The Government will announce details of its new 10-year Infrastructure Strategy this week – outlining £725 billion worth of investment to modernise transport, housing, energy and public services over the coming decade.
Delivered as part of its Plan for Change the Government says the Infrastructure Strategy will mark the end of decades of underinvestment and the beginning of a national mission to rebuild Britain’s foundations.
The Government says that up until now, infrastructure has received too little attention and investment, and for projects that have received it, delivery has been too costly and too slow. There has also been insufficient coordination across sectors, regions, delivery partners, and government.
The Strategy will outline how this disjointed approach will be avoided going forward, setting up the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and with maximum public benefit.
The Government says it wants to create a shift from managed decline to purposeful renewal. The Strategy will provide long-term certainty for industry and communities, ensuring that infrastructure is delivered faster, more efficiently, and with greater impact.
The Strategy will set out clear priorities, such as:
- Upgrading transport networks to better connect towns, cities, and regions.
- Ending the housing crisis by accelerating the delivery of affordable, high-quality homes.
- Modernising public services so that hospitals, schools, and local facilities are fit for the future.
- Powering Britain’s clean energy transition to secure energy independence and tackle climate change.
Thousands of skilled jobs boosting local economies, and more money in people’s pockets are expected to come as a result – while laying the groundwork for a more resilient, productive, and fairer Britain.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:
“The British people voted for change – and this is how we deliver it. For too long, our infrastructure – our schools and hospitals, or our roads and bridges – have been left to crumble, holding back communities and stunting economic growth.
“This was a dereliction of duty by previous governments overseeing an era of managed decline, but it ends with this one.
“We are investing in Britain’s future, brick by brick, road by road and track by track. The Strategy will rebuild people’s pride in their homes, while growing the economy, and putting more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”
Becky Wood, Chief Executive Officer of NISTA, said:
“Infrastructure is the backbone supporting our nation – from the roads that connect us to the houses we live in, and from the schools and hospitals that serve our communities, to the energy networks that power our lives.
“This strategy is a decisive step forward for our nation’s infrastructure, providing the stability that businesses, investors and communities need, as well as tackling head on the fundamental issues that the sector has experienced over recent years.
“NISTA, alongside partners in industry, will be at the very heart of helping to deliver what is set out in the strategy, embracing the abundance of opportunities it outlines, driving forward the ambition and enabling transformational change.”
This announcement follows last week’s Spending Review, which committed:
- £15.6 billion for transport upgrades,
- £39 billion for social and affordable housing,
- £14.2 billion for Britain’s first state-funded nuclear power station in a generation at Sizewell C.
Keep an eye on Transport + Energy this week for full details of the Infrastructure Strategy and industry reaction.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
