What consultants want from the government to get construction really moving

Construction contributes around 7% of UK GDP, rising to almost 18% when the wider built environment is included. It is therefore no surprise that the government wants to harness our sector to drive growth.

Put simply, when construction stalls, national growth stalls. What is surprising is the lack of orchestration – policies and plans are plentiful, but without joined-up leadership and oversight, delivery too often falls short.

Consultants like us, who work across every corner of the sector, see first-hand where progress is being blocked. What we want from the government can be summed up in three words: certainty, clarity, consistency. With these, the sector can unlock investment, accelerate delivery and drive growth.

Leadership and a seat at the table

The fundamentals for a thriving construction industry are in place. Demand is strong, capital is available and the skills base exists. What is missing is leadership at the centre of government.

The promised chief construction adviser role has not yet been filled. This should be a priority: a single, influential voice with oversight of housing, infrastructure, skills and net zero would give the industry the joined-up direction it needs.

Long-term policy and funding certainty

One of the biggest frustrations is inconsistency. Projects are announced with fanfare only to be delayed, scaled back or cancelled. This discourages firms from investing in skills, innovation and supply chain capacity.

The solution lies in continuity. The government should commit to multi-year funding settlements for infrastructure, housing and net zero programmes. A transparent forward pipeline of projects in health, education, defence and infrastructure would give consultants and suppliers the confidence to plan. Equally important is a stable regulatory roadmap for building safety, planning and carbon reduction – turning policy into predictable practice.

Unlock housing and planning

Housing delivery is one of the UK’s greatest challenges. Despite political commitments, supply lags behind demand, with housing starts at a 10-year low. Planning remains the biggest barrier. Local authorities are under-resourced, approvals are at their lowest in over a decade and reforms around greenbelt land and nutrient neutrality remain unresolved.

The government can accelerate delivery by properly resourcing planning departments, investing in digital planning tools and creating a fast-track for nationally significant projects. Demand-side stimulus is also needed. With Help to Buy and stamp duty holidays withdrawn, first-time buyers lack support and developers face slower absorption rates. New targeted incentives would keep the market moving.

With momentum already slow, the change of housing secretary from Angela Rayner to Steve Reed must not be allowed to disrupt progress by bringing any major shift in direction. I hope that the change of guard instead brings renewed focus – and acceleration.

Removing regulatory barriers

Well-intentioned regulation can still stall projects if implementation is not thought through. The Building Safety Act is a case in point. While its goals are vital, the practical effect has been bottlenecks, particularly at gateways 2 and 3.

The government can ease this by standardising application templates, providing dedicated resources for new-builds, and ensuring structured engagement from the outset. If done right, regulation becomes an enabler of safe, high-quality development rather than an obstacle.

Support net zero and the green transition

Decarbonisation is both a challenge and an opportunity. Buildings account for nearly 40% of UK emissions, yet there is still no funded national retrofit strategy. Without clarity, net zero risks being seen as a burden rather than a driver of growth.

But this is not only an economic imperative – it is also a moral responsibility. The built environment shapes how people live, work, and learn. Reducing emissions, cutting energy costs and improving building performance are all essential if future generations are to inherit a liveable climate.

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Consultants and contractors want to be part of that solution, but the government must give us the framework to act with confidence.

The government can flip the narrative by cutting VAT on refurbishment and retrofit, funding a long-term retrofit programme and incentivising modern methods of construction and low-carbon materials. Leading by example, all government projects should mandate whole-life carbon assessments and net zero targets, setting the standard for the wider industry.

Invest in skills and workforce development

The government’s £600m plan to train 60,000 new workers by 2029 is welcome but focuses too narrowly upon site trades. Consultants need planners, surveyors and specialists in the Building Safety Act to keep the pipeline flowing.

Expanding apprenticeships, broadening training pathways and simplifying access for SMEs would strengthen the workforce. The government should also support diversity initiatives to attract women, young people and under-represented groups into the sector, widening the talent pool and building resilience.

Back infrastructure and regeneration

Infrastructure investment is a proven driver of growth, but delivery has been inconsistent. If the UK is to meet its ambitions – from becoming a leader in AI to delivering clean energy security – infrastructure must match political vision.

The government’s recently published infrastructure strategy and modern industrial strategy are welcome steps – long-term frameworks backed by funding. But, as ever, the challenge is delivery. What consultants and contractors need is regional detail, a rolling and transparent pipeline and credible funding allocations that survive political cycles.

The UK’s leadership in offshore wind shows how long-term frameworks and predictable pipelines attract investment at scale. That same predictability must extend to digital, energy and transport if the UK is to meet its ambitions.

Regeneration also needs to sit alongside new-build – from town centre renewal to brownfield redevelopment – to support levelling up and strengthen local economies.

Reform tax and procurement

Tax and procurement policy heavily shape construction activity. Increases in business costs and national insurance act as a tax on jobs, disproportionately hitting labour-intensive industries. Meanwhile, talk of new wealth taxes unsettles capital markets, particularly in residential development.

The government can restore confidence by stabilising tax policy and incentivising investment. Cutting VAT on retrofit, reforming business rates to support property repurposing and shifting procurement away from lowest-cost selection to whole-life value would all encourage activity.

Faster payments through the supply chain would further support SMEs, which make up the bulk of the industry.

De-risk private sector investment

Public finances alone cannot deliver the scale of housing and infrastructure required. Private capital is vital, but investors face risk in uncertain policy and regulatory environments.

The government must clarify the role of private finance. Guarantees, co-investment and long-term frameworks for housing, energy and defence estates would unlock significant flows of capital. Green bonds, housing partnerships and infrastructure funds should be encouraged.

Above all, consistency is key – capital will flow if the rules of the game are predictable.

In conclusion

Construction is not asking for handouts. What the sector needs is stability and leadership. Appointing a chief construction adviser would be the clearest signal yet that the government is serious about turning ambition into delivery.

Crucially, this role could help to orchestrate the other essentials: long-term infrastructure and industrial plans, properly resourced planning, skills development and a stronger push to make net zero a driver of growth.

Construction is one of the UK’s great strengths – but too often talked down, overshadowed by headlines about overruns or missed targets. The reality is that our sector delivers day in, day out.

With the right clarity and leadership from the government, it could do even more – powering national growth, driving net zero and regenerating communities at scale.

Adrian O’Hickey is senior partner at Ridge and Partners