A timely piece from Beverley Brown in The Herald Scotland (available to subscribers), showcasing the range of businesses already delivering innovative housing across Scotland, including MAKAR.

Builder issues warning over plan for 11k new Highland jobs

By Xander Elliards, Political Editor

CREATING 11,000 new long-term jobs in the Highlands is a worthy ambition, but “where are those people going to live?”

Alex Banks from The Press and Journal recently covered our CEO Neil Edgar’s message to the Scottish Rural and Islands Housing Association Conference on how Scotland is facing a Housing Delivery Emergency

It is brilliant to see this affordable home design getting this fantastic win - demonstrating what can be achieved with Scottish homegrown timber, offsite construction, rapid delivery and high levels of energy performance.

We are thrilled to share that MAKAR has won the Building Performance Pioneer award at the 2026 Offsite Awards — one of the most prestigious industry awards in the UK, recognising outstanding achievement in offsite and modern methods of construction.

We’ve been working with Lismore Community Trust since January 2025, taking the project through planning, building warrant and funding, and it’s now fully funded and moving into delivery.

We are delighted to be shortlisted for The Pioneer Award by the Structural Timber Association Ltd (STA), which recognises those pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in structural timber in the UK.

We are delighted to be finalists for the Highland Business Award for Innovation and for Best Marketing Campaign!

Our team have worked hard to develop high-performing homes and a model that prioritises energy efficiency and a ‘breathing wall’ system, ensuring those most vulnerable are protected from the risks of damp, mould, and fuel poverty.

Considering a self-build? Come and explore a healthy, timber-rich show home and tour the precision-manufacturing workshop where it was made.

Saturday 19th September - Free Tours - on the hour, every hour 10 AM - 4 PM

The Property Awards for Scotland have just been announced... and we are finalists for Innovation in Sustainable Construction and Design!

We are over the moon that our Paradigm Home prototype is a finalist in the Rural Property Category, part of this year's Helping it Happen Awards!

We are delighted to share that MAKAR's Paradigm Affordable Home is a finalist in one of the most prestigious industry awards in the UK, highlighting the very best in offsite and modern methods of construction.

We are delighted to announce that MAKAR has been selected by the Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust to take forward the design work for the proposed Micro-Ecovillage at Ratagan and Saraig.

Launching today, World Environment Day, MAKAR are proud to be a critical partner of NatureProsperity, providing a credible, scalable pathway for institutional capital to accelerate a resilient and nature-based rural economy in Scotland. 

We're proud to announce that Makar has achieved STA Assure Gold from the Structural Timber Association, their highest level of recognition for exceptionally high standards of quality and compliance in timber construction throughout the organisation. For our customers, that means complete confidence.

Our homes meet rigorous and independently verified standards for structure, safety, and performance. Alongside this, our systems have undergone third-party fire analysis by Milner Associates, giving further reassurance that our homes have been designed with safety at their core.

Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney, visited our workshop and prototype home near Inverness.

He saw first-hand what it looks like to build a net zero home that is affordable to both build and heat, and to a standard people are proud to live in.

Among the many visitors who have toured our MAKAR prototype, we were delighted to show around campaigner and journalist Lesley Riddoch. These affordable homes use Scottish timber, natural materials, and utilise local supply chains. They don't get damp, and they can be manufactured and assembled in just 2 weeks, delivered to pre-fit out stage across Scotland and the UK.

Sustainable housing: is it viable and affordable for Scotland’s councils?

Ronnie Barbour in conversation with Dr Craig Dalzell from Common Weal and Scott Reid Business Development Manager at MAKAR about sustainable housing in Scotland

MAKAR has set out to prove there is a better way to build affordable homes, one that keeps heating costs low, removes the risk of damp and mold, and uses homegrown Scottish timber.

We are delighted that the unveiling of our affordable home prototype has been reported in the Inverness Courier - as we deploy our timber expertise in homegrown solution to the housing emergency.