Twenty-eight built environment organisations have urged the incoming UK prime minister to keep current UK infrastructure plans in place and accelerate delivery reforms.
The open letter was led by the Institution of Civil Engineers and signed by contractors, consultants, business groups and professional engineering bodies.
Signatories include leaders from Mace, the Construction Leadership Council, the Confederation of British Industry and Build UK.
UK infrastructure plans face political test
The letter calls for continued support for the government’s UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy and the accompanying UK Infrastructure Pipeline.
The strategy sets out long-term plans for economic, housing and social infrastructure. It is intended to give industry and investors greater certainty over future projects.
The pipeline provides a forward view of major infrastructure projects and programmes across sectors including transport, utilities, energy, health and education.
The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and the accompanying pipeline have given the sector the clarity and stability it’s long needed.
Dr Janet Young, director general, Institution of Civil Engineers
Sector warns against stop-start delivery
The letter argues that infrastructure investment is central to jobs, regional growth, energy security and climate adaptation.
It also warns that political uncertainty can undermine delivery. The signatories say stopping and restarting projects can raise costs, delay public benefits and reduce investor confidence.
Ripping up plans and stopping and starting projects creates uncertainty, which can deter investment and drive up costs.
Dr Janet Young, director general, Institution of Civil Engineers
The sector is calling for the next prime minister to recommit to existing plans rather than restart the policy process.
Climate resilience forms part of the case
The open letter says infrastructure has a key role in adapting the UK to a changing climate.
That includes systems for transport, energy, water, housing and public services. Many of these assets will remain in use for decades, making long-term planning central to resilience and emissions goals.
The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, known as NISTA, is responsible for bringing long-term strategy and project delivery closer together.
Now is not the time to rip up plans and go back to square one.
Joint open letter
Industry wants strategy turned into delivery
The signatories say the immediate focus should be implementation. That means delivering existing plans, building capacity and completing regulatory reforms designed to speed up project delivery.
The letter says the current strategy and pipeline provide a long-term view of £725bn worth of projects and programmes over the coming decade.
We have the knowledge to deliver the transformational infrastructure the UK needs. What we require now is the political consistency to see it through.
Joint open letter
The intervention comes as the built environment sector seeks stability after repeated changes in national leadership.
More coverage of infrastructure resilience and climate-related systems is available in the Climate Global News Energy section and Transport section, including recent reporting on infrastructure and sustainability risks.
FAQs
Who signed the infrastructure open letter?
The letter was signed by 28 built environment organisations, including contractors, consultants, business groups and professional engineering institutions.
What are industry leaders asking the new prime minister to do?
They are asking the incoming UK prime minister to keep existing infrastructure plans and speed up reforms designed to accelerate project delivery.
What is the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy?
It is the UK government’s long-term strategy for economic, housing and social infrastructure, designed to support growth, resilience and better delivery.
Why does infrastructure policy matter for climate resilience?
Infrastructure systems such as transport, energy, water and public buildings must be planned and adapted for more extreme weather and long-term climate risks.
