Status	Research ongoing
Start date	Summer 2025
Finish date	Winter 2026

Background

During this Senedd term NICW has undertaken various research projects, spoken to numerous stakeholders and visited many parts of the country to understand infrastructure issues facing Wales at this time.

We have found that Wales has a mixed track record on the delivery of major infrastructure projects. Over the last twenty years there have been some high-profile projects which have not materialised or ultimately not been taken forward. NICW believes this has left the host communities and the nation, with a sense of loss, disappointment and unrealised economic and social benefits.

Throughout our work and engagement there have been several common themes that have emerged frequently which NICW believes need to be investigated further to uncover some of the root causes of these major projects not materialising. These ‘themes’ fall into the following categories:

• Economics and funding
• Skills (both within the sector and of those people bringing projects forward)
• The political environment
• The role of engagement
• The statutory planning / environmental permitting systems

That is not to say that all projects experience the same fate, and NICW would also like to understand how successful projects in Wales have been delivered, so that experience can be learned and shared elsewhere within the infrastructure delivery sector.

To find out more about this issue we have commissioned research to analyse both successful and not successful examples of Welsh infrastructure projects through the various stages of the project.  The aim is to collate information, data and statistics, which can build on NICW’s anecdotal understanding and highlight the systemic issues preventing successful delivery throughout the infrastructure sectors. 

The research will:

• Help us to understand the key factors which prevent the delivery of major infrastructure projects in Wales;
• Use case studies to highlight how success happens and how other projects are not delivered
• Use stakeholder surveys and interviews with key players, developers and promoters of schemes to delve into the issues
• Back up findings of the opinion with data, where available, to evidence the reports overall conclusions.

The emphasis of the research will be on public-sector backed projects, where an element of state intervention is required to fully realise the benefits of a scheme to the wider communities.

It is important to stress that this project is not simply about the delaying of projects by administrative systems. Whilst this is recognised as a legitimate area of concern for those involved with bringing forward projects, this project will delve more deeply into the differences between success and failure in major Welsh infrastructure projects.

This information will be used to develop recommendations to the Welsh Government and also to inform NICWs work programme for the next Senedd term. 

For further information, please contact: NationalInfrastructureCommissionforWales@gov.wales