On 25 November the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced his Spending Review and government published their long-awaited National Infrastructure Strategy.

“Our roads and our railways and our full fibre cables join us together as one nation - the thigh bone connected to the hip bone, connected to the back bone, connected to the shoulder bone – but our national anatomy is creaking”

The prime minister’s foreword employs his usual use of analogy, here to continue the governments levelling up messaging, one of three central objectives of the Strategy.  The remaining two central objectives are economic recovery and targeting net zero emissions by 2050.  As a whole the Strategy seeks to establish long term goals without ignoring short term imperatives.

The Strategy was informed by the National Infrastructure Assessment published by the National Infrastructure Commission in 2018.  The government intends to carry out a similar assessment every five years and update the Strategy accordingly.

At over 50 pages of confident solutions the Strategy is like a manifesto.  Various initiatives are set out, some of the most interesting (for a planning lawyer) originating out of “Project Speed”. A package of reforms is proposed to: streamline infrastructure planning and environmental regulations; simplify procurement and modernise construction; front-load decision making; and invest in major project expertise and delivery skills.

Amongst the time saving changes are expanded permitted development rights for easier expansion of schools, hospitals and prisons.  Changes to such buildings beyond those permitted would be subject to a speedier application process of 10 weeks.  A new system of environmental assessment to ensure upfront consideration and avoid duplication and a strategic approach to habitats and species are proposed. 

The Strategy places emphasis on commencing approved schemes and on smaller local schemes which can be quickly approved, providing employment as quickly as possible. An infrastructure bank, headquartered in the north of England, is to be set up to both replace the European Investment Bank and to provide targeted support. Full details will be set out in the 2021 budget.

The Strategy is to be followed by a raft of publications building up details on key areas of infrastructure policy.  New priorities are also to be set out for the National Infrastructure Commission that include growing the commission and interrogating greenhouse gas removal technologies.