NIC's Phil Graham on joined-up transport and housing strategy
Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, Phil Graham, made the opening speech at our City Hall, London event, 'The Making of the Modern City' - full of insight and vital guidance on creating future infrastructure and connected housing.
His speech is now available to listen to in its entirety (above)
Phil said: "The NIC is very interested in cities as they can provide a more sustainable model of living - with lower CO2 use per head - than countryside settlements which rely extensively on motor transport. However congestion and poor air quality put this sustainable model in cities at risk."
"Much of the recent work of the NIC has centred on the 'highly productive' fast growth cities of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. We surmised that a lack of suitable housing is the major risk to the success of the Arc. There has also been very little joined-up thinking on transport and housing, and we need joined-up governance at a local authority level as well. We also believe that a much higher level of ambition is required, particularly in building a potential one million homes by 2050 in the Arc region. We are now arguing for accelerated development of transport schemes but making that conditional on an associated plan for housing."
Phil stated: "It is not just about cells on a spread sheet - we are putting great focus on a place-based approach where the developments need to reflect and respect local character. Tom Holbrook and spatial planners 5th Studio have been advising us on the need for very different sorts of development across the Arc.
Please listen to Phil's speech where he talks about the seven core priorities of The National Infrastructure Assessment - which will be released later this summer, as well as the case for a national design panel.