Property industry to provide buildings for key workers
Organisations representing thou sands of professionals across the surveying, architectural and planning specialisms have writ ten to the Prime Minister to offer their help in fighting back against the growing coronavirus epidem ic.
Led by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), both the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RIBA) have signed a letter to the gov ernment also calling on ministers to e[tend emergency measures to include property professionals as businesses strain to deal with the impact of the virus.
With RICS members represent ing hundreds of clients across the built environment, many with vacant rooms and buildings, the move could see hundreds of empty hotel rooms, flats or commercial space repurposed to temporarily house key workers such has NHS staff so they can be located closer to hospitals and workplaces.
The letter also makes clear that the property sector, a key part of the British economy, is straining under the pressure of the coro navirus – with effects not seen since the financial crash in 2008. To help firms cope in these tough times, the letter asks the Prime Minister to act now to ensure thousands of surveyors, archi tects and planners can continue to work, including:
• Seeking the introduction of emergency loan funding for all firms in the build environ ment sector.
• ‘Fiscal support’ to aid in con sultancy firms to invest in work from home technology, allowing people to stay at home and reduce the burden on transport services.
• Support for lost wages of em ployees now on reduced time or who face being made tem porarily redundant. Matthew Howell (RICS UK Managing Director) said: ‘Whether you’re a chartered surveyor, architect or town plan ner, the growing coronavirus pandemic is one of the biggest threats to the property industry since the financial crash, and we need serious action now to pre vent job losses and businesses shutting down.
‘RICS has been supporting its members, including keeping them updated on the changing advice from government, but we are hearing more support is needed. That’s why we’re join ing with RTPI and RIBA to call on the Prime Minister to open up a range of emergency measures to help property professionals deal with the effects of this virus, including support for firms to al low staff to work from home and wage relief for individuals on re duced hours or facing temporary redundancy.
‘We also stand ready as a pro fession to do our part to aid the UK in getting through this to gether. Our professionals and firms working across the built environment sector have access to a wide range of buildings that could be utilised by the NHS or other key workers for various purposes. We would be keen to meet with government to discuss this and ensure the space and any vacant beds are put to good use.”
Alan Vallance (RIBA CEO) said: ‘This is a critical time for the built environment.
‘Without financial measures to help preserve cash flow and clar ity on how the planning system and development control systems will continue to operate, our sec tor remains at risk. We also need assurance that the government will do everything it can to make sure construction projects are able to progress safely.
‘We appreciate the close en gagement with civil servants and ministers to ensure the voice of the built environment is heard and that the right actions are tak en.’
Victoria Hills (CEO at RTPI) said: ‘Town planners stand ready with all built environment professionals to do what we can to help mitigate this pandemic, and help our country get back to social normality and economic productivity afterwards.’