The Landscape
Institute (LI) has issued a position statement warning how a no-deal Brexit
might affect the landscape sector.
Dan Cook, LI Chief
Executive, said claimed a no-deal Brexit would be disastrous for the landscape
profession in UK and Europe, and would further exacerbate our current skills
shortages.
"With around
40% of employers in our sector already suffering skills shortages, the impact
on future talent is our major concern," he said.
"Around 8% of
our members are citizens of EU countries other than the UK, and the profession
cannot afford to lose them.
"One of our
major concerns is that we may lose recognition of our professional
qualification across Europe with a no-deal Brexit. This would hamper UK
professionals’ ability to provide services to European markets.
"Restricted
movement limits the number of international graduates who will be able to stay
in the UK to meet skills shortages and add value to our country
"Longer-term,
graduate retention is also a major problem. Thirty per cent of students joining
UK-based landscape courses in 2018 were international, and 7% were from the EU.
Restrictions on visas and free movement limits the number of graduates who will
be able to stay in the UK, meet skills shortages, and add value to our country.
"Any
restrictions on trade with Europe would make landscape practice much harder.
Many of the materials landscape professionals use – such as live plants or
stone products from places like Italy – are sourced from the EU.
"Just like
food, plants can’t afford to be held up in a lorry park in Kent, France or
Belgium for days. It would take many years for British nurseries to grow
similar trees, and for British quarries to be re-opened, in order to rebuild an
adequate materials supply chain.
"Any extra
administrative burdens for the supply of landscape products into the UK will
make them much less attractive to both public and private sector investors and
developers."
He added that if
landscape professionals are forced out of work, the long-term effects could
take decades to correct
"Beyond
anything else, any economic contraction or delays to investment will hit our
sector hard – as we remember from the 2008 recession," he said. "If
there is less money in the economy, there will be less built development,
including housing – a current government priority. And what development does
happen will be cheaper, less well designed, and less green.
"If landscape
professionals are forced out of work by an economic downturn, the long-term
effects on public health, air quality, flood risk, and climate change could
take decades to correct."
The LI has
undertaken several important initiatives to address our skills shortages. These
include:
- A major talent survey during
2017 to
understand our sector’s needs
- Supporting a trailblazer
landscape employers’ group to create new landscape apprenticeships
- Encouraging universities to
expand further landscape education and accrediting more courses
- Urging the Migration Advisory
Committee to list landscape on the
Shortage Occupation List
- Beginning work on updating
entry standards for our profession.
