January 2021
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will be a timely opportunity to consider the next steps for developing major infrastructure projects in the UK.
The discussion takes place in the context of the Government’s ambitions around scaling up development and accelerating an infrastructure-led economic recovery - and with publication of the National Infrastructure Strategy and the PM’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.
The discussion is bringing stakeholders together with key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; the CCC; the DCMS; Defra; the DfT; the DIT; the Environment Agency; the Geospatial Commission; the Government Legal Department; HMRC; Homes England; MHCLG; the NAO; the ORR; Ofwat; the Planning Inspectorate; the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales; the Department for the Economy NI; the Department for Infrastructure, NI; The Scottish Government; Transport Scotland; and the Welsh Government.
The agenda:
- Priorities for infrastructure delivery - identifying effective projects and supporting economic recovery
- Developing a long-term plan for national infrastructure development and tackling delivery barriers
- Getting supply chains moving and unlocking progress towards shovel ready projects - fostering local developer demand, financial sustainability, and the foundation for sector recovery
- Designing a planning system for efficient project delivery - reducing delivery barriers, facilitating faster permissions, and strengthening powers to encourage development
- Overcoming barriers to civil infrastructure projects and delivering UK-wide benefits - funding security, working within timelines, and developing key regional infrastructure
- Examining best practice for accelerating the approval of major projects in the UK and working within the regulatory framework
- Developing green infrastructure to support growth and progress towards reaching net zero by 2050
- Supporting activity across key sectors, delivering major projects and supporting economic growth
- Investing in innovation and collaboration to deliver the outcomes that really count
- Developing energy infrastructure to support growth - rolling out new generation capacity, and meeting decarbonisation targets
- Moving to a multi-sector water supply infrastructure approach
- Expanding transport infrastructure and capacity, increasing connectivity, and adapting to the demands of a changing society
- The way forward for major infrastructure development
Key developments at a glance:
- the 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution - from the PM, including £12bn investment to stimulate research and development of clean transport and energy technologies
- The National Infrastructure Strategy - outlining long-term priorities for infrastructure development across the UK
- guiding principles - unlocking nation-wide economic growth and recovery, faster project approval and completion, and integrating net-zero commitments across development process
- major projects - including RIS2, HS2 and associated local transport development, wider rail development including the Integrated Rail Plan and funding allocated to devolved administrations for a wide range of regional infrastructure projects
- a UK national infrastructure bank - intended to help guide private and public investment into specific nation-wide projects, and leverage development funding for local and mayoral authorities
- the Green Book - reforms to frameworks around funding decisions and calculations intended to change to increase fairness in investment distribution across the UK
- Planning for the future:
- consultation on government reform of the planning system ahead of a Planning White Paper,
- aimed at streamlining the planning and consents process, reducing red tape and barriers to development, and speeding along the process of project delivery
- A New Deal for Britain - from the PM with £5bn for job creation and supply chains, shovel ready road and energy projects
- Project Speed - a new infrastructure delivery taskforce, announced with the New Deal looking at aligning planning reform with the Government’s wider infrastructure strategy and agenda
- Energy infrastructure development:
- the Energy White Paper - planning 40GW of offshore wind and 5GW of hydrogen production by 2030, new options for public and private funding for nuclear, and £1bn in CCUS
- £315m Industrial Energy Transformation Fund - funding industrial decarbonisation through greater energy efficiency, fuel switching, and commercialising low-carbon technologies
- Flood and coastal erosion risk management: policy statement - government’s long term plan, with £5.2bn for flood and coastal defences and support for business and household flooding recovery
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; the Committee on Climate Change; DCMS; Defra; the Department for Transport; the Department for International Trade; the Environment Agency; the Geospatial Commission; the Government Legal Department; HMRC; Homes England; MHCLG; the National Audit Office; the Office of Rail and Road; Ofwat; the Planning Inspectorate; the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales; the Department for the Economy NI; the Department for Infrastructure, NI; The Scottish Government; Transport Scotland and the Welsh Government.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
