CIOB Welcomes UK Infrastructure Strategy

CIOB has responded to the UK Infrastructure Strategy.

David Barnes, head of policy and public affairs at Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), said: “The publication of the long-awaited UK Infrastructure Strategy includes some important changes to the Infrastructure Pipeline that CIOB has long called for. This is particularly the case with the expansion to include greater granularity, coverage, transparency and usability.  

“We have long suggested that the information guiding construction and infrastructure projects in the UK has been patchy and a lack of joined up departmental thinking has led to suboptimal policy decisions and counter-productive policy around projects.

“This move presents a significant opportunity for the Government to boost its knowledge of the built environment. This would improve its policymaking and the impact of its spending, while potentially lifting the efficiency of every business operating in the sector.

“Ultimately, a long-term pipeline of infrastructure projects, including those associated with housing, provides an opportunity to map the true layout of the industry and provides a path to better policymaking that takes factors such as capacity into account.

“The creation of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will also be crucial for bringing much needed oversight of the strategy and, most importantly, delivery under one roof. There is a strong case for more consistency and coordination in shaping the nation’s infrastructure – particularly in an industry that is reliant on confidence, stability and visibility to invest.”