The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), Scottish Government’s independent centre of infrastructure expertise, has published its latest five-year corporate plan outlining how it will prioritise its work towards a vision of world-class infrastructure for the people of Scotland.

Recognising that high-quality infrastructure underpins inclusive economic growth, sustainable communities and the effective provision of public services, Scottish Government has set a National Infrastructure Mission to increase infrastructure investment by up to £1.5bn per annum over its £5.2bn 2019-20 baseline, so that it reaches £6.7bn in 2025-26.

SFT has a unique role across the whole of Scotland, working with the public and private sectors, to:

• Plan asset investment and management effectively across sectors and places
• Innovate in approaches to funding, financing and delivery
• Deliver projects and programmes to drive life-cycle value and vibrant construction and related industries
• Manage existing assets, estates and contracts productively

SFT’s Corporate Plan sets out the outcomes it will work with partners to deliver, with a particular focus on:

Enabling development in places where jobs can be created and homes built – bringing public and private sector partners together with a focus on infrastructure and innovative financing to unlock the potential of places and assets; and

Delivering investment programmes in public infrastructure effectively – especially programmes which span multiple organisations such as schools’ investment and elements of the National Infrastructure Mission which need new financing approaches to be delivered.

In supporting the National Infrastructure Mission to enable the low-carbon, digitally enabled economy of tomorrow, SFT sees an increased focus on:

• Low-carbon infrastructure where we are working to deliver better insulated buildings, de-carbonise heat and provide options to increase electric vehicle charging points
• Digital infrastructure where we are working on 5G technologies as well as rolling out masts to further increase 4G coverage in mobile ‘not-spots’
• Infrastructure technology with 3D computer modelling, virtual reality and laser scanning all amongst the new infrastructure technologies we are promoting to virtually build a new school or hospital to help flush out any design flaws before moving the building into the construction phase
• Maintenance and resilience where a renewed focus on making the best use of the assets we have through effective and joined-up use of buildings and focussed investment in condition can benefit users, the environment and free up budget over the medium term to invest in transformation

Much of SFT’s infrastructure work is delivered in partnership with the Scottish construction industry. Recognising its importance to the economy SFT will seek to ensure a vibrant construction industry with increased productivity delivering well-designed and high-quality assets to its customers and fair and rewarding work to a diverse workforce.

Peter Reekie, chief executive of the Scottish Futures Trust, explained: “Delivering high-quality, well-functioning infrastructure to support and accelerate economic growth will achieve social and environmental benefits right across Scotland. Building the economy is our focus, and we will continue to provide innovative investment models to stimulate additional private sector investment and create jobs.

“The target to phase out the need to buy petrol or diesel vehicles in Scotland in little over ten years’ time will require a big expansion of charging points and we are working with colleagues from Transport Scotland to plan for that now.

“In addition, the economic impact of Scotland becoming a world-leading digital nation is huge as it could boost GDP by around 10%. But to reap that reward, all of Scotland must be at the forefront of technology. We are delivering the 4G mobile mast infill programme to cover many rural mobile not-spots and working on Scotland’s 5G strategy which will be piloted at Dundee’s waterfront area.”

Infrastructure Secretary, Michael Matheson, said: “The Scottish Government’s £5 billion commitment to infrastructure investment in 2019-20 will support 50,000 affordable new homes, delivery of the extension of early learning and childcare, new roads and railways, electric vehicles and delivery of superfast broadband across Scotland.

“As part of this, our pipeline report, published last week, shows Scottish Government procured projects, with a value of almost £3.1 billion, are estimated to be in construction across Scotland during 2019-20.

“Building on this success, SFT will support the delivery of our National Infrastructure Mission, which will increase annual infrastructure investment by 1% of current (2017)  GDP by the end of the next Parliament, helping to protect and create jobs, and boost growth across the country.”