Overcoming obstacles to planning major infrastructure projects

Abstract

The planning system has an important role to play in delivering major infrastructure projects. The obstacles which a promoter of a project must overcome are inherent in any consenting system which is rooted in democratic participation and political accountability. To understand the nature of those obstacles and how they might be addressed requires an appreciation of the process that a project must navigate to secure consent and the influences on the decision maker at each stage of that process. This paper suggests that the prospects for the success of a major infrastructure project and the speed of decision are best served by focusing time and resource on four key areas: the need and justification for the project; policy support for the project; technical assessment; and external and internal communication. The paper explores the considerations which a promoter should address in each of these key areas and identifies three priorities for government in the way the infrastructure planning system is operated.