior academic and policy roles in Australia, Canada and the UK.
About the Speakers
Professor Duncan Maclennan
Duncan was a member of the Board of Scottish Homes from 1989 until 1999 and then spent a decade working in government, as special Adviser to the First Minister of Scotland, as a Chief Economist in the Government of Victoria and as Chief Economist in Canada’s Federal Department for Infrastructure and Cities. He has acted as adviser to Ministers in the UK, Scotland, France, Poland and Norway, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Academy of Social Sciences and Honorary Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, The Chartered Institute of Housing and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. He was awarded a CBE for services to UK housing research in 1997. He remains affiliated to the University of Glasgow as an Emeritus Professor of Urban Economics and holds Professorial appointments in Housing Economics at McMaster University (Ontario) and UNSW (Sydney).
Richard Meade
Richard Meade is the Chief Executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA). He has over 20 years of experience in charity sector leadership and public policy advocacy in Scotland.
Bryony Willet
Bryony Willet is Home Group’s Director for Scotland. She joined in 2024 from Maryhill Housing Association in Glasgow where she was Chief Executive for seven years. Before this Bryony worked for Islington Council in London. She started out as a Graduate Trainee and working in various roles. One of those roles was Head of Housing Partnerships and Communities.
Nile Istephan
Nile has been Chief Executive of Eildon Housing Association based in the Scottish Borders since 2010, having previously worked in the Scottish Government. Nile leads a staff team of over 260 people working across a range of housing, care and support services.
Research Launch: Prosperity Begins at Home
Catch up with the launch of research from Professor Duncan Maclennan, Prosperity begins at home.
Recorded: 29th September 2025
A major new report, commissioned by the David Hume Institute, authored by Professor Duncan Maclennan CBE calls for bold action on housing to secure long-term economic growth and reduce inequality across Scotland.
The in-depth research by global housing expert, Professor Maclennan, draws on interviews and roundtable discussions from organisations and individuals involved across the Scottish Housing system.
The study, Prosperity Begins at Home: Disruptions to Improve Scotland’s Housing System, calls for bold, sweeping policy reforms.
It argues that housing has been wrongly treated as a narrow social issue, and advocates for an urgent shift in understanding, recognising that housing is critical economic infrastructure shaping jobs, wealth, climate progress, and wellbeing.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of how Scotland’s housing system must adapt to meet twenty-first century challenges. It presents evidence that inadequate housing supply, poor affordability and weak spatial planning are holding back productivity, increasing inequality and exacerbating regional disparities.
The event to launch the research was chaired by Eli Harji from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and there were reflections from:
Jane Wood, Homes for Scotland
Ken Ross, RDRL Ltd
Calum Murray, CCG (Scotland) Ltd
Callum Chomczuk, Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland
Ann Leslie, Lar Housing Trust
Catch up with the discussion below.
Project launch: Transforming the Housing System in Scotland
Watch the launch of a new programme of work with Professor Duncan Maclennan to look at the actions needed to transform the housing system in Scotland.
Past Event: Thursday 19th September 2024
The David Hume Institute launched new programme of work on Thursday 19th September with Professor Duncan Maclennan to look at the actions needed to transform the housing system in Scotland.
The work will look at the actions needed in the whole system from homelessness, unaffordable rents and planning, to skills shortages and supply-chain issues.
Duncan has had a long and internationally distinguished career as an applied economist specialising in housing, neighbourhoods and cities.
His professional roles have spanned senior positions in both academic and government settings, in the UK, Canada and Australia. At the University of Glasgow in the 1980s he established and led the Centre for Housing and Urban Research, and in the 1990s directed the ESRC Cities and Competitiveness Program and Joseph Rowntree Foundation programs on Housing Finance, Housing and the Macro-Economy and Housing and Area Regeneration.
Image credit: sharing thumbnail image by Neil Wallace free from Unsplash 12.08.204
The Great Risk Transfer: have we got the balance right?
Catch up with this event about our latest research The Great Risk Transfer: have we got the balance right? published in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
Past event: 3rd October 2022
This David Hume Institute event heard findings from our latest research The Great Risk Transfer: have we got the balance right? published in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
The research explores what Scotland’s people feel about the shift in the balance of risk from institutions, such as employers and the State, to individuals. From managing pensions to insurance and housing. The discussion provided a chance to reflect on the research and discuss who is benefiting from the new levels of choice in managing the risks in their lives?
Lead researcher, Shelagh Young presented the findings and was joined for reflections by John Taylor, past president of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and Mubin Haq, Chief Executive of the abrdn Financial Fairness Trust.
Click to view Shelagh’s slides separately from the event recording.