Getting Britain Building means thinking creatively about the assets we already have

A new report from Centre for Cities has highlighted the huge potential for building more homes around Britain’s railway stations – and it is exactly the kind of creative thinking we need if we are serious about getting Britain building.

The research estimates that Britain’s 12 largest cities are missing around 1.2 million homes around inner-city railway stations compared with other G7 countries. Matching the housing density around stations seen in countries such as France and Japan could, Centre for Cities argues, reduce Britain’s housing shortage by as much as a quarter.

Its proposal is for greater powers to be given to metro mayors to unlock Network Rail land around stations, alongside planning reforms designed to accelerate development.

There will rightly be a debate about the best delivery model. Network Rail’s development company, Platform4, has itself highlighted the importance of partnership between national infrastructure bodies and mayors.

But the bigger point should command widespread agreement: Britain needs to get much better at making use of the assets and infrastructure it already has.

At The Association of Infrastructure Investors in Public Private Partnerships (AIIP), we see the same challenge across social and economic infrastructure.

Too often, potentially valuable land, buildings and infrastructure are constrained by fragmented responsibilities, complicated processes or a lack of investment. Meanwhile, the country urgently needs new homes, better public services and modern infrastructure.

One practical example of how we can unlock new infrastructure: we recently developed plans for an NHS Rapid Upgrade Programme which could provide a £16 billion boost to critical hospital infrastructure reducing pressures on our NHS.

Unlocking growth will require government, mayors, public bodies and private investors to work together – finding innovative ways to make better use of existing assets and mobilise the capital needed to improve them.

There are important lessons from overseas too - as the Australian precinct model of developing health infrastructure demonstrates.

Centre for Cities has made an important contribution to that debate. We need more ideas like this, and a willingness to challenge the processes that too often prevent good projects from moving from proposal to delivery.

Getting Britain building isn’t just about spending more. It is about thinking differently about how we use the assets, expertise and investment already available to us.