The presidents of all the UK’s architectural institutes have issued a joint statement urging the government to protect free movement as it negotiates Britain’s exit from the EU.
The movement of people, goods and services throughout Europe is of “paramount importance to the economic, social and environmental well-being” of Britain and Ireland, they said.
And they warned the uncertainty unleashed by the vote for Brexit could have a major impact on the construction industry, with some projects already suspended.
It comes as a number of leading architectural practices have announced a scaling back of operations and in some cases job losses as workloads start to suffer from the uncertainty and pessimism surrounding construction and the wider economy.
The Brexit slowdown has also been highlighted in several industry reports, inlcuding data released by Glenigan, Markit/CIPS and the ONS.
The institutes' statement was issued after a meeting in Belfast of the presidents of the RIBA, RIAS, RSAW, RSUA and RIAI at which they discussed the implications of the referendum for architects. Jane Duncan, president of the RIBA, said they would also be pressing the government for continued mutual recognition of architectural qualifications.
The joint statement said: “The uncertainty caused by the result of the EU referendum in the UK could have a major impact on the construction industry across these islands and we know that some building projects have been put on hold. Restoring stability and confidence as a matter of urgency will enable us to maximise the opportunities presented by the UK’s new relationship with the EU and the rest of the world.
“It is our view that the free movement of people, goods and services throughout Europe is of paramount importance to the economic, social and environmental well-being of these islands. We call on the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as it negotiates the UK’s exit from the European Union, to protect free movement.”
