Policy Forum for Wales event

Guests of Honour: Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Welsh Government and Tony Thickett, Director of Wales, Planning Inspectorate

Delegates attending this seminar will discuss key priorities for infrastructure development in Wales – and the challenges of attracting investment and delivering projects on schedule.

This seminar comes at a critical time in the development of Wales’ infrastructure, with the a number of major projects either in development or being proposed including: the South Wales Metro, ‘North Wales Metro’, Swansea city centre regeneration, Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, Wylfa Newydd and the M4 relief road.

It is also scheduled during significant uncertainty over the effects of Brexit on the development and finance of infrastructure projects in Wales and comes as the Welsh Government looks to make best use of the new borrowing powers contained in the Wales Bill.

Sessions will focus on public finance for infrastructure after Brexit, attracting private investment, the role of infrastructure in urban regeneration, and ways the new Welsh planning system can be used to support the development of infrastructure.

The conference will bring together policymakers from both the Welsh and UK Governments, National Assembly for Wales and regulatory bodies along with key stakeholders and interest groups including engineering firms, infrastructure providers, planning lawyers, community groups, local authorities, charities and academics.

We are delighted that Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Welsh Government; Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission and Tony Thickett, Director of Wales, Planning Inspectorate have agreed to deliver keynote addresses at this conference.

Professor John Hughes, Chairman, M-SParc and Vice-Chancellor, Bangor University; Edward Hunt, Programme Director, Superfast Cymru, BT Group; Tim London, Principal Associate, Eversheds; Mike Pedley, Head of Energy, Welsh Water and Roger Tanner, Spokesperson on Transport, Cardiff Civic Society have also agreed to speak.

Russell George AM, Chair, Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee has kindly agreed to chair the first half of this seminar.

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