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Ma帽ana, ma帽ana

The longest-running project in the history of construction - Antoni Gaud铆鈥檚 masterful Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona - is finally entering the conclusive phase of construction, in its 133th year on site. The basilica is to have six new towers added to it, completing the work begun by Gaud铆 in 1882. This final stage of the build is on track for completion in 2026 to coincide with the centenary of Gaud铆鈥檚 death. However, decorative elements could take up to 2032 to complete. I have watched this project with relish since the beginning. It surely serves as proof to any battle-scarred developers out there that good things do come to those who wait!

Go figure

The recent downward trend of construction output figures is provoking concern across the sector but how much weight should really be given to the Office for National Statistics鈥� estimates? Tucked away inside its first estimate of August output earlier this month was a set of major revisions to previous data, including 拢1bn of new infrastructure work miraculously found for July. This is only the latest in a series of volatile revisions over past months which have left economists scratching their heads, and ruing the opaque nature of the ONS鈥� calculations, which one economist jokingly likens to 鈥渙mert脿鈥�.

The more things change 鈥�

The world went Back to the Future crazy last week, as the calendar reached 21 October 2015, the date visited by time travelling duo Marty McFly and Dr Emmett Brown in the 1980s blockbuster movie Back to the Future II. Equipment hire firm Hewden sought to capitalise on the fervour by hiring a futurologist to predict what the future holds for construction in 30 years鈥� time. Said futurologist Ian Pearson predicts that by 2045 the London skyline will feature super-tall structures and a spaceport, driverless cars will be commonplace, and builders will wear super-strength exoskeletons creating half-man, half-machine workers. Whether or not contractors will be making any money by then was not mentioned.

We agree with Nick

Nick Clegg - yes he is still around - has waded into the housing association debacle. In a column for the Evening Standard last week he wrote that during his stint in government he was 鈥渙ften bemused鈥� by the apparent government vendetta against housing associations, which he argues actually fitted David Cameron鈥檚 鈥淏ig Society dream鈥�. He adds that housing associations were once the 鈥渇ootsoldiers鈥� of a Thatcherite departure from state-owned housing and notes his own support of them. Describing the recent voluntary agreement under Right to Buy as 鈥渆ffectively nationalising charitable assets鈥�, Clegg also calls this quiet assault an egregious 鈥渂etrayal of working people鈥�. I wonder if the housing associations wish the Lib Dems were still in power to help them fend off the Tories鈥� assault.

Off colour

Bam was chuffed last week when two of its major Manchester projects - the National Graphene Institute and Manchester City Football Academy - were chosen to show off the city鈥檚 capabilities to Chinese premier Xi Jinping on his state visit. Sadly for Bam the hoardings had long been taken down, and there was disappointment for the attending George Osborne as there were no opportunities to don his favourite attire of a hard hat and hi-vis jacket.