Introduction

Following weeks of speculation, few people may have been surprised in October 2023 when the Prime Minister announced the suspension of the northern leg of HS2.

The scaling back of this flagship infrastructure programme, on which many other capital projects also hinged, has forced parts of the supply chain to reset. The UK’s weak economic backdrop and this rebalancing of supply chain capacity have prompted many clients to reassess the way they procure.

In this edition of the UK market intelligence report, we’ll chart the ripple effect across UK construction and consider how those responsible for procuring and delivering built assets can adapt accordingly.