Becky Wood
Chief Executive Officer, National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority
Infrastructure delivers greatest value when planned as an integrated system rather than standalone projects, ensuring transport, energy, housing and public services work together to support communities across the country.
A place-based approach is shaping how Government thinks about infrastructure delivery. It shows where investment in economic and social infrastructure can unlock the greatest benefits and how decisions in one sector can reinforce outcomes in another.
Long-term infrastructure strategy
The 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy embeds this principle at the heart of Government’s approach. By bringing economic infrastructure, social infrastructure and housing into a single framework, it recognises that successful places depend on more than roads, railways, water and power networks. Schools, health centres, courts and other services are equally essential to effective place-making.
Backed by a commitment to invest at least £725 billion in infrastructure over the next decade, and supported by NISTA’s Infrastructure Pipeline, the strategy gives investors, industry and regional leaders greater confidence to plan, recruit and invest for the long term.
Building prosperous, thriving communities means ensuring
the infrastructure we build, maintain and adapt works for everyone
Turning strategy into delivery
NISTA’s role is to turn that ambition into better decisions and stronger outcomes, using data to understand infrastructure needs in the context of wider priorities, including housing, industrial growth and public service delivery.
To support this, we are using a new tool that combines data, modelling and AI to assess infrastructure needs against housing, industrial growth and land-use scenarios. It will help prioritise investment across regions. Alongside Government departments, we are piloting the approach with mayoral authorities to test growth opportunities against infrastructure capacity and identify where investment can deliver most value.
Collaborative spatial planning
Spatial planning is fundamentally about creating shared understanding of how places function, then directing public and private investment where it can deliver greatest long-term benefit. It also means creating shared action through stronger collaboration between Government, industry, regulators and local leaders. No single organisation can create successful places alone.
Building prosperous, thriving communities means ensuring the infrastructure we build, maintain and adapt works for everyone. Effective spatial planning enables that, helping align investment with local need and powering this Government’s regional growth ambitions.
