Infrastructure Economy – Accelerating Major Projects Full Report

The 2013 Budget placed emphasis on the important role that economic infrastructure can play in providing an early boost to growth of the UK economy. The challenge for MPA members is find ways in which major projects already in a pipeline of activity can be more quickly brought to market and for the build phase to begin. Other projects slightly later in their phasing could bring benefits from increased expenditure on the initiation stage through employment of consultants and other professionals to hasten the award of contracts earlier than otherwise would have been the case.

The Chairman for this half day afternoon seminar is Alan Couzens, a Director at Infrastructure UK. This body sits within UK Treasury and therefore the chair is in a direct line to provide thoughts and advice, as well as take back to Government the outcomes from the seminar.
Economic infrastructure is described as those major projects which directly benefit the economic activity of government and businesses. In addition to civil engineering projects, other forms of economic infrastructure include major IT programmes, defence and broadband and other relevant media channels.

The focus of the seminar will be on the tension of obtaining a quick start of projects in the pipeline whilst recognising that major projects traditionally need sophisticated and longish lead times. Can our industries rise the challenge and provide useful suggestions to speed this process in response to the requirements laid down in the budget?