The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has called on the new Welsh Government to work more closely with the construction sector following the 2026 Senedd election, warning that skills shortages, housing delivery and retrofit targets will remain under pressure without long-term policy support.

The comments follow the election result which saw Plaid Cymru become the largest party in the Welsh Parliament.

CIOB said greater collaboration between government and industry will be needed to address ongoing challenges around housing supply, workforce shortages and climate targets across Wales.

The organisation also warned that previous “siloed working” across government departments had limited progress on construction-related policy.

Welsh construction sector raises concerns over housing, skills and retrofit delivery

David Kirby, Policy and Public Affairs Lead for Wales at the Chartered Institute of Building, said: “A new Senedd brings opportunities to build on the work of the Sixth Senedd, continuing to work with the CIOB and its members across Wales.

“We hope to have the opportunity to work with the Welsh Government and policymakers across the political spectrum to help deliver on Plaid Cymru’s manifesto commitments, including on social housing delivery and ensuring people have opportunities to enter the construction sector and develop lifetime careers.

“We published our own Welsh Manifesto in January 2026 and were pleased to see a lot of our recommendations featured in various party manifestos, including a retrofit plan for housing regardless of tenure, and steps to address the ever-widening skills gap in Wales.”

CIOB calls for long-term construction policy planning in Wales

According to CIOB, construction policy in Wales must be developed alongside industry stakeholders to ensure targets remain achievable and aligned with sector capacity.

The organisation said failure to improve collaboration could result in ongoing pressures across the built environment sector by the end of the current Senedd term.

Kirby added: “But to achieve these objectives, the Senedd and the Welsh Government must work with and listen to the construction sector to ensure policy is both ambitious and achievable.

“Failure to do so will further ingrain existing issues and mean that, come the end of the Senedd term in 2030, the construction sector and party manifesto aims will be in the same – or a worse – standing.”

Construction industry highlights need for collaboration with Welsh Government

CIOB said there had been positive examples of industry engagement during the previous Senedd term and called for that approach to continue under the new administration.

Kirby concluded: “There is cause for hope: the Sixth Senedd took numerous steps to ensure policy is co-developed with industry as opposed to something done to industry.

“We look forward to ensuring we remain a trusted partner to Welsh Government and policymakers to ensure stability and consistency in its approach.”