Government reveals £600bn infrastructure pipeline

A £600bn decade-long construction and infrastructure pipeline has today been outlined by the government.

The government’s national infrastructure and construction pipeline reveals the public and private investment underway and expected by 2028.

It includes schemes announced by chancellor Philip Hammond in his recent budget, such as a £28bn national roads fund, as well as other flagship projects like East West Rail, upgrading the M6 to a smart motorway and Hornsea Project One – the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

According to Robert Jenrick, exchequer secretary to the Treasury, around half the projects will be privately funded, while around £190bn of planned investment in the pipeline will be delivered by 2020/21.

As part of its latest pipeline, the government said it had also committed to using modern methods of construction (MMC) for public projects and is seeking views on how it can encourage greater use of these techniques in order to improve productivity.

Jenrick said: “As the pace of technological change accelerates, we are stepping up our commitment to digital infrastructure, use of data to drive greater productivity and embrace new methods of construction.

“With £600bn of investment over the next decade, including the largest ever investment in our strategic road network, we are taking the long-term action required to raise productivity and ensure the economy is fit for the future.”

Mace boss Mark Reynolds welcomed the government’s decision to promote MMC, saying they were “key to dramatically increasing our industry’s productivity, quality and safety challenges”.

He said: “It makes sense for the government to reward the companies who are willing to take the lead. Transformation and innovation will not happen without significant investment in research and development, which is why government and industry must work together the realise the benefits this announcement provides; alongside the Sector Deal.”

Consultant WSP also welcomed the announcement of both the pipeline and the MMC consultation, with director Adrian Hames saying “the need to build modern and most importantly flexible infrastructure that makes use of the latest technology has never been greater”.