A leading infrastructure specialist has called on the UK Government to prioritise repairs over full-scale rebuilds in a bid to tackle the country’s deteriorating infrastructure and reduce environmental impact.
Mainmark UK, a ground engineering firm, warned that excessive reliance on demolishing and rebuilding structures is both costly and harmful to the environment. Instead, the company argues that innovative repair techniques, such as resin injection, could help extend the lifespan of existing infrastructure while cutting carbon emissions.
The call comes as the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) reports significant underinvestment in the country’s infrastructure. From pothole-ridden roads to ageing railways and leaking hospitals, experts warn that much of Britain’s critical infrastructure is at risk of failure.
One of the major threats to stability is subsidence, where the ground beneath structures sinks due to voids forming in the soil. Traditionally, authorities have opted to rebuild structures that become unsafe due to subsidence, but David Hedley, Commercial & Infrastructure Lead at Mainmark UK, believes a different approach is needed.
“Much too often, our infrastructure reaches a ‘point of no return’, where subsidence and other ground instability issues cause irreparable damage,” he said. “Rather than demolishing and rebuilding, we should be focusing on restoring foundations and promoting the natural recovery of the surrounding environment.”
Hedley acknowledged that maintenance and repair require upfront investment, but he argued that the long-term cost savings outweigh the expense.
“With one-third of England’s infrastructure—roads, railways, and water systems—at risk from climate-related disasters, we must consider regenerative solutions. Repairs are not just cost-effective but also significantly more sustainable than rebuilding from scratch,” he said.
Mainmark has worked on more than 80,000 projects globally, using its resin injection technology to stabilise and strengthen ground conditions. The technique involves injecting an expanding polyurethane resin into the ground through small-bore tubes. As the resin expands, it fills voids and solidifies, strengthening the soil beneath structures.
According to Hedley, this method is quicker, cheaper, and more sustainable than traditional approaches like underpinning, which requires large amounts of concrete.
The company recently used its Teretek® resin injection system at an Oxfordshire recycling centre, where subsidence had affected a key road leading to the facility. By injecting resin one metre below the surface, engineers successfully relevelled a 100-square-metre section of the road, strengthening the ground without the need for extensive excavation or reconstruction.
Despite its benefits, resin injection has only recently gained traction in the UK. As a relatively new technology, local authorities have been slow to adopt it, preferring conventional methods of rebuilding. However, Hedley believes this is changing.
“With sustainability becoming a priority for planners and developers, resin’s significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional construction methods makes it an appealing choice. More projects are looking to meet strict environmental regulations, and we expect demand for this solution to grow,” he said.
Mainmark’s call for a shift in infrastructure policy aligns with wider discussions on reducing embodied carbon—the emissions produced throughout a structure’s entire lifecycle. By focusing on repairs rather than rebuilds, experts argue that the UK can create a more resilient and sustainable infrastructure system.