An infrastructure expert has told Express.co.uk which crucial projects the Government should approve. Dr Mann Virdee has conducted research that highlights the planning and policy barriers holding back Britain’s national objectives.
His research found that the UK’s motorway system is far behind European counterparts, including lagging some seven times behind Spain in terms of kilometres per 100,000 people—but this isn’t the only area of concern. Dr Virdee says several measures, including strict deadlines and supply audits, can help Britain get building.
The Senior Research Fellow (Science, Technology, and Economics) at the Council on Geostrategy has shared which three infrastructure projects the UK government should back.
Nuclear Power
Dr Virdee says: “We as a country need more nuclear power. There are plans by Westinghouse to build at least two large nuclear reactors, and the Government is also considering whether to spend money on nuclear plants there in the future.
“The Government is trying to fast-track small nuclear reactors now. I think it’s going to represent a crucial piece of Britain’s energy future.”
Wasted Wind
The second project, Dr Virdee says, that the Government should say yes to is also an energy-based solution.
He says the UK wastes a huge amount of money on wasted wind from wind farms.
According to Octopus Energy, the UK is on track to hit £650 million wasted wind in 2025.
Dr Virdee says: “That’s quite a lot of wasted money to spend on switching off wind farms, so I think battery storage is important to make sure that we’re paying for those wind farms to be switched off. Instead, we would be able to store it and use it when we need to.”
The expert says it would lead to enhancing the national grid and would, in turn, create a more resilient energy system.
He adds: “One of Britain’s key problems is that we have the highest industrial electricity cost in the world, so energy is something that really does need to be improved.”
Reservoir
The third and final project Dr Virdee says the Government should back is in a different area of infrastructure but one that is still just as important – he believes water is another critical area which needs improvement.
Dr Virdee says: “The proposed £2.2 billion reservoir and oxygen from the South East Strategic Reservoir, called SESRO, is another project which can’t meet exit status.
“The project is facing a judicial review now, and while these reviews are important, they need to be more limited because otherwise we’re just not building the infrastructure.”
Dr Virdee’s report suggests Britain’s building problems come partly from an ineffective planning system.
The report notes judicial review affects around 58% of all infrastructure projects in recent times, compared to a historical average of 10%.
This forces developers into prolonged consultation before applications and provides excessive documentation to mitigate the risk of legal challenge.
He adds that this third infrastructure project will aim to increase water demand, and the best place to do that is in the Southeast, which is very water-stressed. “It’s developed long-term resilience for millions of people, and it’s essential,” he says.
The expert’s research concludes that the UK consistently struggles to build major infrastructure projects (such as roads and railways) quickly, at scale or cost-effectively.
Dr Virdee says these infrastructure projects will help the UK to achieve growth and prosperity.
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