Running order for 'The Making of the Modern City' event

Above: Walbrook Square in the City of London - with from right - the Bloomberg Building, Rothschild & Co's London HQ, St Stephen Walbrook church and the Mansion House

This forum looks at infrastructure development in the UK and is led by Stephen Dance, Head of the Commercial Advisor Team at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is warning of tax rises to fill a ‘black hole’ in public finances, along with tough decisions on spending. However, the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has threatened to resign if defence spending doesn’t rise to 3% of GDP.

Where does this leave the large infrastructure projects that were meant to create levelling up in the UK, with associated investment in joined-up transport and housing? Will the UK be able to move forward with smaller net zero transport projects that make a big difference to local communities and help to tackle climate change? How will the UK government support the growth of nuclear and hydrogen and will it be able to attract private investment for EV battery charging and car manufacture? How will science R&D investment support our science clusters and innovation hub growth against international competition? How long will it be before the Bakerloo Line extension will receive enough funding to reach South London where growth is much needed?

The 2022 Infrastructure & Projects Authority annual report talks of the need to attract private investment for energy transition, net zero initiatives and the housing agenda. The IPA has been supporting Sizewell C, while stating that the building of freeports will require streamlined planning. It suggests its Hydrogen Revenue Support Scheme will continue to reduce investor risk and describes how it will be encouraging the science behind novel technologies to reduce the cost of deploying carbon capture. Investing in people and human capital it says will ensure efficiency of projects in which the Project Delivery Framework is a key part. It notes how all projects within the Birmingham 2022 capital programme reached practical completion and within budget. Regeneration of place and concern for biodiversity remains a constant. Finally, the IPA Project Futures Team has been gathering data on key trends around AI and with an emphasis on soft skills.

Timings

9.30 Arrival and networking breakfast

10.00 Introduction by Heather Fearfield, Future Cities Forum and Martin Nelson-Jones, DLA Piper LLP

Overview of the UK government's infrastructure and development priorities - Stephen Dance, Head of the Commercial Adviser Team at The Infrastructure & Projects Authority

10.10 Panel 1: The future for UK infrastructure and transport in economically challenging times.

Stephen Dance, Head of the Commercial Advisor Team, Infrastructure & Projects Authority

Alister Kratt, Head of Infrastructure at LDA Design and Member of NIC Design Group

Declan McCafferty, Partner, Grimshaw – HS2 stations

Dr Neil Strong, Head of Biodiversity Planning, Network Rail

Howard Bassford, Partner, DLA Piper

This panel looks at the big themes in infrastructure: the UK government’s current infrastructure plans for levelling up, the development of Sizewell C and the importance of landscaping around it, the development of the HS2 station at Euston and the work to create greater biodiversity around new infrastructure.

10.50 Panel 2: Healthcare and life sciences infrastructure – can the UK compete globally?

Peter Ward, Director of Real Estate Development, King’s College London / Guy’s & St Thomas Hospital NHS Trust

Zachary Gauge, Director of Research EMEA (Ex DACH), UBS Asset Management

Dan Ringelstein, Director – Cities, Planning & Design, Arup

Ed Hayden, Director and Head of Life Sciences, Scott Brownrigg

Andrew Hudson, Director and Head of Cost Management (UK), JLL

This panel will discuss the importance of the UK government continuing to support the growth of R&D/innovation hub infrastructure in the UK, against international competition, the role of private investment, managing costs and master planning design excellence.

11.30 Panel 3: Infrastructure, development and the place-based approach

Matthew Yates, Head of Planning Projects, Transport for London

Emma Talbot, Director of Planning, London Borough of Lewisham

Steve Norris, National Head of Planning, Regeneration + Infrastructure, Lambert Smith Hampton

Tom Hewitt, Architect Director, BDP

Ed Atterwill, Director and Head of Central London, Aviva Investors

Luke Wormald, Head of Infrastructure, Historic England

This panel looks at the issues of funding around connected transport, workspace and housing, investment in new rail and underground lines and stations for the regeneration of communities, net zero bus stations and the importance of place and heritage.

12.10 / 12.15 Forum discussions finish - goodbyes.