“Roadmap to Recovery” — a plan for the construction sector.

On June 1st, the Construction Leadership Council’s Covid-19 task force published the Roadmap to Recovery, a plan designed to drive forward the recovery of construction and the built environment. This proposal is seen as central to rebuilding the wider UK economy, post Covid-19 and the resulting economic downturn.

Building economic power through construction

The construction industry employs 3.1m people, and generated £413 billion in 2018 — four times the combined annual output of the aerospace and automative industries. It makes sense to harness this economic potential as a catalyst for wider growth. As the Roadmap says, “Construction is uniquely placed to drive the national economic recovery.”

The Office of National Statistics reported that construction activity fell by 2.6% in the first quarter of 2020, and by 5.9% in March. The Federation of Master Builders reported 68% of builders had stopped 91% of projects in April. And the Construction Products Association estimates that construction output will fall by 25% in 2020. A plan for recovery is much needed.

According to the Roadmap, most of the sector’s recovery will take place in 2021. The plan aims to increase the level of activity across the construction ecosystem, accelerate the industry’s adjustment to the new ‘normal’, and build capacity in the industry to deliver strategic priorities, such as: decarbonisation, modernising technologies, and delivering safer buildings.

3 phases to recovery

The proposed strategy would roll out in 3 phases, over 2 years.

• Phase 1 — Restart: increase output, maximise employment and minimise disruption (0-3 months)

• Phase 2 — Reset: drive demand, increase productivity, strengthen capability in the supply chain (3-12 months)

• Phase 3 — Reinvent: transform the industry, deliver better value, collaboration and partnership (12-24 months)

The plan says, “The outcomes will be a more capable, professional, productive and profitable sector, which delivers better value to clients, better performing infrastructure and buildings, and competes successfully in global markets”.

It goes on to say that “failure to act will miss an opportunity to deliver this, and risks the industry lapsing into a longer term recession, which erodes capability and skills, and leaves a smaller, weaker sector as a legacy”

So, what’s next?

The CLC task force is now in discussions with the Government to test how the plan might be delivered. There’s a recognition that this opportunity requires a response that can be agile, initiated quickly, and then developed.

These talks are likely to bring hope to many of those in the construction sector who have been laid off or who are worried about the future of the industry after the impact of the pandemic. Whatever your view of the detail, the Roadmap to Recovery is focussed on getting the construction industry back on its feet at one of the most difficult times in our history. We wait to hear the outcome of the talks.

We’d love to know what you think about the Roadmap to Recovery and the future of the industry. Get in touch on social media to share your thoughts and views.