government plans to get britain building welcomed

Rachel Reeves announces, "We are going to get Britain building again," in first speech as Chancellor of the Exchequer, re-affirmed by King Charles III’s announcement of a Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

• Announcement includes a commitment for 1.5 million homes to be built over the next five years
• Vast amounts of materials will be needed, with the concrete alone needed to build these potentially filling more than nine Wembley Stadiums
• Aggregate Industries says sustainable, circular construction solutions are therefore central to new homes and infrastructure targets
   

Lee Sleight, CEO at Aggregate Industries, comments: “We wholeheartedly welcome the Government's announcement to “get Britain building again.” The ambition and clarity it brings are crucial in these times. As a leading sustainable building materials supplier within the UK, we are fully on board with this initiative and ready to support key areas such as housebuilding, infrastructure and onshore wind.

“So far in 2024, the UK market has seen a concerning slowdown in both infrastructure projects and housebuilding, with 24% less construction starts in Q1 2024 compared to the previous year, and construction output in the housing sector 19% below 2019 levels in February this year. 

"The economic and social impact of this slowdown is significant and far- reaching. Economically, the construction industry is a major employer, a waning market means fewer employment opportunities within the sector and related industries such as manufacturing, transport and services. Whereas socially, the public is facing a housing crisis and a dire need for more social and affordable homes. For these reasons, it is imperative that we get building moving.

“While the Government’s new housebuilding targets are positive, sustainability must be central to this. We are already collaborating with developers and contractors to drive sustainable building through the increased use of reduced carbon and recycled materials.

“Without a doubt, the urgent steps which the Chancellor has laid out to kickstart economic growth are necessary and achievable, and we are poised ready for the challenge. However, taking housebuilding as an example, the one and a half million homes projected over the next five years will require vast amounts of materials. A conservative estimate of just the concrete required for these homes could be 37.5 million cubic metres. For perspective, this equates to more than nine times the capacity of Wembley Stadium and underscores the importance of recycled materials.

“This is why it’s crucial we create a new blueprint for the Great British built environment. Aggregate Industries has ambitious plans to help achieve net zero and is adopting a circular economy approach across everything we do. The construction industry must responsibly embrace the Chancellor’s national mission for growth but can only achieve this by building in a wholly sustainable way, i.e. by decreasing the carbon footprint of building materials and going circular. 

"This goes far beyond just minimising waste. Effectively, we need to build new cities from the ‘urban quarry’ of our old stock, thereby conserving the precious resources of our island nation."

For further information, please visit aggregate.com.