The Building the Future Commission has called for the return of a chief construction adviser in Whitehall as part of its Long Term Plan for Construction.

This idea is one of 11 key recommendations published in the commission’s final report today, which focuses on tackling construction’s short-termism.

The final report said reinstating a chief construction adviser could help the government become a better client.

It said: “This should not be a lobbyist, but somebody who can work within Whitehall to make the government a better client, so that decisions across the main public sector building programmes are not short-term and merely based on cost.

“This could involve government using its influence and purchasing power to specify outcomes, such as for net zero or digital adoption, as a requirement. There needs to be closer collaboration between government and industry at the early design stages to drive delivery efficiencies and value for money.”