RICS calls for more clarity on Brexit, alternative plans to safeguard construction

One of the country's foremost construction lobbies pushed Westminster for more clarity on Brexit, urging that alternative plans be put in place to protect the UK's property and construction sectors.

Britain's construction sector stood to lose 8.0%, or 176,500 EU workers, of its workforce after Brexit, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

"Government can minimise uncertainty over the exit negotiations by laying out a clear timeline and set of ambitions — certainty and stability are required. We would ask Government to put interim, transitionary arrangements in place to avoid any potential 'cliff edge'. We need to ensure that investment into UK infrastructure continues -foresight and fiscal stimulus through this process will help the industry weather uncertainty," RICS said.

The business lobby group added that 30% of construction professionals believed employing non-UK workers was important for their success.

RICS Head of UK Policy, Jeremy Blackburn added: "It is in all our interests that we make a success of Brexit, but a loss of access to the single market, has the potential to slowly bring the UK’s £500bn infrastructure pipeline to a standstill. That means that unless access to the single market is secured or alternative plans are put in place, we won’t be able to create the infrastructure needed to enable our cities to compete on a global stage."

That need was all the more urgent given Westminster's need to deliver on its Housing White Paper and Industrial Strategy, he said.

To remedy that situation, Blackburn argued in favour of including Quantity Surveyors on the Home Office's Shortage Occupations List.

Longer-term, government and industry needed to build the necessary future talent base through initiatives such as degree apprenticeships.

In terms of clarity, RICS called on the government to laying out a clear timeline and set of ambitions, attracting private infrastructure investors, agreeing on the passporting of professionals such as chartered surveyors and resetting the agriculture and environmental policy system.