The dust is settling now the Welsh Government is taking shape. Business leaders and pundits have welcomed the appointment of new Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates AM. But there is a restlessness, or even nervousness about industry right now. Some of it stems from the EU referendum and ongoing debate in the media; other concerns are more focussed on what direction Wales takes right now.
Whatever decisions are taken one fact remains – Wales needs to keep moving towards creating a better built environment and only one sector of the economy can deliver that goal: construction.
But to ensure we do it right we need more than ever, to educate, inform and demonstrate that best practice and collaborative working delivers long term value, community benefits and allows projects to be designed, engineered and constructed sustainably.
Flagship construction projects like the Circuit of Wales, the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon and the proposed Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station have all been delayed in recent months. And a decision on the route for the controversial M4 Relief Road will be one of the biggest tasks facing Ken Skates. With luck and the right support, a National Infrastructure Commission could be the catalyst our construction sector needs.
Wales has enormous potential and is capable of riding out any form of economic uncertainty. But there is so much more to achieve during the process of building Wales out of recession. Figures from the Construction Skills Network 2016-2020 estimate that over 27,000 construction jobs will be created in Wales during the next five years. We have to make sure these are jobs for Welsh people and that they benefit local communities. The predicted growth rate in Welsh construction output for the same period, 7.1%, is almost triple the UK average (2.5%).
We also have to design, refurbish and build in the right manner. We can’t cut corners on issues like energy improvement of homes; we have to work together to help research such as LENDERS and we have to demonstrate what the values of best practice – as exemplified in the CEW Awards – are the way forward.
The change agenda for Welsh construction remains a work in progress. It’s a positive change, a constant change – but the works not over yet.
