Following the result of the 2026 Senedd election and Plaid Cymru becoming the largest party in the Welsh Parliament, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has stressed the vital role the construction sector plays in achieving the new Welsh Government’s objectives.

CIOB has warned that without ambitious policymaking and increased support for the construction sector, Wales will continue to face problems around skills, housing delivery and retrofit, and climate change. Previous siloed working across government has proven to be ineffective, and as such CIOB urges this new Welsh Government to think strategically for the long-term in conjunction with industry experts.  

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.  

“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."

David 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.”