The Institution of Civil Engineers has launched a new consultation on the current state of the UK’s infrastructure planning system.

The consultation is seeking to establish whether the UK’s existing model of planning, prioritising and designing infrastructure – as led by the National infrastructure Commission (NIC) – is as effective as it could be.

Following publication by the NIC of the first National Infrastructure Strategy late last year, the Institution says the time is right to review the current components of the process and consider what, if any, improvements could be made to best support the delivery of stable long-term decisions on infrastructure priorities. ICE is seeking input on a wide range of questions including:

• Is the UK's model for planning infrastructure the most effective it could be?
• Should cost and affordability constrain infrastructure advice given to the government?  
• The NIC’s scope is defined as economic infrastructure. Would broadening this scope help it deliver better strategic infrastructure planning outcomes?
• Are there any implications for strategic infrastructure planning when government-commissioned reviews on economic infrastructure are conducted outside the NIC?
• Should additional remits be outlined in addition to the fiscal and economic remit, for example, carbon?
• What evidence is there that the new approach to strategic infrastructure planning has brought benefits to the processes, behaviours and practices for infrastructure decision-making?
• What are the implications of the NIC not having statutory independence?
• Is there a need for more formal joint working between the organisations involved in the infrastructure planning ecosystem? If yes, how could this be achieved?
• What process is needed to ensure the NIS is used to underpin relevant decisions on infrastructure going forward, such as amendments to National Policy Statements or the duties of regulators?
• Are any other changes needed to the process of strategic infrastructure planning in the UK to support the delivery of stable long-term decisions on infrastructure priorities?

The publication of the National Infrastructure Strategy in November 2020 and the recent Annual Monitoring Report marked the end of the first round of infrastructure planning in the UK using the new approach outlined when the Commission was founded in 2015.

The NIC’s Framework Document commits HM Treasury to conduct a review of ‘the NIC’s performance and delivery on its core objectives and responsibilities’ at least once every five years, as well as reviewing ‘the need for its function, its form of delivery, its efficiency, its governance and its relationship with the department’.

The review is due in the next 12 months.

The second round of national infrastructure planning will begin later this year - ICE believes the time is right to look at what worked, what didn’t and what needs to change in order to deliver the strategic infrastructure plan more effectively for the public.

Paul Sheffield, ICE Fellow and past-President, said:

"We all know the significant challenges we face in coming decades, to sustainably implement the complex infrastructure changes that are required to meet population growth, demographic shifts, imbalances in economic prosperity across the nation and, of course, decarbonising the economy. 

"Policymakers need to make decisions in a timely and effective way and these decisions must be founded on the best available evidence. Taking time to review whether our infrastructure planning systems are working is important – and I encourage all those interested in delivering a sustainable UK to engage with us and share their thoughts."

Recognising that an effective infrastructure planning system delivers better outcomes at a lower cost for the public, the Institution is looking for feedback from those in the sector. The consultation will feed into a final policy report, which will offer thoughts to government and decision-makers ahead of the next round of planning later this year.  

The consultation asks for thoughts on what the impact of the delay in responding to the first-ever National Infrastructure Assessment, published in 2018, was, and how it might be avoided in future.  

ICE also point out that one of the most noticeable recommendations from the 2013 Armitt Review of of long term infrastructure planning not subsequently taken forward was the evolution of National Policy Statements to become Sector Infrastructure Plans.

ICE said this part of the process would have taken the NIA and turned it into action at the Departmental level, commenting:

“ In the absence of Sector Infrastructure Plans, it is not clear how the NIS will inform decision-making, including how National Policy Statements or regulators will be expected to give action to the NIS.”

It also asks if broadening the NIC’s scope from economic infrastructure, to include social infra such as housing and green infrastructure, would help deliver better strategic planning outcomes; and what is tangibly different to processes, behaviours and practices within infrastructure decision-making than in 2015 – and how might this affect the next round of planning. 

The consultation is open to all civil engineers, infrastructure system experts, and those who share ICE’s aim of seeing the infrastructure system's role being maximised to deliver a more sustainable UK.  
Deadline to respond to the consultation is midnight on 3 May 2021

Click here to download UK strategic infrastructure planning – a post-National Infrastructure Strategy review: ICE discussion paper and consultation

Click here to access the consultation online