Osborne vow to put building on to the fast-track

GEORGE Osborne will today unveil plans to ‘shake Britain out of its inertia’ by fast-tracking infrastructure projects across the country.

The Chancellor will use his speech to the Tory conference in Manchester to unveil a commission dedicated to cutting through red tape and nimbyism and speeding up progress in areas such as transport, energy and housing.

He will also unveil former Labour Cabinet Minister Lord Adonis as the chairman of the new, independent National Infrastructure Commission.

The body, which will begin work today, will be charged with drawing up a blueprint for the infrastructure Britain needs. It is also expected to look at the barriers to progress.

A Tory source said it was time to ‘take the politics out of the big decisions on infrastructure’.

Last night the move was also seen as a heavy hint that ministers will back controversial plans to build a third runway at Heathrow.

Although the new body will not draw up detailed plans for individual housing projects, it will map out the infrastructure needed to hit Tory targets of building a million new homes during the next five years.

Mr Osborne will also ‘sweep away’ planning rules on so-called ‘brownfield’ sites that have been developed before. A source said ripping up the rules would ‘increase the supply of homes for sale’.

The Chancellor will also announce an extra £5 billion for infrastructure spending from the proceeds of government asset sales.

Mr Osborne is privately furious with the attitude of some local authorities, who have frustrated forward progress on major infrastructure projects for years.

Critics point to the example of Heathrow’s Terminal 5, which took almost 20 years to get off the drawing board.

He will tell activists: ‘Where would Britain be if we had never built railways or runways, power stations or new homes? Where will we be in the future if we stop building them now?

‘I’m not prepared to turn round to my children – or indeed anyone else’s child – and say: “I’m sorry, we didn’t build for you.” We have to shake Britain out of its inertia on the projects that matter most.’

The Chancellor is said to have been impressed by the way China fast-tracks infrastructure projects during a visit to the country last month.

The remit of the new body has not been released, but it is likely to have the power to recommend changes to the planning system.