The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has welcomed the announcement from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, to invest in infrastructure to boost the economy following the impact of COVID-19 on business and employment.
The details accompanying the announcement include mention of:
- £1.5bn this year for hospital building and maintenance
- £100m this year for 29 road network projects
- Over £1bn to fund the first 50 projects of a new, ten-year school rebuilding programme, with £560m and £200m for repairs and upgrades to schools and FE colleges respectively this year
- £142m for digital upgrades and maintenance to around 100 courts this year
- £900m for a range of ‘shovel ready’ local growth projects in England over the course of this year and next
Caroline Gumble, Chief Executive of the CIOB, said “We welcome the announcement made by the Government for a boost in infrastructure in the UK.
“Construction is vital to the economy, and it is reassuring to see the Government acknowledge the importance of the sector. This will provide a necessary boost to employment, which is not only essential in rebuilding the economy, but vital for retaining skills and talent in our industry.
“We also welcome the Government’s investment in repair, maintenance and improvement projects, and have long called for more focus on this area of the sector. It is also a prime opportunity to look at building quality and make sure that remains at the top of the industry’s agenda as this has been one of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry in recent years. We hope that this is the first announcement amongst many, dedicated to the improvement of quality standards for our buildings.”
The CIOB looks forward to hearing more detail and will work proactively with the industry and government. The CIOB wants to help ensure that UK construction can support the path to Net Zero, boost productivity and use of modern methods of construction, delivering safe, high quality buildings, improve social impact, support regeneration and much more.
