Duncan Green is the firm’s Managing Partner, leading on strategy and performance of the firm and supporting major, strategic clients. As Chartered Civil Engineer, Duncan has over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry, working on a broad range of schemes for public sector and private clients.
he Autumn Statement certainly treated the need to invest in the UK’s infrastructure very seriously, with the announcement of a new national productivity investment fund to inject £23b into innovation and the country’s infrastructure network.
Philip Hammond highlighted the issues the UK is facing in terms of productivity and the need for more investment to secure the long-term success of the country’s infrastructure network. We very much welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to upgrade the local transport network and improve infrastructure underpinning new housing developments.
It was raised that Britain doesn’t invest enough in research, development and innovation and that we must build on our strengths – making and developing what is produced in this country. We wholly support this statement and hope that the investment announced today will mean that more can be done in terms of construction and development in the UK.
What was missing, however, was the need to invest in smaller non-infrastructure projects and SMEs in order to address the skills gap we’re facing in the industry. These projects and enterprises have the capacity to recruit and train new staff and, if we are to see larger schemes, such as HS2 or the Thames Tideway, remain on course then this is a crucial measure which needs to be addressed and the skills gap continues to be an issue.
The announcement of £542m to be delegated to local enterprise partnerships in the Midlands and the East of England as part of the Government’s devolution plans is encouraging but specifics in terms of the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse were also not raised. However, there has been the promise of funding for the Midlands rail hub to increase productivity and industry growth through connectivity.
The post-Brexit phrase ‘Britain is open for business’ was used numerous times during the statement and Mr Hammond has claimed that the infrastructure investments underpin this rhetoric. We look forward to what the Chancellor has referred to as a ‘world-class infrastructure’ continuing to flourish and for the ‘firm foundation’ of the Government’s industry strategy to support the economy moving forward.
With a cash injection into housing infrastructure we are keen to see if the Government is now pushing further forward with greenfield developments, as most brownfield sites have existing infrastructure connections.
Many of our surveyors, architects, engineers and construction experts have welcomed news that the Government is spending on infrastructure projects. However, still we ask the question: “Why not allocate the infrastructure funds to regeneration plans/areas to enable private sector investment in the areas of the country which are most in need?” We wait with baited breath to see what the next quarter holds for the industry.
