Weekly Policy Update |
up to Friday 4th April 2025
Information provided by National Constructing Excellence
Launch of National Infrastructure Transformation Authority (NISTA)
Infrastructure strategy and delivery brought together under one roof to support delivery of roads, railways, schools and hospitals, key to delivering on our Plan for Change to deliver the 1.5 million homes this country needs. Government also publishes the Teal book, the definitive guide for project delivery in government. Roads, railways, schools and hospitals will be delivered more efficiently as this government “gets a grip” on vital infrastructure delays and goes further and faster to kickstart economic growth and improve the lives of working people across the country.
Bringing together two bodies into one, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will accelerate the delivery of major government projects – supporting delivery of our roads, railways, schools and hospitals – by overcoming barriers and providing expertise on private finance, alongside developing and implementing the 10-year infrastructure strategy. See Government ushers in new era for UK infrastructure delivery – GOV.UK
Responsibility for all fire functions moves to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
On Tuesday (1 April), the government announced that fire functions previously residing with the Home Office will be transferred to MHCLG, bringing all fire functions under one department. In a move to ensure greater clarity and accountability, the responsibilities aim to strengthen coordination and improve policy implementation. The change follows a recommendation from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 report, which advised that fire and building safety should be overseen by a single department. Alex Norris MP, the current Minister for Building Safety and Local Growth will take on the additional responsibilities alongside his current role.
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate launch £150m Greener Homes Alliance phase two
On Wednesday (2 April), Homes England announced it has joined with Octopus Real Estate to create the Greener Homes Alliance 2. The Alliance will commit £150m of funding, which will provide small and medium-sized housebuilders with further loan finance enabling more high-quality, energy efficient homes to be built across England. Phase one of the Greener Homes Alliance launched in 2021 and led to 20 loans totalling £150m. Phase two will seek to support the creation of more sustainable homes by introducing ten new criteria where – if six or more are met – developers will be eligible for a 2% discount on their interest rate.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner appoints Pat Ritchie as interim Chair of Homes England
On Thursday (3 April), Angela Rayner confirmed she has appointed Pat Ritchie as interim Chair of Homes England. Ritchie has been Chair of the Government Property Agency since 2020 and sits on the Homes England Board, where she helps oversee and implement the agency’s priorities. She was previously Chief Executive of both Newcastle City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency. The interim position will last 18 months and begin when current Chair Peter Freeman steps down from his position after four years leading the agency to focus his attention on his role as Chair of the Cambridge Growth Company.
Constructing the Gold Standard
Prof David Mosey CBE, who chairs the Constructing the Gold Standard Task Group is an ICE Fellow. You will be interested to see the links below to an ICE paper for NISTA and my related ICE blog, both of which include strong recommendations in relation to ‘Constructing the Gold Standard’:
- Paper: https://www.ice.org.uk/news-views-insights/policy-and-advocacy/policy-insights/ice-insights-what-should-nista-priorities-be
- Blog: https://www.ice.org.uk/news-views-insights/inside-infrastructure/what-should-nista-priorities-be.
In the news
New body to “get a grip” on infrastructure delays – GOV.UK
UK cladding fund fix would enable 90,000 affordable homes, councils say – The Financial Times
UK Treasury confident Sizewell C nuclear power investors will soon be ‘teed up’ – The Financial Times
Trump tariffs could make investors pause funding for major schemes, experts warn | News | Building