From Local Authority Surveyor to the Scottish Building Standards Hub - A Blog Post by Darren Cross, Technical Support Surveyor at the Scottish Building Standards Hub

Image: Darren whilst attending a recent Sports Ground Safety Seminar at Ibrox Stadium



From Local Authority Surveyor to the Scottish Building Standards Hub -  A Blog Post by Darren Cross, Technical Support Surveyor at the Scottish Building Standards Hub

When I joined South Lanarkshire Council as a Clerical Assistant in 2004, I didn't imagine that over 20 years later I'd be working at a national level within the Building Standards system in Scotland.

After moving into a Trainee Building Standards Surveyor post in 2005, I studied Building Surveying at Glasgow Caledonian University on a day-release basis while developing my career with South Lanarkshire Council. Over the years I gained experience across a wide range of domestic and non-domestic projects, enforcement activity, and other building standards areas of work, and built a solid understanding of the role of a building standards professional.

By the time I joined the Scottish Building Standards Hub in April 2025, I felt I had a good understanding of Building Standards and what the job involved. What I didn't realise was just how much broader my experience would become.

Part of my day-to-day work involves the Scottish Type Approval Scheme (STAS), where I carry out detailed verification work and responding to a wider range of enquiries including liaising with designers, developers, and national house builders on both domestic and non-domestic projects. However, that's only one part of the role.

One of the things I've enjoyed most about working at the Hub is the variety. In the space of a few weeks, I might be reviewing a complex STAS submission, researching a technical enquiry from a verifier or stakeholder, contributing to guidance or information papers, and helping develop consultation responses on behalf of LABSS. More recently, I've also been involved in the dispute resolution process and discussions relating to major infrastructure projects.

That variety has given me a much better appreciation of the Building Standards system as a whole. Working within a local authority, your focus is naturally on the applications and challenges within your own area. At the Hub, you see issues from a national perspective and work alongside colleagues from across Scotland, each bringing different knowledge, experiences and specialisms.

I've learnt as much from my colleagues over the last year as I have from any formal training course. Being able to discuss technical issues with surveyors from different authorities and backgrounds has broadened my thinking and often challenged assumptions I held.

The role has also pushed me into areas that I would never have associated with Building Standards earlier in my career.

Over the last year I've delivered presentations to professional audiences, spoken to students at Glasgow Caledonian University about careers in Building Standards and helped support the development of the recently launched Building Standards mobile app. Working with the app developer and project team was something completely different from my previous experience, but it was an opportunity I was glad to be involved in and one that gave me a better understanding of how Building Standards services can be improved through technology.

I've also enrolled on the Level 6 Fire Engineering Principles course through LABC. Fire engineering continues to be an important area within the profession, and it's been valuable to further develop my knowledge in a subject that many surveyors may not have the opportunity to explore in depth.

Perhaps the biggest thing I've gained from joining the Hub is confidence. Whether presenting to an audience, engaging with stakeholders from across the industry or contributing to national projects, I've found myself doing things that would have been well outside my comfort zone a few years ago.

After more than two decades in Building Standards, I didn't think there would be many aspects of the profession left to surprise me. The Hub has proved me wrong. The role has allowed me to continue using the experience I've built up throughout my career while exposing me to new challenges, new perspectives and opportunities that simply wouldn't have come my way otherwise.

Working within the Scottish Building Standards Hub has given me the opportunity to work with skilled professionals from across Scotland, contribute to national initiatives and to continue to develop my skills and experiences. For me, it has been a chance to see Building Standards from an entirely different perspective - and I'm still learning every day.

If you are interested in a career at the Scottish Building Standards Hub, we have come current vacancies within our Technical Team: 

Technical Support Surveyor (Scottish Building Standards Hub) - Fife Council Jobs and Careers Careers

Lead Technical Support Surveyor - Fife Council Jobs and Careers Careers

If you have a story to share about your role or experience working within a building standards team and wish to share it as a blog post, please contact sbsh@fife.gov.uk.