Government publication indicates commitment to ‘Build Build Build’

Build, build, build

Following the publication of the National Infrastructure and Construction Procurement Pipeline 2020/21, the government appears to have made a solid commitment to ‘Build Build Build’. This is obviously welcome news for the construction industry and supply chain, including organisations such as FASET which exist to promote good practice within the safety net rigging and a temporary safety systems industry.

The total value of contracts included within the procurement pipeline, across economic and social infrastructure, ranges between £29 billion and £37 billion.3 This covers 340 procurements across 173 individual projects and 95 programmes.

The pipeline brings together procurements across social and economic infrastructure sectors including transport, energy and digital infrastructure. Social infrastructure incorporates nine sub-sectors including education and health.

Contracts

Pre-coronavirus between June 2019 and March 2020, the number of contracts awarded each month averaged 594. June 2020 saw 415 contracts awarded. This is understandably 30% below the average and 37% less than in June 2019, but at the same time is an improvement on the 359 contracts awarded in May 2020.

As in May 2020, almost half of all the contracts awarded in June were housing projects (193 projects with a combined value of £1.6 billion). There were then 37 office projects worth £571 million and 56 education projects with a total value of £338 million. At present, there are just 205 tender opportunities available until the end of September 2020 according to Builders’ Conference.

In summary, the figures show that activity across the construction industry is significantly down on 2019 but is steadily recovering. Life throughout the UK, as is indeed the case across much of the rest of the world, continues to show signs of returning to normality as restrictions are relaxed. For example, as of 10 July people arriving in England from countries with travel corridor exemption will no longer need to self-isolate for 14 days, unless they have been in or transited through non-exempt countries in the preceding 14 days.

Businesses should continue to follow the most up-to-date government guidance. Updates are available from partner organisations of FASET, such as Build UK (via their Twitter and Linkedin pages), and we will endeavour to keep you as up to date as possible with news that is relevant to you on our news page and social media.

 

 

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