PM launches ‘build, build, build’ Covid-19 recovery plan

Prime minister Boris Johnson today launched a post-Covid-19 economic growth strategy placing infrastructure and development at its centre. The pro-development plan, dubbed the “New Deal”, brings forward a £5bn pipeline of projects. It includes £900m for “shovel-ready” local growth projects in England for the remainder of this year and 2021, as well as £96m to accelerate investment in town centres and high streets. Investment into infrastructure upgrades will also be made, including £100m for 29 road improvement projects, and £10m will be used to “unblock the Manchester rail bottleneck”. Johnson said: “This is a government that is wholly committed not just to defeating coronavirus but to using this crisis finally to tackle this country’s great unresolved challenges of the last three decades. To build the homes, to fix the NHS, to tackle the skills crisis, to mend the indefensible gap in opportunity and productivity and connectivity between the regions of the UK. To unite and level up. “To that end we will build build build. Build back better, build back greener, build back faster and to do that at the pace that this moment requires.” The government has also announced it will publish a National Infrastructure Strategy in the Autumn to support this coronavirus recovery plan. To send feedback, e-mail lucy.alderson@egi.co.uk or tweet @LucyAJourno or @estatesgazette