Government publishes report on construction and asks for submissions
The Government has published the 2018 National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline this week, detailing £600 billion of investment in infrastructure over the next ten years. As part of its proposals, it is asking for evidence to be given for offsite building techniques.
The Pipeline reveals a number of both private and public investments that are either currently underway or expected by 2028, including the East West Rail project, upgrades to the M6 to a smart motorway and the largest offshore wind farm in the world - Hornsea Project One.
The Pipeline calls for a greater use of efficient building techniques including the manufacturing of components in factories using digital technology and the government has asked for submissions on how best to use these cutting-edge techniques. It is believed that offsite production techniques could boost productivity and reduce waste by as much as 90% - allowing a school to be built in one-third of the usual time.
Robert Jenrick, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury has stated that the government is committed to renewing infrastructure in a bid to drive growth and government investment will reach the highest sustained levels for more than 40 years over the course of the current parliament. He points out that this includes the largest ever investment in strategic road networks.
The government proposal regarding offsite construction known as the Platform Approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly or “P-DfMA and will now become the government's preferred approach to construction. It will be developed by the industry and underpinned by research to ensure the best solutions. They are calling for submissions to the proposal.
Related Reading
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-and-construction-pipeline-2018