According to Colin Wilson, head of UK infrastructure at DLA Piper, the coming Brexit offers a unique opportunity to get major infrastructure building programmes started, which the UK needs in order to boost its economy. The negotiations with the EU on the terms of Brexit are in his opinion key to it, as their outcome will determine whether the UK can take absolute control of the frameworks by which it approves its national infrastructure network. Being able to quickly and efficiently approve plans so that infrastructure projects process is expected to attract foreign direct investment. However, whatever the terms of Brexit will be in the end, the UK has committed itself to broader obligations relating to public participation in environmental decision-making and access to environmental information under international conventions such as the Aarhus Convention. Any changes in legislation on sustainability and environmental issues would need to take these into account. Wilson is nevertheless confident that if the UK adopts an “infrastructure first” policy, a significant boost can be delivered to the economy and the UK can demonstrate its openness to businesses.
