Over 100 industry experts attended the RICS Infrastructure and the Economy Question Time, on 29 January 2014, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in producing infrastructure fit for the future in the region.
Bristol Mayor George Ferguson gave the keynote speech and applauded RICS for ‘upping its game on infrastructure’ and ‘setting the gold standard’. The mayor described the great opportunities that Bristol has, and that in order for infrastructure to be successful cities need to look beyond their boundaries. He commented that transport needs to be fully integrated and with the planning of the electrification of the London- Bristol – Cardiff line, Bristol needs to provide the joined up infrastructure to support this to take full advantage. Ambitious plans for the City were discussed including developments in the Temple Meads area and further dressing of the City to encourage investment.
Following the Mayor’s keynote speech, RICS South West Regional Board Chairman, Tim Davis MRICS welcomed the panel, which comprised speakers from a variety of backgrounds in infrastructure including, James Durie, Executive Director of Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Business West and Chair, Ken Hall FRICS of K J Hall Chartered Surveyors. They took various questions from the audience including on the future development of a Bristol Arena as well as Hinckley nuclear power plant, with a particular focus on skills and funding.
The funding of infrastructure including securing private investment raised interesting points, including how the region could do more to identify this – one panellist commented that in some areas of the region it could be argued that there is too much private investment.
Whether the region has the right skills to deliver the infrastructure needed was also debated along with the differences in skills needed for the rural economy. It was suggested that planning approvals for large projects should depend on skills provision, with this embedded into the planning application process to ensure the local workforce had the right skills, in the right numbers.
Luay Al-Khatib, RICS Director South, said:
“The debate showed the immense value in better dialogue between the industry, the property profession and local authorities, to ensure a less adversarial and more strategic approach to planning for key infrastructure.”
I would welcome greater integration between RICS and local authorities to help deliver joined up planning policy in a fast changing economic climate”