黑洞社区

Construction experts have expressed fears that large infrastructure projects could be stalled as a result of the hung Parliament delivered by yesterday鈥檚 general election.

Cenkos analyst Kevin Cammack told 黑洞社区 that such projects could be kicked into the long grass following yesterday鈥檚 inconclusive poll.

He said: 鈥淲e could see more delays and stalling of projects, or even scaling back levels of intended infrastructure spending. Some will be thinking 鈥榳hat鈥檚 the point, given we might have another election in six months鈥� time?鈥�.

鈥淭his is a bigger worry, frankly, than what is likely to happen on the housing front.鈥�

Mark Robinson, chief executive of Scape Group, branded the election result as 鈥渁 real shambles for both the country and our industry.

He said: 鈥淲e needed a party to secure a clear majority and a mandate to implement a fiscal strategy which would support the construction industry over the next five years.

鈥淭he one glimmer of good news is that there is cross party support for investment and growth in core public areas such as education, health and housing. However, the delivery of flagship, major infrastructure projects such as HS2 and Heathrow expansion will now, unfortunately, be open to doubt and debate.鈥�

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation expressed concern that the indecisive election outcome was not what the country needed going in to the Brexit negotiations, 鈥渙r in terms of setting a clear direction for the UK鈥檚 future鈥�.

Julian Goddard, partner and head of residential at property consultants Daniel Watney, said voters had been 鈥渟educed鈥� by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn鈥檚 鈥渄angerous鈥� campaign pledges on affordable housing.

He said: 鈥淣o doubt many voters were seduced by Jeremy Corbyn鈥檚 promises on housing, including rent caps and mass house building by local authorities, but the reality is most of his promises are unrealistic at best or dangerous at worst.

鈥淐ountless cities across the world have experimented with rent controls, and they have all ended with less and poorer quality rental homes. Meanwhile big question marks hang over whether councils have the capacity, resources or know-how to return to house-building as major players.鈥�

The Conservatives, led by Theresa May, has had talks with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and while the prime minister has met the Queen to discuss forming a government, no official deal with the DUP had been announced.