As our cities densify and population demands for connectivity increase there is an ever greater demand that infrastructure evolve to meet innovative and rapid changes. During 2015 the UK Infrastructure Council, a multi-disciplinary community focused on addressing these challenge with forums themed around finance, city planning, big data, governance and innovative transport.

Infrastructure finance is traditionally seen as a separate asset class to real estate yet the interdependencies of infrastructure success in terms of real estate investment and human capital are strongly correlated. Early in 2015 the council developed a roundtable with the GLA to focus specifically on ‘Who Pays, Who Finances, Who Benefits?’ The roundtable took a deep dive into the interrelationship of infrastructure finance and urban regeneration, exploring international and innovative methods to remodel infrastructure investment to correlate more to those that will benefit in the short and long-term.

Continuing a futuristic theme the council then explored the implications of emerging technologies within the context of a conference based on Driverless cars and the City.  Findings from the conference highlighted how driverless cars represent the blending of mega-data, mobility and new urban strategies, yet the consequences of such transport may have far reaching implications for our cities, governance and urban realm. This emerging innovation could undermine or support the development of sustainability, city density and the wider urban realm, a challenges that Government, real estate and businesses and the wider urban environment need to address.

Addressing the infrastructure challenges facing our urban realm will be a continuing theme for the Infrastructure Council with our first forum themed around the UK’s largest regeneration scheme at Old Oak and Park Royal 26^th January. As a new council we are still welcoming members.

We look forward to sharing our programme shortly and look forward to meeting you in 2016.

Christopher Choa

Vice President, AECOM

ULI UK Infrastructure Council Chair