The Government has published a 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy which it says will deliver on its growth mission, as part of the Plan for Change, transforming how infrastructure projects are planned and delivered.
The Strategy sets out a long-term plan for how the government will invest in infrastructure and ensure that funding is spent effectively and efficiently, marking a new approach to how projects are planned and delivered.
This government says it is committed to doing things differently to deliver infrastructure and fix the failures of the past, having accepted all of the James Stewart Review’s recommendations on HS2.
The plans are backed by at least £725 billion of government funding over the coming decade, from which at least £9 billion will be allocated in 2025-26 to address the critical maintenance needs of health, education and justice estates, rising to over £10 billion per year by 2034-35.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:
“Infrastructure is crucial to unlocking growth across the country, but for too long investment has been squeezed.
“We’re not just fixing buildings – we’re enhancing public services, improving lives and creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth in communities throughout the UK.”
The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), established by the government this year, will work with partners across government and industry to effectively implement the strategy across the whole of the UK. NISTA will periodically review the progress made and work with devolved governments to ensure that infrastructure strategy across the UK is joined up.
Becky Wood, Chief Executive Officer of NISTA, said:
“This investment is a welcome part of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and will help us to address some of the challenges that our key public services have faced over recent years.
“Strategic preventative maintenance based on longer-term plans is a more effective approach than making decisions in the absence of certainty about the future – and will ensure our vital public services remain resilient and fit for purpose.
“By approaching replacement and maintenance of our infrastructure in an informed and systematic way, we can target interventions effectively and plan properly for the future.”
