COMMENT As the UK charts its course towards a greener future, the need for robust infrastructure is paramount.
However, building the infrastructure which supports our green ambitions comes with a hefty price tag.
The Climate Change Committee estimates that the annual capital investment required to accelerate the green transition is between £50bn-£60bn pa. This is quite the sum and, with green investment policies being scaled back on both sides of the political spectrum, the public sector will need to look elsewhere for funding.
Grappling with budget constraints, local authorities find themselves at a crossroads. While the public sector understands the scale of what needs to be done, it lacks the capacity and funding to shore up the future of UK infrastructure.
The question remains: how can we deliver essential projects while navigating these limitations? The answer lies in strategic collaboration between public and private institutions.
Greater collaboration
The virtues of public-private partnerships are better understood across the property sector, but much of the conversation is focused on regeneration and housing.
This rests on the assumption that places already have the infrastructure they need to prosper in the long term, when in fact there is often still much to be done in terms of improving connectivity and access to renewable energy.
Notably, the BPF’s 2024 manifesto also calls for greater collaboration to prioritise infrastructure and unlock development.
What can be done to help facilitate infrastructure-driven partnerships and to maximise their potential for environmental and social outcomes? Transportation links, energy grids and digital networks, all help to sustain communities, yet they often lag behind in development.
Initiatives such as Scape’s new Utilities Works and Services frameworks have a vital role to play in unlocking projects, from docks and ports to energy and telecommunications.
Wider outcomes
The frameworks provide local authorities with access to specialised contractors, with recognised expertise in green infrastructure.
Operating according to a direct award model, they remove the need to undertake lengthy tender processes, saving time and money which can be invested into other projects. This takes pressure off internal teams, allowing for a better allocation of resources.
While these frameworks are primarily designed to facilitate port and railway expansions, improve grid connections, build smarter energy infrastructure and accelerate digital connectivity, the outcomes for UK communities go beyond concrete, steel and wires.
The principles and learnings from property-led partnerships can be applied to utilities and infrastructure.
By partnering with private sector organisations, local authorities can also take advantage of a range of social and environmental benefits. The delivery partners we work with at Scape collaborate with third sector, voluntary, community and social enterprises to ensure maximum local benefit.
Skills gaps
Frameworks and their partners can also work with local authorities to identify local construction skills gaps and opportunities. The skills gap in every area is different but partnerships can facilitate construction and green skills through work experience and apprenticeship placements.
This can also help to raise awareness around career opportunities in construction, making it a win-win for both private and public institutions.
Moreover, with construction companies investing in research and development for the latest construction technology, local authorities can gain new insights by working alongside their private counterparts.
This is particularly important with new regulations, such as the biodiversity net gain imperative, coming in thick and fast, calling on local governments to upskill in the process.
Delivering infrastructure is not only vital for powering our homes and businesses sustainably in the years to come, but it also lies at the heart of uplifting under-privileged communities, by providing the accessibility needed to drive growth through essential transport links and broadband networks.
Sustainable development remains a complex issue to tackle. We need to start seeing public-private partnerships not as sales pitches but as practical tools. This is the way ahead if we want to build resilient, connected and sustainable communities.
Mark Robinson is group chief executive of Scape Group
Photo © Scape
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