Architecture has been hit badly by Brexit with more than two-thirds of UK architects reporting building projects put on hold since the referendum, according to a new survey.

More than a third said they had projects cancelled in 2017 because of the uncertainty surrounding the UK’s departure from the EU.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) said the findings from “the most comprehensive survey of architects on Brexit” reveal significant concerns about the continued lack of clarity over the long-term future relationship with the EU.

The professional body – whose members range from solo practitioners to “starchitect” firms led by the likes of Richard Rogers and David Chipperfield – said that Brexit would isolate Britain further, with 74% saying that access to the single market was necessary for British architecture to continue to expand internationally.

They also expressed concern that if there were no mutual recognition of professional qualifications across borders they would lose valued EU staff.

The survey found that 60% of EU architects working in the UK have considered leaving, a rise on a similar survey in 2016 when 40% said they had considered leaving because of Brexit.

More than 20% of the 40,000 architects working in the UK are from the EU.

“Many EU architects continue to face uncertainty about their future in the UK. This is unsustainable,” said the RIBA chief executive, Alan Vallance.

“It is having a real-time impact on recruitment and is unquestionably a threat to the success of our economy and society. The UK government must make urgent decisions that allow the sector to thrive today,” he added.

RIBA argues that architects have a valuable contribution to make to post-Brexit Britain by helping to create cohesive communities through good design and building work.



It said that, with just one year to go, its survey showed that the threat of a hard Brexit was impacting confidence in the industry.

The UK’s architecture sector contributes £4.8bn to the British economy every year, but RIBA is concerned that Brexit combined with new immigration policies for EU citizens will thwart the industry’s growth potential.

Architecture is renowned for international collaboration and exports – innovative creations such as the Pompidou Centre in Paris was designed by British architect Lord Rogers and Renzo Piano, the Italian architect behind the Shard.

RIBA has called on the government to recognise that architecture, like science and research, relies on the creative potential of international collaboration.

“Global reach can only continue if the UK government prioritises access to international talent,” the RIBA report said.