Construction suffers lockdown backlog effect
New buildings may not be finished on time as materials have been delayed and sudden surge in demand is causing shortages in some areas
THE CONSTRUCTION sector is once again thriving after the lockdown, but its knock-on effects could seriously affect scheduled dates for completion of many buildings.
For several weeks, building material suppliers were only allowed open for emergency supplies and the stalling has led to a huge backlog in orders for larger projects, including many public works.
A clear example is the longawaited new school in La Xara (Dénia), which may not be built in time for the start of the educational year in September as the builders have run out of materials.
District mayor Maite Pérez Conejero says the civil engineering firm was unable to order more parts during lockdown, meaning the delay already caused by their being forced to stop work for two months could be prolonged even further.
Whilst the law now allows public works to restart, the builders cannot resume until the materials they need arrive. It is not known how long this will take.
Work started on the new school building in April 2019 and was supposed to be finished within a year. The internal structure and the flooring are finished, but the air-conditioning has not been installed and the walls are not complete.
Making modifications to the original plans that would allow the work to be finished without all the missing materials could take just as long to sign off as waiting for the supplies to arrive.
La Xara's original school building had become far too small and its outdated structure too uncomfortable, meaning many pupils had to take lessons in prefabricated classrooms which were freezing in winter and boiling in summer.
The brick-and-mortar building was finally condemned nearly a decade ago after the electricity shorted and the rooms filled with water every time it rained.
Children, parents and teachers have been pushing for a newly-constructed centre for so long that those who were starting primary school when the protests began have now graduated from university.