It’s been a tough few years for the construction industry, with the coronavirus pandemic delaying a lot of work. Inflation has thrown another spanner in the works, with many projects facing rising costs and supply chain issues.
However, there are a few projects in the UK that are so big that cancellation would result in even greater financial losses than what has been experienced due to inflation.
As ever with construction, there are plenty of snags along the way. But here are three of the biggest projects taking place in the UK this year.
HS2
Construction on this new high-speed rail network began in 2020, but it has been hit by significant delays and rising costs.
Despite the first two phases of the line – from London to Birmingham, and from Birmingham to Crewe – being deemed “unachievable” by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, the Government intends to press on with construction.
A proposed eastern section to Leeds was scrapped, as was a high-speed link between Leeds and Manchester. This drew significant criticism, as the benefit to northern cities was significantly depleted.
Although it has proven a controversial project, it has supported 30,000 jobs and issued supply chain contracts worth £23 billion to 3,000 UK businesses.
Thames Tideway Tunnel
This is a 25km “super sewer” under the river Thames – the first major upgrade to London’s sewer system in 150 years.
Construction began across 24 sites in 2015 and is expected to be completed in 2025 at a total cost of £4.5 billion – financed by Thames Water customers.
As part of the project, three acres of new public land is being reclaimed from the river across seven sites. Biofuels have also been used on-site and on tug boats, which have saved around 600,000 HGV journeys.
Working underground can be dangerous for workers due to accidents that can happen during construction. For example, Thames Water was fined £300,000 after an existing sewer collapsed and engulfed three workers in effluent.
East Bank & Stratford Waterfront
The Olympic Games coming to London in 2012 was the start of a massive change in Stratford. Investment in East Bank has seen the creation of:
- New home for the London College of Fashion
- BBC Music Recording Centre
- Victoria & Albert Museum outpost
- 550-seat Sadler’s Wells theatre
- 600 new homes – 35% of which will be affordable homes
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in 2019, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “This new creative cluster will bring together world-leading cultural and educational institutions to give young Londoners the chance to explore career opportunities, create jobs for local people and provide an economic boost for the capital.”
