Why can't the UK, Canada & Australia build anymore?

The loss of state capacity to build infrastructure at manageable costs is due to privatization of state planning + the loss of an experienced civil service.

"Planning functions are privatized to large consultant firms while the role of the state is reduced to at most light oversight."

"British costs exploded in the 1990s, and CDN and AUS costs followed suit in the 2000s and 2010s, imitating bad British practices."

https://pedestrianobservations.com/2026/01/13/british-construction-costs-and-centralization/