Reliable infrastructure can support economic growth, help tackle climate change and enhance the natural environment. That’s the message in the latest infrastructure assessment.

Significant investment and an ongoing commitment to stability and consistency of delivery are essential in supporting the built environment sector to meet the challenges of the future.

The assessment is published at a time when industry is eagerly awaiting the publication of the government infrastructure pipeline, as well as the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

The assessment, published today, reflects much of the feedback from ACE and EIC members ahead of the Autumn Statement. In the submission, the ACE Group called for clarity and consistency of messaging from central government. The submission also reinforced how Government support is crucial to member ambitions to drive economic growth. Whether this is through actions such as a loan scheme to assist organisations in delivering energy efficient projects, facilitating access to high quality asset datasets for both the public and private sector, or long-term policy stability and funding.

The ACE Group welcomes the Commission’s recognition of the need to support the delivery of projects with a culture of certainty. Continued delays, restarts and re-scoping contributes to the fear of uncertainty and doubt that industry and investors are currently feeling.

ACE and EIC members are working at the forefront of sustainability innovation and progress and recognise the significant opportunities for decarbonisation and climate change mitigation. These measures include adopting a circular economy approach within the built environment, such as clean economic growth, a reduction in waste exports, and self-sufficient resource management; or local actions such as increasing the access to and use of active travel.

It is encouraging to see measures such as these identified in the Assessment.

The Assessment is an important intervention to set out the path to net zero and beyond, whilst nurturing economic growth and protecting the natural world. It sets out what is needed from any government that will be in power after the next Election, and the ACE Group looks forward to sharing members’ expertise and insight to achieve these goals.