Twenty three of the country’s main contracting chiefs have taken the unprecedented step of putting their names to the new campaign: Creating Britain’s Future.

They are calling on Government to speed up decision making and find new ways of financing construction projects to stimulate growth.

It comes as the industry faces the fastest slowdown in memory with most fearing thousands more job losses and further rounds of company closures as the Government’s growth policies founder.

Bosses are pledging to hammer home the campaign message on site hoardings around the country.

The initiative has kicked off with a letter published in the Daily Telegraph setting out the industry’s ability to stimulate growth, and the official launch today at London’s Centre Point tower to an audience including representatives from the CBI.

It will highlight UK construction’s world class credentials, citing how Olympic venues were built on time, under budget and gave valuable skills to many people.

The Shard and Crossrail will also be spotlighted as showpiece achievements, showing the industry’s ability to tackle the largest infrastructure projects in Europe.

Paul Sheffield, CEO of Kier Group said: “The construction industry has one of the highest multipliers of any industry – every £1 invested in construction generates £2.84 in economic value.

“Yet, construction output is falling as government spending contracts and public sector projects are delayed.

“Within the current reduced public sector budget, there is more the national government and local authorities could be doing to stimulate construction and create growth; not least by speeding up decision making and finding new ways of financing construction projects.”

Nowadays construction employs 1 in 12 people in the UK and offers a quick fix to creating jobs, campaigners will argue today.

Campaign video