AHR says decisions on jobs have been stalled since June referendum

AHR - Oxford station proposal

AHR has admitted that Brexit jitters are causing a number of projects to be put on hold.

The firm, which emerged from the Aedas split two years ago, said the UK’s decision to leave the EU following the referendum in June “is leading to greater uncertainty and stalling in decisions on projects and investment”.

It added: “Any new downturn in the UK or other key markets may have an adverse effect on the business. The risk is mitigated by the board seeking to grow its proportion of turnover generated from a broader range of sectors both in the UK and internationally.”

Just over 80% of its work is carried out in the UK with the bulk of the remainder drawn from the rest of the world.

It said it wanted to carry out more residential work – having snapped up affordable housing specialist PCKO in the spring – in addition to its core education and sport and leisure projects.

In its latest accounts filed at Companies House for the year to December 2015, pre-tax profits at the firm, which earlier this year was a joint winner of an ideas competition to improve Oxford station (pictured), jumped 71% to £1.7 million on revenues up 6% to £18.7 million.

The number of employees at the business stayed flat at 192 although its wages bill was down £600,000 to £6 million.