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The Landscape Institute and Brexit.

The Landscape Institute believes that a no-deal Brexit could be disastrous for the landscape profession in UK and Europe. This would further exacerbate our current skills shortages.

 Landscape Institute and Brexit

Talent and recognition

Around 40% of employers in our sector are already suffering skills shortages. The impact on future talent is a major concern. 8% of our Landscape Institute members are citizens of EU countries, outside of the UK and the profession cannot afford to lose them.

One of our major concerns is that we may lose recognition of our professional qualification across Europe with a no-deal Brexit. This would hamper UK professionals’ ability to provide services to European markets.

Graduate retention

Restricted movement limits the number of international graduates who will be able to stay in the UK to meet skills shortages and add value to our country.

Long-term, graduate retention is also a major problem. 30% of students who joined UK-based landscape courses in 2018 were international, with 7% being from the EU. Therefore, restrictions on visas and free movement will limit the number of graduates who will be able to stay in the UK, meet skills shortages, and add value to our country.

Trade restrictions

Any restrictions on trade with Europe would make landscape practice much harder, as many of the materials landscape professionals use are sourced from the EU. For example, live plants or stone products from places like Italy.

Just like food, plants can’t afford to be held up in a lorry park in Kent, France or Belgium for days. It would take many years for British nurseries to grow similar trees, and for British quarries to be re-opened, in order to rebuild an adequate supply chain.

Any extra administrative burdens for the supply of landscape products into the UK will make them much less attractive to both public and private sector investors and developers.

Economic effects

If landscape professionals are forced out of work, the long-term effects could take decades to correct.

Less money in the economy means there will be less development, including housing. This is a current government priority and what development does happen will be cheaper, less well designed, and less green.

If landscape professionals are forced out of work by an economic downturn, the long-term effects on public health, air quality, flood risk, and climate change could take decades to correct.

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