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Industry leaders have urged the government to spotlight construction as essential to achieving the pledges in its industrial strategy plan unveiled on Monday.

In its Invest 2035 paper, Labour promised to prioritise support across eight key areas: manufacturing; clean energy industries; creative industries; defence; digital and technologies; financial services; life sciences and professional and business services.

While construction was not specifically mentioned, the report also invited recommendations for 鈥渟ubsectors鈥� to be prioritised within the eight broad areas.

Patricia Moore, UK managing director of Turner & Townsend, said construction was 鈥渘oticeably absent鈥� from the release, despite being the 鈥渆ngine which will deliver and sustain the physical investment that these industries need to thrive鈥�.

She said: 鈥淎s we digest the strategy and feed into the consultation, we鈥檒l be making the case for how industrial strategy can invest in construction, as well as through construction.鈥�

The chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, Brian Berry, added: 鈥淚t is deeply concerning that the chancellor and business secretary have published an Industrial Strategy for the new government, but has not felt it necessary to include reference to the construction sector as an industry for growth, during a period where the UK is experiencing both a housing and skills crisis that are holding back and economic resurgence and threaten long-term market confidence.

鈥淕iven the focus on rebuilding Britain, it appears those that will be doing the physical work have been forgotten. The consultation is an opportunity to ensure that construction doesn鈥檛 end up as a sideshow sub-sector in the plan. Construction needs to be front and centre in the government鈥檚 drive for economic growth.鈥�

Allan Wright, managing director at materials distributor Civils & Lintels said he hoped the 鈥渞hetoric鈥� surrounding 鈥渉ousebuilding, civils and infrastructure sectors鈥� that earned Labour its landslide victory at this year鈥檚 election 鈥渢ransfers into clear actions鈥�.

He added: 鈥淲hilst housebuilding, infrastructure projects and the planning system all commanded significant initial attention, it currently feels that any initial momentum established may have been lost.

鈥淩achel Reeves鈥� first budget is, therefore, an excellent opportunity to address these areas and potential options which I鈥檇 urge her to consider include, permanent reform to SDLT, the reintroduction of some form of assisted purchase for private home ownership similar to Help to Buy, a significant commitment to invest in the delivery of new rental stock and demonstrable investment in UK infrastructure.鈥�

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said the new strategy to be a 鈥渇resh approach鈥� that 鈥減rovides businesses with a platform to further build the planning evidence that past governments have ignored because they feared the vocal minorities opposition to land use鈥�.

He added: 鈥淭he NFB often cites the planning processes negative impact on skills, investment, meeting climate targets, innovation and social mobility but it has been a hard slog to have that taken seriously and more importantly, actioned.

鈥淎s an example, the biggest contractors win many procurement contracts yet do not typically directly employ or use consistent supply chains. In housing, SMEs only build 9% of homes. Is it therefore any wonder that with eight in 10 construction apprentices being trained by SMEs, we have a construction skills crisis?鈥�

>>See also: Government outlines industrial strategy plan as ministers hail 拢63bn of private funding for projects

RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said: 鈥淭he creative industries are a powerhouse for growth, and we are pleased to see this recognised.

鈥淭o maximise their potential, the government must facilitate access to a continued pipeline of domestic and international talent, including strengthening the mutual recognition of professional qualifications with the EU.鈥�

And Alasdair Reisner, chief executive at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, said the government needed to 鈥渂e clear in its future ambitions and policy鈥�. 

鈥淭he challenge remains to convert warm policy words into real change on the ground. We would encourage the government to develop a clear partnership with those that are delivering our future infrastructure, to ensure that that there is a single, well-understood change programme that all industry can get behind.鈥�

The plan comes against the backdrop of Labour鈥檚 ambitions to build 1.5 million homes over its first five years in power. Executive director of the Home Builders Federation, Steve Turner, said: 鈥淲e welcome the joined up approach being taken to remove the barriers to housing delivery including recognition of the need to tackle infrastructure provision and the constraints in essential services and utilities.

鈥淲e are also keen to engage on how Skills England can help tackle the challenges industry faces with regards to training provision and funding to ensure we have the workforce necessary to build the homes we need.