Architects across the country expect workloads to fall off following the UK referendum on EU membership, according to the latest RIBA future trends survey.
In the July survey the workload index dropped significantly to -7, down from +22 in June.
Firms that were questioned indicated that this fall was mainly driven by concerns about the implications of Brexit. A total of 250 practices took part in the July survey.
Across the country, the biggest dip in confidence about workload prospects was in London, falling to -16. Only Wales and the West returned a positive balance figure of +14.
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The immediate impact of Brexit is being felt across all areas of the built environment industry with many seeing it in both a positive and negative light.
According to the RIBA survey, workload forecasts across commercial, community, private housing and public sectors fell over the last month, however the private housing and commercial sectors still remained in positive territory.
Of the firms surveyed, large practices were the least confident about increasing staff levels with a balance figure of zero, compared with small practices (+3) and medium-sized practices (+12).
Adrian Dobson, executive director members at RIBA, said: “While a very small number of practices stated that they have seen projects cancelled or postponed as a direct result of the referendum outcome, the sense is that the fall in our index reflects anxiety about the future impact of the decision rather than an immediate change in the workload pipeline.
“Only time will tell if this change in sentiment is an overreaction to political events, but this fall in the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index must be a cause for some concern.”
For the full July RIBA Future Trends Survey, click here.
