Referendum or not, an independent Scotland now seems inevitable. So what might its architecture look like? The SNP-led government this year is about to issue a new policy, but I thought I’d get my policy in first. Here’s what it ought to say:

(1) Demolish the New Town. Just about everything built in Scotland in the past half-century has been timid, and second-rate. I’ve no idea why. Edinburgh and Glasgow were architecturally among the boldest cities in the world once. Then they just gave up, Edinburgh first, then after Red Road (above), Glasgow. It doesn’t seem to have much to do with wealth. Edinburgh’s been awash with money the past decade, and still is. But it has built hardly anything with it. I think demolishing Edinburgh’s New Town might help. It’s great, but that’s the problem – as long as it exists, no-one can think of anything better. So let’s knock it down. (it also monumentalises a hierarchical, class-ridden model of society that should have no place in a new Scotland).

(2) Tell UNESCO to shove off. It’s a terrible organisation that fossilizes cities in the name of art. If you don’t believe me, try reading one of their deadly reports. The loss of UNESCO status would be one of the best things that could happen to Edinburgh. Scotland isn’t, and certainly shouldn’t be, a museum. Of course, point (2) would be neatly dealt with by point (1)

(4) Instigate a ’30-year rule’, whereby all buildings have to be demolished and rebuilt once they reach that age. They could be rebuilt in the same style, if you insist, but they’d incorporate new technology and materials as they develop. Everyone would benefit.

(5) Forget about Scandinavia, so last century – small, stuffy, over-regulated, and just too dark. Its best architects, like Aalto, did their best stuff once they left. Let’s emulate somewhere that’s actually alive, like Brazil. PS: I had a Saab once and it was rubbish.

(6) Stop the obsession with the facade, with being ‘in keeping’ with the neighbours. Isn’t this the picture of the worst sort of conformity? And doesn’t it stop simple technological improvements to buildings by insisting on historical conformity? In 2005, I’d have replaced all the windows on my architecturally mediocre 1935 Edinburgh flat. Couldn’t do it because of ‘window control’ which meant replacement had to be like-for-like, i.e. wooden sash-and-case (in 2005!). It was cheaper to buy a new flat, which is what I did.

(6) tear up the green belt. Scotland’s got more land than it knows what to do with, but one of the world’s most tightly regulated land supplies. Result: daft prices, lack of innovation, and green-belt leapfrogging.

(7) Let’s have fun. How about some, you know, colour?

Of course, the new policy won’t say any of that. Judging by the existing policies (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment), and what my spies tell me, I think we can expect New Urbanism with windmills. But it’ll get harder, rather than easier to build anything. Run to the hills!