Construction4growth campaign warns that delays to flagship scheme may seriously damage the sector
The construction industry has called for the government to refocus on rolling out the Green Deal scheme, amid concerns that delays could further undermine the recession-hit industry.
The call came as part of a wider campaign, launched this week, to make the case for investment in construction to drive economic growth.
The Construction4growth campaign, is organised by CITB-Construction Skills and backed by over 900 construction industry figures. It is also supported by a host of industry bodies, including the UK Contractors Group (UKCG), the Federation of Master Builders, the National Federation of Builders, the National Specialist Contractors鈥� Council, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, the Home Builders Federation, and the CBI.
Construction4Growth builds on , launched in July - which aims to make the case for investment in construction as a driver of economic growth, with every 拢1 invested in construction generating a total of 拢2.84 in economic activity.
The campaign, calls for greater investment in construction to drive growth and create jobs, particularly through short-term investment in housing, repair and maintenance projects.
One of its main focuses is on ensuring the government鈥檚 flagship Green Deal programme is rolled out successfully to create a new market in 鈥済reen鈥� jobs.
Judy Lowe, deputy chairman of CITB-ConstructionSkills, said the campaign hoped to meet with the chancellor George Osborne later this year and would be meeting other key ministers also, including new business ministers Michael Fallon and Matthew Hancock.
She that while the government鈥檚 push to boost housing and infrastructure was welcome (see news analysis, page 20), there needed to be a greater focus on 鈥渋mmediate investment that delivers immediate results鈥�.
She said: 鈥淭here are currently 26 million UK homes in need of upgrade and repair to make them energy-efficient decent places to live in. For every job created by an infrastructure project, an additional two are generated within the repair and maintenance sector 鈥� and this is the immediate solutions required for growth.鈥�
Keith Marshall, chief executive of construction skills body SummitSkills, which is backing the campaign, said the industry was 鈥渄eeply concerned鈥� about the Green Deal, which is due to be launched next month.
He said the government鈥檚 stated 鈥渟oft launch鈥� of the scheme meant that there was little awareness both within the industry and amongst the public. 鈥淣ot only does the man in the street not know about it but we鈥檙e finding that even installers don鈥檛 know about it. We feel that there is simply not going to be the demand there for it,鈥� he said.
insulation industry leaders have written to ministers warning that the Green Deal is unlikely to be fully operational until September 2013 鈥� nearly a year later than planned 鈥� and the delay could mean nearly half of the people working in the industry lose their jobs.
Marshall said the impact would be wider than the insulation industry and would hit building services engineers and other small firms.
鈥淎 lot of businesses are waiting for the Green Deal to arrive 鈥� the delays are going to put a lot more SMEs at risk,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he government urgently needs to get behind the Green Deal and make it a success.鈥�
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