View from the Regions

'Life in the fast lane' is not the best description of the past six months in East Anglia.

Tension is everywhere.... all contractors are looking for the promised land but it's very much a case of hard graft for little reward.

A major reason is the lack of public sector spending. Normally, at this time of year, hospitals are being refurbished or extended or some other public project is under way. However, this year all is quiet on the Eastern front!

This is partly due to the tremendous interest generated by PFI, which is being talked of as the way ahead for many public sector projects. There are several potential PFI projects in the region, and we wait to see what these produce for the industry.

The private sector could become more buoyant. Industrial and commercial are showing signs of life, and there are three insurance companies undertaking office developments while an electronics firm is planning a œ4 million development.

More significant perhaps is the upturn in the number of small developers in the region. We all remember the days of Thatcherism, when the increase in small companies signalled good times. It could be happening again, but I do not hold out much hope for a 'boom time' repeat.

Education remains significant, as one would expect in any region containing Cambridge University. Student accommodation projects are surfacing in Cambridge and Colchester and more could be on the way.

Our competitors are sitting tight but there has been a change in attitude. Dare I say that others are now following the Laing route and not buying in work. Companies are definitely being more selective. Two recent refurbishment contracts resulted in the majority of contractors coming in at roughly the same price level. Lessons are being learned and perhaps the penny is now dropping!

The future for East Anglia is far from doom and gloom. Latham's changes should bring benefits, and PFI will hopefully produce some goods after a long wait. I remain optimistic. In this part of the world emphasis is on tradition and reputation. Flashy, superficial methods of working will make little impact in the worlds of Ipswich, Norwich etc. Local contractors know there will be no easy solution to our problems...plenty of toil and commitment.