The government has this morning launched its National Infrastructure Delivery Plan (NIDP)which brings together all of the government’s infrastructure priorities over the next five years - underpinned by a commitment to invest more than £100 billion in infrastructure by 2020-21.

The NIDP updates and replaces the National Infrastructure Plan, and will set out what will be built and where, focusing specifically on what will be delivered over the next five years to 2020-21. The Plan includes the publication of a refreshed Infrastructure Pipeline of investment in infrastructure projects and programmes across all sectors.

For the first time, the new NIDP brings together the government’s plans for this Parliament to support large-scale housing and regeneration, as well as investment in new local schools, hospitals and prisons.

The plan incorporates the latest version of the National infrastructure Pipeline which highlights over £425 billion worth of planned investment in over 600 major projects and programmes across the UK to 2020-21 and beyond. It also sets out £58 billion of public investment for housing and regeneration, education, health and justice.

Speaking at the Institution of Civil Engineers, where the plan was launched this morning, Chief Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Tony Meggs said:

“This plan sets out details of infrastructure investment by government and the private sector across all sectors and regions. It describes not only what we are going to build, but also how we will prioritise investment and work with industry to improve delivery.”

“Through the new IPA we will continue to support delivery of the government’s priority projects and ensure we remain on track to deliver.”

Key report highlights include:

• a forward look for £483 billion of infrastructure investment in economic and social infrastructure including over £297 billion to 2020-21
• £483 billion includes economic infrastructure investment of £425 billion with an additional £58 billion of public investment in social infrastructure (part of the government’s commitment to spend over £100 billion in infrastructure by 2020-21)
• a major roads and rail investment package including £15 billion to support Highways England in transforming the Strategic Road Network with over 100 major schemes completed or in construction by the end of 2020-21, and supporting the largest rail modernisation since Victorian times, including getting High Speed 2 into construction, completing Crossrail, and giving the green light to Crossrail 2 to proceed and significant investment in projects in the Northern Powerhouse
• over £100 billion invested by the private sector in energy projects across electricity generation, transmission and in the North Sea

Civil engineers welcome updated plan

Commenting on the NIDP, Nick Baveystock, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Director General, said:

“The National Infrastructure Plan has evolved steadily since 2010, and this new iteration of the plan and pipeline builds on the progress made, improving visibility for the supply chain and investor community. The shift in focus to delivery over five years sets a fresh tone – one of ‘spades in the ground’ – and we welcome the recognition that this must be complemented by a vision for the longer term. This brings to the fore the role of the National Infrastructure Commission in setting out the UK’s priorities up to 2050, and the importance of a robust needs assessment to underpin the vision.”

Alongside the plan,  the government has also today published a new Construction Strategy that commits to reducing the cost of projects by £1.7 billion during this parliament through the use of innovation and efficiency.

Click here to download National Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2016 to 2021

Click here to download National Infrastructure Pipeline Spring 2016

Click here to download Government Construction Strategy: 2016 – 2020