ADEPT response: publication of the 1st National Infrastructure Assessment
The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) welcomes the National Infrastructure Commission Report launched on 10th July 2018.
ADEPT President, Neil Gibson said: “We are pleased that the 1st National Infrastructure Assessment highlights the need for a longer strategic view over more than one electoral cycle, which can help to inspire confidence and growth.
“Sustainable funding must be key to this vision: as the report outlines, the Government needs to recognise the interdependence of housing and infrastructure. Where there is new housing, there is a significant strain on transport and services, and this must be factored into a forward-thinking strategy through devolved funding. This needs underpinning by devolved, stable, long-term funding.
“We would have liked to have seen the emphasis on cities counter-balanced by a comparable view of the essential role rural areas can play in underpinning the economy. Our cities may well be key to driving regional growth, but they depend on their surrounding rural areas. The report does not recognise the value of rural enterprise nor the contribution that communities and businesses within the travel to work area can play. We encourage the National Infrastructure Commission to take a broader look at the role of rural productivity in generating economic growth.”