The managing partner at the property and construction consultancy Pick Everard, Duncan Green, is sharing his views on the successes, obstacles, and political changes that affected the construction industry during 2017 and what is going to come in 2018.

1. Brexit

Brexit has been a permanent concern for the construction industry since last year. Now, the confidence in the market has slowly returned, but there are still many negotiations that need to take place that might affect the market.

2. Political instability

The political changes that keep happening mean that the industry needs to keep adapting to them. The industry has remained resilient and flexible and managed to handle these changes, however, a calmer political landscape would bring stability and national schemes will be able to get underway.

4. How is 2018 looking?

Pick Everard ended 2017 with the first Autumn Budget that detailed further investment into T levels, which is a new system aiming to encourage more students to take maths for A Level by rewarding schools and a new Transforming Cities fund that will improve transport connections and fibre optic broadband.

3. Pick Everard’s 2017

Speaking of Pick Everard, the company completed some fantastic projects in 2017, working across the UK on schemes such as the Discovery Building at BioCity in Nottingham, a multi-million pound bioscience centre which boasts the most incredible LED cladding which has lights mirroring solar flares in the Earth’s atmosphere and The Oculus at Warwick University, which is an architecturally stunning, flagship multi-use teaching facility.

The company held its own ‘women in the construction’ campaign that showcased the incredible talent it has in the industry, including women who hold some of the top positions at Everard. This year is the ideal time to promote jobs to talented young professionals and hopefully bring more women in the industry.

Duncan Green is optimistic regarding the future of the industry and expects housebuilding to continue to increase. Once the Brexit deal is settled, the construction industry will have a better understanding of where the UK is moving in terms of construction and output. He is also looking further to seeing more apprenticeships and training, which will secure the future of the industry.