A view along the tracks of a small metal railway bridge

RICS comments on Prime Minister’s closing speech at Conservative Party Conference

04 October 2023

The RICS manifesto called for investment in regional rail infrastructure, and we look forward to more detail on Network North. Investors will be looking for certainty and sustainability, and plans should be developed with regional communities. Key to this will also be any further plans to address the housing shortage.

As facts on climate change have not changed and neither has the need to support the next generation, we are hopeful that the new network will embrace sustainable practices. RICS and our members are equipped to support this, and we highlight our recent launch of our world-leading standard for consistent and accurate carbon measurement (Whole Life Carbon Assessment standard*).

RICS has long called for infrastructure that supports communities and growth led by employment. Our latest construction survey has however continued to show skills shortages in construction, and the skills agenda will be critical to delivery of these projects. Industry must take a multifaceted approach to address the skills crisis and ensure greater diversity, equity and inclusion.

Click here to watch RICS Chair Martin Samworth FRICS participate in a panel discussion on 'Will the housing crisis determine the next election?', along with peers from joint institutes Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), as well as Angus Parsad-Wyatt, chief executive of Conservative Home and Rachel Maclean MP, Minister for Housing.

* supported by DfT and Zero Waste Scotland Whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) for the built environment (rics.org)

You may also be interested in

Why collaboration can promote innovation in public procurement

How do we encourage public procurement to be more pioneering? In a recent webinar, a panel of experts gave their views on how projects can foster more innovation and provide greater value for money.

Article from

How closing the infrastructure gap for Indigenous Communities is key to achieving Canada's ESG goals

BTY Group is a leading quantity surveying, project management and construction advisory consultancy established in 1978. The firm is a longstanding member of RICS with a diverse staff of more than 160 professionals, including chartered surveyors, project managers and engineers.

Building Materials: The Next Frontier for Decarbonisation

Look around you. Are you sat in a building of some sort? Or reading this to keep yourself occupied on public transportation? It is safe to say, we spend most of our daily lives in the built environment.

2023 UK local elections – an idea of what’s to come?

The 2023 local elections provided a good opportunity for parties to demonstrate their commitment towards tackling the major issues facing our communities.

Automating data collection in the rail sector

William Doyle speaks with Andrew Knight as they discuss the opportunities to automate data collection in the rail sector.

ANZ commercial management conference highlights

The RICS 2022 ANZ Commercial Management Conference took place recently, providing key insights and engaging discussions.

Responsive transport infrastructure: Making data work

How do we measure value for money in transport infrastructure, and what does environmentally and socially responsive infrastructure look like?

Article from

How can planning and development support the levelling-up agenda?

The article discusses the UK government's Levelling Up agenda and the bill proposed to support this. It focuses on the practical aspects and local...

Leading indicators: Can optimism in the global construction sector persist?

Leading indicators is a monthly column written by RICS Chief Economist, Simon Rubinsohn. This month, how will global construction weather the economic downturn and are build back better policies finally coming into fruition?

Article from