A report into the collapse of a wall at an Edinburgh primary school is a "strong signal" for public bodies to review the construction quality of recently built properties, according to the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

Professor John Cole's report into the incident at Oxgangs Primary School concluded poor build quality and a lack of independent supervision led to the nine tonnes of masonry collapsing in January 2016.

RIAS said the report highlights "highly significant risks" and should be signal for all of Scotland's, and indeed the rest of the UK's, public bodies to carry out urgent inspections of recently commissioned properties.


President of the RIAS, Willie Watt, said: "When major inquiry reports are published there is a tendency for everyone to breathe a sign of relief, mutter "well that's that dealt with" and move on. That should not be the case with this, extremely well researched and deeply concerning report. The message is simple and the responsibility of all commissioning authorities is clear.

"An early process of inspection by appropriately qualified experts should proceed as urgently as the various public commissioning authorities, local, health and governmental, can muster the skilled individuals who can do this work.

"The Royal Incorporation's own submission to the Inquiry agreed strongly that without diligent and careful checking at every stage of the building process problems are almost inevitable. In this instance it was fortunate that nobody was injured, or killed."

(LM/MH)