Home building industry body, Homes for Scotland, has elected Jim Preston as Chairman for the next 12 months.

Mr Preston, 48, is Group Managing Director of Veitchi Group and has been involved in the construction and house building sector for 28 years. He first joined the organisation's Board five years ago and served as Vice Chair for the 2012-13 term.

A quantity surveyor by profession, his management roles have included commercial, technical, special projects, Managing Director and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive.

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Having previously worked for such companies as Balfour Beatty Construction, CALA Homes, Persimmon Homes and Carronvale Group, Preston's experience covers small private companies to the large PLC, including multi-disciplined construction groups.

In addition to leading the ongoing drive for a predictable and proportionate planning system which recognises the financial pressures facing builders, a key area of focus for Preston during his tenure will be continuing to ensure that the needs of smaller and medium sized home builders are fully represented, as he feels this is where the impact of the downturn has been felt deepest in terms of funding.

Preston has also urged the Scottish Government to carefully consider the consequences of increasing energy standards on already highly efficient new homes, saying that it is wrong to make home building more expensive and home ownership less affordable at a time when 160,000 people are on waiting lists and housing output has slumped to its lowest level in 70 years.

(JP/CD)