New report sets out how integrated planning can cut delays, reduce costs and boost confidence in UK infrastructure

AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, today released its latest report, Rebuilding Britain: Unlocking Growth from the UK’s Infrastructure Strategy, outlining a transformative roadmap to help the UK Government deliver on its ambitious 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy. The Company is recommending that the government’s planning reforms go further to better integrate projects across sectors and regions to accelerate delivery of the £725 billion National Infrastructure Pipeline.

The report presents 10 actionable recommendations across three strategic pillars, accelerating project delivery, embracing AI-first infrastructure, and unlocking private investment, aimed at driving economic growth, enhancing national resilience, and positioning the UK as a global leader in infrastructure innovation.

“AECOM is ready to continue its partnership with the UK Government to help turn the Infrastructure Strategy’s vision into reality,” said Troy Rudd, AECOM’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Our global record in delivering some of the most complex and sensitive infrastructure projects equips us with the skills, experience and insight to drive economic growth, enable sustainable energy and strengthen national security.”

AECOM’s key recommendations include:

• Establish a national-to-regional planning framework to break down silos, accelerate major project delivery, and encourage co-location of complementary infrastructure, such as repurposing waste heat from data centres or sharing cooling systems with nuclear facilities, to reduce costs, emissions, and maximise investment. The report also urges the government to go further on planning reforms to overcome one of the biggest barriers to infrastructure delivery. The report calls for cutting duplication, streamlining requirements, and accelerating consultations while maintaining environmental and community safeguards.
• Adopt an AI-first approach to infrastructure delivery, integrating advanced technologies from the earliest stages to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and optimise outcomes. The report also recommends empowering the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) to manage national datasets, enabling better collaboration and data-driven policymaking.
• Reimagine public-private partnerships to unlock private investment and enable smarter delivery. AECOM advocates for models that balance risk and reward, protect public value, and combine traditional procurement with innovative financing to accelerate infrastructure programmes.

“The UK government has made commendable progress with its planning reform agenda, which is a vital step towards delivering the infrastructure and homes this country needs,” said Richard Whitehead, chief executive Europe & India at AECOM. “The focus must now shift to ensuring those reforms translate into real-world results. By putting these ideas into action, we believe the government can turbocharge efforts to meet, and exceed, its ambitious infrastructure goals within this parliament and make infrastructure funding go further.”

The report draws on AECOM’s 100-year legacy of success and experience delivering landmark UK projects including Manchester’s Metrolink, Crossrail, Heathrow and the restoration of the Elizabeth Tower. Today, the Company is helping to deliver some of Britain’s most ambitious projects including the Great Grid Upgrade as well as supporting regional priorities through the reintroduction of passenger services to the Northumberland Line in North-East England.

To read the full report, visit https://www.aecom.com

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