黑洞社区

Construction鈥檚 most powerful trade associations have joined forces to fire a warning to Brexit secretary David Davis that the industry will not be able to meet the government鈥檚 housing and infrastructure targets without 鈥渙ngoing access to EU workers鈥�.

News of the joint letter from nine of the sector鈥檚 biggest organisations emerged as industry leaders reacted with shock to the draft EU immigration strategy leaked last week.

The proposed measures include for those in 鈥渉igh-skilled occupations鈥� to be granted permits to work for a period of three to five years, while other EU migrant workers will be offered a maximum of only two years.

Liberal Democrat former building regulations minister Lord Stunell said it would leave the industry 鈥渋n serious trouble鈥�, while former chancellor George Osborne told 黑洞社区 鈥渘ew projects [might not] go ahead because people are uncertain about arrangements with Europe and its future鈥�.

The letter to Davis (available to read as a PDF at the end of this story) was signed by the chief executives of bodies that included Build UK, the Construction Industry Council, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), and was sent at the start of August, before the migration strategy leak. It pointed out that construction accounted for 10% of total UK employment, but that EU citizens accounted for 8% of construction workers, and 27% of workers in London.

It said: 鈥淕iven the extent of current skills gaps in our industry and record high employment levels, it will not be possible to recruit the people our sector needs without ongoing access to EU workers.

鈥淚f the UK鈥檚 post-Brexit immigration system fails to recognise and take account of this, then the strength of our economy and the delivery of the government鈥檚 ambitious targets for new housing and infrastructure will be undermined.鈥�

The letter called for transitional arrangements, during which EU workers would still be able to work in the UK, and for minimal bureaucracy so the many small construction employers could cope.

While it said the industry knew it needed to do more to train UK employees in the long term, it added: 鈥淚t is important to underline at this early stage the level of concern there is in the industry about this issue and the potential negative impact on future growth and delivery if we get this wrong.鈥�

The letter was also signed by the Association of Consultancy and Engineering, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, the Construction Products Association, the National Federation of Builders and the British Constructional Steelwork Association.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said in response to the leaked migration strategy: 鈥淭his leak seems to show the government is still not getting it. Construction will be dependent upon semi-skilled workers; it will be vital. We thought they鈥檇 be listening more.鈥�

John Slaughter, public affairs director at the HBF, said the leaked strategy was 鈥減articularly worrying for the ability to recruit and retain the workers we need鈥�.

Lord Stunell added: 鈥淭he reduction in capacity this implies would be really damaging for the industry. It clearly undermines the capacity to deliver big-picture projects wanted by government.鈥�

Architect Norman Foster used his chairman鈥檚 statement in the company鈥檚 latest report and accounts to warn that London鈥檚 ability to attract overseas staff was already being hit by Brexit. 鈥淟ondon is a melting pot for international expertise and needs to maintain that edge. It is already under threat.鈥�

A government spokesperson said it would be setting out its proposals for a new immigration system later this autumn.

Click on the PDF below to read the full letter to David Davis MP.