BUDGET 2016: Infrastructure, urban design and transport planning firm Tyrens has called for more investment into infrastructure for future development ahead of chancellor George Osborne’s budget announcement.
Scot Parkhurst, managing director, said he thinks councils are more likely to spend funds from devolved business rates on other council services instead.
He added: “Although there is the community infrastructure levy, this is not linked to business rates.
“Any money that is made available needs to be spent on enabling infrastructure to facilitate development which is currently not viable because of infrastructure constraints.
“To really enable localised funding of infrastructure projects, the chancellor needs to look at how to adopt an approach which is not dissimilar to the GLA funding for housing zones.
“It is time we learnt some lessons from Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe, where local governments are taking innovative approaches to improving local infrastructure in order to benefit the local community and economy.
“The remodelling of road networks can make a huge difference to a town’s commercial offering and residents’ lifestyles.”
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