July 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This timely conference will assess the next steps for UK infrastructure, and the way forward for developing major projects.
Of course we expect discussion on the day to reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry, its workforce and its partners and customers, including:
- Supporting the sector and its workforce as the industry adapts to new ways of working, evolving infrastructure requirements, and the economic impact of COVID-19
- Employment, working practices and the Government’s policy response, looking at measures such as:
- the Coronavirus Job Retention and loan schemes
- expanded testing to cover construction workers
- proposals to allow extended hours on some construction sites and to make the planning system operate remotely
- Learning that can be taken forward from the way stakeholders have innovated and adapted to the crisis
- The economic fallout and wider issues that will affect the sectors involved in infrastructure into the future, including:
- the future of the Government’s policy programme for infrastructure
- the position of private investors and the supply chain
- societal changes affecting the nature of demand
Key areas for discussion:
- Investment and finance - looking at:
- investment confidence in an uncertain economic time
- the future of alternative mechanisms such as the regulated asset base (RAB) model
- further new approaches to project funding and sourcing private and public investment following the ban on the use of PFI and PF2
- how public funding and private finance can be utilised at the lowest cost to the taxpayer
- Long-term planning for a national infrastructure pipeline - with discussion on:
- adapting to changing behaviour patterns such as an increase in remote working, and shifts to walking and cycling
- assessing policy mechanisms for speeding up delivery and reducing costs
- government support measures
- mobilising key sectors
- tying together projects in a national context
- Delivering the National Infrastructure Strategy - and addressing key challenges, with discussion on:
- reaching net zero emissions by 2050
- leveraging and supporting delivery partners
- accelerating the planning process
- Levelling up UK regions - looking at:
- modernising national infrastructure
- supporting economic recovery and addressing economic growth imbalances
- building capacity and connectivity
- unlocking local productivity
Developments that are relevant to the discussion:
- A Safe Working Charter launched by the Government and the Home Builders Federation aimed at enabling a safe return to work, as part of wider moves to restart the UK housing sector
- Government announcing funding for critical infrastructure services and announcing funding for projects going ahead, including:
- New government investment commitments for UK infrastructure, including for strategic roads, city region transport schemes, new housing development, and improving internet speed and access
- The forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy, with priorities for modernising rail, road, energy, housing and digital infrastructure; regional and city connectivity, and climate resilience
- The Planning for the Future policy paper, which sets out the Government's plans for housing and planning following the 2020 Budget
- The Infrastructure Finance Review consultation
- Commitments to level up UK regions through infrastructure development and unlocking economic growth, with HS2, £5bn of new bus funding, and a white paper simplifying the planning process
The agenda:
- Tying together UK infrastructure projects and delivering the infrastructure Strategy
- Energy infrastructure in a low-carbon economy
- The National Infrastructure Strategy - practical challenges, supporting industry and the workforce in the wake of the pandemic, and meeting the demands of a changing society
- Next steps for funding infrastructure projects - innovation in finance models, investor confidence, and ensuring projects are value for money
- Priorities for reaching net zero by 2050, supporting economic recovery, and developing connected infrastructure:
- Designing a planning system for efficient project delivery - clear guidance, accelerating approval processes, and leveraging local support and engagement
- Improving transport infrastructure capacity across the UK, and unlocking connectivity and economic development
- Developing city and regional centre infrastructure to support economic recovery and changing behaviour patterns
- Key issues for infrastructure modernisation and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 - building climate resilience, low-carbon project delivery, and associated socio-economic benefits
- Innovative approaches to delivering future digitally optimised infrastructure to reduce costs, improve resilience and improve UK attractiveness to investment
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.
It’s certainly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; MHCLG; the Cabinet Office; Defra; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; the Geospatial Commission; the Government Legal Department; the Health and Safety Executive; HM Revenue & Customs; Homes England; the Infrastructure and Projects Authority; the Ministry of Defence; the National Audit Office; the National Infrastructure Commission; the Office of Rail and Road; the Planning Inspectorate; UK Government Investments; the Wales Office 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
