Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-22 to 2025-26: progress report - 2021 to 2022

Building resilient and sustainable places

Better Local Places

Digital Planning

The delivery phase of the programme to Transform Digital Planning Services has commenced. The Development of the 'digital front-door to Planning' – the Planning Gateway to replace the current online portal is now underway with the development of a new payment function and a shift to an innovative, smart process which makes better use of data. In collaboration with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) we are establishing a digital skills programme for Planners with the development of a digital skills capability action plan prioritising improvement actions and the Placebuilder digital engagement tool is now being rolled out enabling more inclusive engagement which will particularly benefit people in areas of deprivation to get involved in decisions about their places.

Land reform

The Scottish Land Fund enables community groups to purchase assets within their own community to support their aspirations for their local community. Whether it is bringing an unused asset back into productive use or ensuring that an existing one continues to be used and developed further, communities taking control of local assets helps to build local community wealth and wellbeing and contributes to the wider economic benefit as a result. In 2021-22, the Scottish Land Fund awarded just over £6 million to community groups across Scotland, enabling them to take ownership of assets within their community. This allows those communities to have more control over the future use and benefit of those assets. The fund has just opened for 2022-23 with the first decision of the committee due in May 2022. The fund continues to have a budget of £10 million for the year, although this will double to £20 million by the end of this parliament.

To improve transparency of who makes decisions about land and land use in Scotland, Registers of Scotland have built the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI) during 2021-2022 and the register became operational on 1 April 2022. The RCI will improve transparency of who makes decisions about land and land use in Scotland and gives communities information that can help them engage with landowners and managers and influence how land in their local area is used. There is now a one-year transitional period while the Register is populated with entries before criminal offences come into force for non-compliance in 1 April 2023.

Regeneration

We are delivering the Place-Based Investment Programme backed with an initial £325 million capital over 5 years from 2021-22. The programme aims to make sure that all local investments understand the place in which they are made, how their contribution will help deliver the changes needed, how these will enable people to live well locally and how local communities shape their future.

The programme includes funding that is allocated directly to Scotland's local authorities to accelerate ambitions for place, 20-minute neighbourhoods, town centre action, community led regeneration and community wealth building. Local authorities received £38 million in 2021-22 and a further £33 million for 2022-23. It also includes continued delivery of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and support for Clyde Gateway over the 5-year period.

48 projects in disadvantaged and fragile rural communities across Scotland have received offers of grant for more than £50 million from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund across 2021-22 and 2022-2023.

Suitable, Warm, Affordable Homes

Affordable Housing

We are moving forward with the actions and commitments set out in Housing to 2040. Our aim is to deliver high quality, energy efficient, zero carbon affordable housing with access to outdoor space, sustainable transport links, digital connectivity and community services. Quarterly Affordable Housing Supply Statistics show that between April 2016 and March December 2021, we delivered 47,404 affordable homes against the previous 50,000 affordable homes target, over 32,000 of which were for social rent. Official statistics for the period to end March 2022 are due to be reported in the next quarterly statistics release later in June 2022. The budget available for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme during 2021-22 was £831.6 million and the budget for 2022-23 is maintained at that level.

We are committed to delivering a further 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural island communities. We are making available more than £3.6 billion over the five years to 2025-26 including Financial Transactions, to support the delivery of more affordable and social homes, helping to create great places, and continuing to ensure the right types of homes in the right places to support Local Housing Strategies and regional development priorities.

Delivering this ambitious 110,000 affordable homes target would support a total investment package of around £18 billion (in 2022 prices) and up to 15,000 full-time equivalent jobs each year in the construction and related sectors in the Scottish economy.

High Quality Social Infrastructure

National Treatment Centres

Since the Infrastructure Investment Plan was published, the investment to deliver the National Treatment Centres (NTC) has increased to more than £600 million and the network of NTCs has expanded to 10 in total. As set out in the NHS Recovery Plan, published in August 2021, the NTC programme is the single biggest increase in planned care capacity ever created in NHS Scotland.

In addition to the Golden Jubilee eye centre which opened in November 2021 and the phase 2 expansion of NHS Golden Jubilee which is due to open in 2023, the network NTCs will include centres in Fife, Forth Valley, Highland, Grampian, Tayside and Lothian, as well as two additional centres in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire announced last year and the replacement of the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion. Once operational, the NTCs will deliver ring-fenced capacity for at least 40,000 additional elective surgeries and procedures per year.

Within the next 12 months we expect the National Treatment Centres in Highland, Forth Valley, and Fife to come on stream. With further expansion of NHS Golden Jubilee becoming operational next summer, this expansion will provide significant additional capacity in orthopaedic elective care. The NTCs not only aim to deliver treatment to a greater number of patients, but also to provide excellent quality care and patient experience, and will be fundamental to NHS recovery and the longer-term sustainability and resilience of our heath service.

The projects within the NTC programme are being designed and constructed to all current sustainability criteria and will play an important role in NHS Scotland's transition to Net Zero Carbon to combat Climate Change and address the wellbeing of all who work in and are treated in them. Use of digital technology across the NTC programme will provide an efficient service and provide an alternative to travel. The Green Theatres principles are being adopted across the NTC programme including opportunities to introduce products and process' which contribute to greater circularity.

The NTC programme will provide additional capacity within NHS Scotland and reduce pressure on existing acute facilities. All projects where applicable will utilise Project Bank Accounts.

The projects within the NTC programme have been working collaboratively to deliver the highest possible quality, efficient, safe and resilient facilities for staff, patients and visitors. The programme has taken cognisance of the pressure that COVID-19 put on elective care and where possible is designing more resilient facilities.

Fife College – Dunfermline Learning Campus

There has been a short delay in progress to Decision Point 4 pre-construction assessment (DP4), which recognises this will deliver the proposed Hybrid plus low carbon solution to enable the College to achieve net zero emissions. Final Scottish Government approval is scheduled to be sought in July 2022. The delay is to allow Fife College, working with the contractor, more time to provide final costs for the College element of the Dunfermline Learning Campus and achieve the best value solution within budget and time profile. Despite the delays, the revised schedule will ensure the project remains on track to complete by June 2024 for the construction element and for the college to open in time for academic year 2024-25.

The new college campus will provide a modern learning facility that is located in the centre of an area that is the fastest population growth in Scotland. The Full Business Case is for a new campus for West Fife as part of the wider Dunfermline Learning Campus development, working in partnership with Fife Council. The new state-of-the-art campus has been planned to deliver against the needs of the local community and priority national skills needs and will contribute to the economy of the region as a whole. The proposed adoption of a Hybrid plus solution will enable the college to implement a range of energy saving measures, in particular to the building elements during construction, which would otherwise be unavailable once the building is completed and in use.

Learning Estate Investment Programme

In line with the Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) themes, the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) is seeking to enable the transition to net zero with ambitious operational energy targets across the programme and to support inclusive economic growth through the creation of jobs to deliver new or refurbished learning facilities. LEIP is also seeking to build resilient and sustainable places by delivering high quality facilities which are well designed and constructed; incentivising long term maintenance in the condition of the learning estate; using Infrastructure Technology to support optimum use of these facilities through their lifecycle; future proofing facilities through high quality digital connectivity; and considering co-location of community facilities and public services in line with the place principle.

During 2021-22, the first LEIP projects started construction and the other announced projects progressed through their respective development phases. Going forward, 2022-23 will see more projects start construction and the first project will open to pupils, staff, and the wider community. In addition, the projects that will form the third phase of the programme are expected to be announced. This collective programme activity will continue to contribute to and align with the IIP themes.

HMP Highland

Replacement of the current HMP Inverness will expand provision of custodial services available within local community and reduce reliance on accommodation in other locations (principally Central Belt). The prison will be located near Inverness Retail Park and will have excellent transport connections. Work has commenced on site and further advance works to be completed in 2022-23.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is working with the contractor and their design team to develop the design of the new facility to incorporate energy reducing measures, utilising a range of available low carbon energy sources and to facilitate future substitution with zero carbon energy sources. The current intention is to build ground source heat pumps, vertical wind turbines and solar voltaic panels into the design as well as improving the passive thermal efficiency of the building. The design will be finalised in 2022-23, incorporating low carbon energy sources, thermal efficiency measures, and the ability to facilitate future substitution.

SPS has been working with Balfour Beatty (the contractor) to help develop and enhance the proposed Community Benefit Plan (CBP) for the design and construction of HMP Highland. A number of early engagement sessions have been held with representatives from various potential partner organisations, including Highland Council Employability Services; Highland Drug & Alcohol Partnership; Highland TSI; Apex Highland; CITB; and Inverness University of the Highlands and Islands. Balfour Beatty are also working to ensure that their supply chain will contribute locally.

The design has been developed to allow the future deployment of in-cell IT services. The digital infrastructure proposed will assist SPS in advancing the digital transformation of its Estate and business and provide wider access to digital services for those in our care and their families. The design will be finalised and work will continue on ensuring community benefits in 2022-23.

HMP Glasgow

Replacement of HMP Barlinnie with HMP Glasgow will reduce carbon emissions (tCO2e) from 4,877 (2021) to 1,013 (2027) a reduction of 3,864. This represents a difference of -79.23% for this individual establishment and -14.55% for SPS. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been undertaken as part of the 'Granted' Planning Application in Principle. Engagement got underway in 2021-22 with Zero Waste Scotland to help maximise the environmental benefits of the new buildings. The Invitation to Tender (ITT) for design and construction issued in March 2022, challenges bidders to develop a sustainable design which addresses Net Zero and Zero Direct Emissions targets. Contractor to be appointed in 2022-23, will develop a sustainable design for HMP Glasgow which responds to requirements of low carbon design and construction, and which explores innovative solutions to address emissions targets.

The ITT requires bidding contractors to provide a response to the development of a Community Benefits Plan, in particular the social and economic impacts upon the local community. The ITT requires response to Digital Infrastructure aspirations, incorporating proposed benefits for internal user-experience through in-cell digital engagement, benefits for visitors and local communities, and innovative digital inclusion opportunities.

During 2022-23, the Project Delivery Team will work with contractor once appointed, in a strategic alliance approach within the development of a robust and innovative Community Benefits Plan. There will be development of an outcome focussed Benefits Plan which addresses pre-construction and construction benefits and further focuses upon the post-occupancy phase, developing legacy relationships which support social value and long-lasting benefits for the local community and Glasgow.

In 2021-22, the Project Delivery Team commenced engagement with stakeholders and local community partners, developing relationships to support wider community engagement activities and events. Going forward, there will be engagement with strategic partners and stakeholders in line with HMP Glasgow Communication Strategy. In partnership with the contractor, the Project Delivery Team will engage in a range of community engagement activities and events, developing HMP Glasgow's place within the community, social value activities and services that it can provide to the local community and Glasgow more widely. It will work in partnership with contractor within the design of a Community Café which will facilitate accessible drop-in supportive services and activities for the local community, support social enterprise and incorporate social spaces and resources which can be accessed by local community individuals and groups.

HMP & YOI Stirling (National Facility for Women Offenders)

In 2021-22, the design of the new facility incorporated low carbon energy sources (ground source heating and PV (photovoltaic) arrays and energy use reduction measures which were installed in as part of the construction of the prison. During 2022-23, construction will conclude, with environmental benefits starting to be realised. HMP & YOI Cornton Vale will be decommissioned, reducing energy use and increasing overall energy efficiency.

At contract award, Morrison's, the construction contractor, anticipated that approximately 90% of the contract value would be spent within Scotland. Morrison's have worked with Stirling Council and their existing supply-chain to develop the local economic benefits by using suppliers within a 50-mile radius of the project. A major sub-contract (£13.3 million) for electrical and mechanical activity was awarded to Forth Engineering Service (FES) in Stirling and a further £16 million of sub-contracts have also been let to date to Scottish SMEs (Small and medium-sized enterprises). Johnstone Joiners (a sub-contractor) have recruited a local young person from a Morrison's College course at West Lothian College. The individual had undertaken a work trial with Johnstone Joiners as part of this contract. He is now currently employed and will be starting his apprenticeship with them after the summer. Overall, 5 jobs created to March 2021 as part of the project and 1,100 training weeks on site. Pallets from the construction site have been donated to Wood Re-use, Stirling and Morrison's have committed to Fair Work First practices / Living Wage.

The digital infrastructure proposed will assist SPS in advancing the digital transformation of its Estate and business and provide wider access to digital services for those in our care and their families. To enhance digital inclusion, this will include having the digital infrastructure to enable the people in our care to access digital services as they are enabled. Such services are being developed within SPS's Digital Strategy.

In 2021-22, following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, SPS in conjunction with Morrison, have sought to re-engage the community benefits where possible. Morrison Construction Community Benefits Team continues to liaise with SPS on a monthly basis to implement their 'pathways to employment' programme in partnership with Wise Group to facilitate the women of Cornton Vale into employment. In addition, the contractor has liaised directly with the women currently accommodated in the existing HMP Cornton Vale to develop proposals for therapeutic gardens and landscaping which the women will themselves implement in the new establishment on completion. The contractor continues to make direct contributions to local community groups. Construction of the prison will conclude in 2022-23 with enhanced services being delivered to the residents. The contractor has liaised directly with the women currently accommodated in the existing HMP Cornton Vale, to develop proposals for therapeutic gardens and landscaping which the women will themselves implement in the new establishment on completion. Community benefits delivery will continue.

Dundee Community Custody Unit

The design of the new facility incorporates low carbon energy sources (PV (photovoltaic) arrays) and energy use reduction measures. In 2021-22, these were installed as part of the construction of the prison. Construction will conclude in 2022-23 with environmental benefits starting to be realised.

Up to March 2021, approximately £361K of materials was purchased / spent with local suppliers, and a further £309k of work sub-contracted to local suppliers (£670k in total). This expenditure includes a variety of construction material suppliers, the steelwork, scaffolding, site security guarding and cleaning. This is a small construction project with approximately 30-40 employed on the site. Ogilvie Construction's head office is in Stirling and the construction team drawn from their Glenrothes and north Fife base. To date, 95% of those working have been engaged locally to the site. The project has so far, led to 2 new employment opportunities.

SCRAPAntics in Dundee have benefitted from the donation of surplus / scrap materials such as timber offcuts, piping, etc from the construction site. SCRAPAntics recycle and reuse industry excess into art and design.

The digital infrastructure proposed will assist SPS in advancing the digital transformation of its Estate and business and provide wider access to digital services for those in our care and their families. To enhance digital inclusion, this will include having the digital infrastructure to enable the people in our care to access digital services as they are enabled. Such services are being developed within SPS's Digital Strategy.

During 2021-21, one aspect of the project which has been subject to continued community engagement, is the community art installation project. They have also been involved in supplying a new water tap for the local community garden and have recently been engaging with education sectors regarding work experience and placement opportunities. Following construction completion in 2022-23, innovative services will commence that provide greater integration into the community for people in custody.

There has been very good liaison between Ogilvie's and Dundee City Council. The Council has been proactive in providing details of local suppliers who could be used, promoting use of the Dundee City Council "skills bank" which can match individuals to OCL (Oasis Community Learning) job requirements / vacancies and also the Dundee "shared apprentices" scheme. The development supports sustainable and resilient places by allowing delivery of custodial and support services at a local level, rather than reliance on remote or regional service provision, and provide access to community based work and training opportunities.

Glasgow Community Custody Unit

In 2021-22, the design of the new facility incorporates low carbon energy sources (PV (photovoltaic) arrays) and energy use reduction measures which were installed in as part of the construction of the prison. Construction will conclude in 2022-23 with environmental benefits starting to be realised.

SPS and the contractor are recording the value of materials and services purchased locally. While not yet calculated fully for 2021-22, in the previous financial year to March 2021 this was valued at £390k of materials and a further £423k of work subcontracted to local suppliers, including a variety of plan hire and groundworks, construction material suppliers, and site cleaning.

This is a small construction project with approximately 40 employed on the site. Ogilvie Construction's head office is in Stirling and many of those working on site will be drawn from Ogilvie's existing workforce. To 31 March 2021, 98% of those working were engaged locally to the site.

The digital infrastructure proposed will assist SPS in advancing the digital transformation of its Estate and business and provide wider access to digital services for those in our care and their families. To enhance digital inclusion, this will include having the digital infrastructure to enable the people in our care to access digital services as they are enabled. Such services are being developed within SPS's Digital Strategy.

During 2021-22, the contractor prepared a community engagement programme and 2022-23 will see construction of the unit conclude with community benefits continuing to be delivered and realised.

The development supports sustainable and resilient places by allowing delivery of custodial and support services at a local level, rather than reliance on remote or regional service provision, and provide access to community based work and training opportunities.

Scottish Water

In the first year of the charge control period 2021-27, Scottish Water has invested circa £799 million to maintain and improve services across Scotland, address the challenges of its aging asset base and make progress towards the achievement of its commitment to net zero emissions by 2040. This marks the largest increase in investment levels in more than a decade with all the jobs and economic growth benefits that come with it.

Scottish Water has made progress on its net zero journey and projects were delivered that reduced energy consumption, increased renewable energy generation, and started the transition of 800 of its diesel van fleet to EVs (electric vehicles). Scottish Water has expanded carbon reporting to all projects in its investment programme and piloted low carbon construction materials. Innovative new technology was piloted to capture fugitive methane emissions. Recognising that it will have some emissions that are difficult to reduce, Scottish Water progressed carbon capture activities with the planting of nearly 100Ha of forest in Angus.

The first battery storage facility has been installed in Perth, providing the ability to store the energy generated by the PV (Photovoltaic) scheme during the day and allowing 94% of the energy generated to be used on site. This will cut the carbon footprint of the city's treatment works by around 160 tonnes of CO2e per year.

Looking forward, Scottish Water will continue to develop, appraise and deliver opportunities particularly in energy efficiency, renewable energy and its vehicle fleet so that it can build momentum in reducing operational emissions in future years. To support the greening of the grid Scottish Water will continue to work with a partner to develop a 260GWh opportunity for new renewables in south-west Scotland on its land and explore other opportunities to host renewables.

Scottish Water will install monitors at a number of waste water treatment works to improve the understanding of process emissions and trial technologies to reduce their creation. Scottish Water will also continue to build its understanding of the emissions driven by the investment and with its supply chain partners will trial alternative low carbon designs and materials to reduce these emissions.

There are some emissions Scottish Water will not be able to fully eliminate such as the breakdown products from waste water treatment and some emissions driven by the investment. Scottish Water aims to balance these by improving the ability of its land to store carbon. Over the next year, Scottish Water will complete screening of its landholdings for the ability to store carbon and progress opportunities to increase tree planting and restoring degraded peatland.

Over the last year, Scottish Water has been working with developers and developing its plans for new network capacity. Scottish Water anticipates a requirement for significant new capacity in its network in future years and will continue to work with the Development community to provide this additional capacity just ahead of need. Further to this, a number of waste water treatment works upgrades are now underway which will provide additional capacity for development whilst protecting the environment. Looking forward, the volume of work to provide new capacity at Scottish Water's treatment works and network assets has started to increase, and several large schemes are expected to start in 2022-23 to support new development.

If Scotland is to respond effectively to the challenges of the climate emergency and the increasing risk of surface water, transformational change at scale is needed to provide infrastructure that will manage surface water, protect the water environment and create water resilient places. It is widely recognised that the activities of all parties, public, private, third sector, landowners, developers' communities and individuals can all have a potential to be part of that transformation.

Scottish Water is developing its approach to transforming the management of surface water at three scales (project, neighbourhood and city level).

Project – all new sewer flooding, UID's (Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges) & Growth projects will now include development of options to manage surface water, as we work to 'turn the dial' from grey to blue-green interventions. These options will be reviewed through the investment appraisal process to set the scale and pace of delivery at a local scale.
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Neighbourhood – Scottish Water is working in St Mary's in Dundee and Craigleith in Edinburgh, to develop a multi‐agency, place‐led approach to integrated planning and delivery of blue-green infrastructure. With the aim to manage surface water and reduce wider flood risk, enable development and consider climate adaptation and place making. Over the next 12 months Scottish Water aims to develop a strategy and a programme of prioritised opportunities to be delivered in the short, medium and long term, and start to deliver these in partnership with Local Authorities, SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) and NatureScot.

City level – Scottish Water is working with Aberdeen City Council and SEPA to trial an approach to integrated surface water and blue-green infrastructure planning at scale, considering a total systems approach. This covers above and below ground drainage infrastructure, and exceedance flows and aims to link to ongoing city-wide planning initiatives such as active travel routes, biodiversity action plans, open space strategies and Climate Adaptation strategies. An initial strategy will be set out in the next 12 months, with the aim to highlight the long-term surface water management and Blue-green infrastructure needs within the city. This is likely to highlight investment required on Scottish Water sewer infrastructure, the network of culverted watercourses that help to drain the city, and how roads, green space, and open spaces within the city will need to adapt to create a climate resilient, future proof city.

Resilience projects which will help ensure continuity of supplies to more than one million customers when we face challenges, are ongoing in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Scottish Water has also recently completed a £30 million project in the Borders to deliver a more resilient supply to over 20,000 households and businesses across several towns and villages including Selkirk, Galashiels, Melrose and Lauder. In the Western Isles Scottish Water invested £9.3 million to upgrade the water network serving the communities north of Stornoway.