Recently, Partner Mark Gilkes from our infrastructure consultancy team, had the opportunity to attend the Land Assembly and Compulsory Purchase for Major Infrastructure 2025 Forum at Burges Salmon. A gathering of industry leaders, legal experts and infrastructure consultants, all focused on one shared challenge: how to deliver the UK’s ambitious infrastructure pipeline while treating people fairly.
We caught up with Mark to reflect on a message that, while not new, bears repeating—especially in today’s climate: early, meaningful, and transparent engagement with affected parties is ‘best practice’ - it’s essential.
The scale and the stakes are growing
The UK’s net-zero and levelling-up ambitions are driving a wave of infrastructure development unlike anything we’ve seen in decades. National Grid estimates that the next seven years will require more electricity transmission infrastructure than the past 30 combined. Add to that new reservoirs, water and hydrogen pipelines, roads, and rail projects, and the scale becomes staggering.
But behind every project map and planning application are real people: farmers, landowners, and communities, whose lives and livelihoods are directly impacted. And while the infrastructure is national, the disruption is deeply personal.
Engagement: Not just a legal obligation, but the right thing to do
The forum continued to confirm one thing clear: engagement must go beyond box ticking. It must be proactive, empathetic, and sustained. The most successful projects are those where developers lead the dialogue—not just respond to it.
The schemes I see deliver in the best way for all parties are those with a largely developer-led dialogue. It becomes frustrating for landowners if they are constantly chasing for information.
Yes, better engagement reduces delays, improves design, and strengthens the case for compulsory powers. These are critical commercial benefits. But just as importantly, it’s the right thing to do. Infrastructure is essential for the greater good—but so is treating people with fairness and respect.
Why it matters—now more than ever
Engaging early and fairly with affected parties is both a strategic advantage and a moral imperative:
- Reduces delays: Projects that foster trust and cooperation face fewer objections and smoother examinations
- Improves design: Landowners often have valuable insights that can lead to more practical, mutually beneficial project designs
- Assists with construction: there is almost always a ‘ask’ you will need for a landowner outside of your CPO powers
- Builds long-term relationships: Many developers will need to manage land post-construction. A good relationship from the start makes this easier
- Strengthens the case for compulsory powers: Under the National Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime, developers must demonstrate they’ve taken reasonable steps to secure voluntary agreements. Poor engagement will ultimately jeopardise this
A changing legal and policy landscape
While the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and recent updates to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 aim to streamline processes, they also reinforce the need for fair treatment of affected persons. The direction of travel is clear: developers must do more, not less, to engage and support those impacted by infrastructure projects.
If people get the impression that they are not going to be fairly dealt with, then they resist, and that makes everything slower for everyone in the long run.
The forum may have been an echo chamber in some respects, but it was a powerful one. Across clients, contractors, and legal experts, there was unanimous agreement: early, fair, and transparent engagement is the cornerstone of successful infrastructure delivery.
As we look ahead to a decade of transformative projects, we must not lose sight of the people whose land, livelihoods, and lives are affected. Because when we engage with respect and integrity, we gain trust which enables us to build the much-needed infrastructure.
Key takeaways for infrastructure professionals
- Start early: Engagement should begin well before formal consultations
- Lead the dialogue: Don’t wait for landowners to come to you
- Be transparent: Clear, consistent communication builds trust
- Think long-term: Relationships don’t end when construction begins
- Document your efforts: Demonstrating reasonable engagement is critical under NSIP rules