Infrastructure & Energy Autumn 2025 report part 2

Above: green roof with visitor centre at the North London Heat and Power Project at Edmonton - courtesy Grimshaw

Future Cities Forum's 'Infrastructure and Energy Autumn 2025' report part 2 discussed the ongoing debate for an extension of HS2 to the north, creating community benefits around heat and power infrastructure as well as data centres, plus the importance of place-making.

In the first part of our report, NISTA's Director of' Strategy and Policy, Margaret Read, stated that as ' part of the Ten Year Infrastructure Strategy, we have a focus on specific private sector financed projects such as Euston and the Lower Thames Crossing. While I cannot go into the details these are about how we make sure we create the right environment for private finance to support these projects..

'Spatial planning is another priority area because sector planning at the moment does not interact with it properly. Take hydrogen for example where you need water and energy in the right place, similarly for data centres you need the right energy available and for housing you need the infrastructure provision in place.

'We have the help of our recently launched infrastructure pipeline this year, and we are now taking feedback from the sector and will publish an update next January including the social value road map. The infrastructure road map is important because if you announce cost and schedule too early before the design, it will cause issues with the public and investors. Our new ten year strategy has introduced the concept of longer time leads, with longer time spent on feasibility.'

The second part of our report features insight from Grimshaw, LDA Design and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council / West Midlands Combined Authority.

Kirsten Lees, Managing Partner of Grimshaw's Paris Studio commented on the question of whether major infrastructure projects are managed better in France.

Grimshaw is working on the new La Défense station, by the IntenCités15* consortium, part of the future South section of line 15 West of the Grand Paris Express and linking the Pont de Sèvres station to Europe's leading business district. Located between Place Louise Bourgeois in Puteaux and the business district, in the dense Rose de Cherbourg area, the station is designed as a large, glazed structure which, in character, will sit harmoniously within this changing urban district.

She said:

'We have talked a lot about communication today including political approaches. What the French do better is celebrate their infrastructure. I think what the UK does very well is public engagement and involvement and that's intrinsic to all of the projects discussed today. We could do well to share learnings between countries about how you approach projects.

Image below: CGI of the new La Défense station courtesy of Grimshaw\

The North London Heat and Power Project was a particular project in the UK that Kirsten commented on in terms of providing community facilities in addition to its main infrastructure role:

'The Edmonton waste-to-energy plant has been a success. Grimshaw's heritage is working with industrial buildings, almost humanising industry. In the climate emergency one of the key issues is how these buildings engage with their local environments and how they relate to cities and the communities they serve. So for example with the energy to waste at Edmonton in north London, there are a lot of misconceptions about what they are. We can create knowledge and trust and educate. Architects can help by making these buildings more accessible, and help create the knowledge and trust about what these buildings are so they become less scary as elements.

'We need to be better at highlighting local benefits. In this large construction project there were hundred extra jobs provided as well as apprenticeships, and a huge project involving schools and families on a wider programme around reduction of waste which is so critical for us all.'

Image: riverside view of the North London Heat and Power Project, courtesy of Grimshaw

Grimshaw states:

'A key part of the master plan for the site (which currently processes waste and recycling for over two million residents from seven north London boroughs) is the replacement of the park’s existing 1970s energy-from-waste plant. In its place, a new cutting-edge Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) will divert non-recyclable waste destined for landfill and use it to generate low-carbon electricity. When operational, the new facility will generate 70 megawatts of electricity: enough to power around 127,000 homes annually. The ERF will be among the most advanced in Europe, using Selective Catalytic Reduction technology to convert nitrogen oxide – a by-product of waste incineration – into water and atmospheric nitrogen.

'Accompanying the ERF is a Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) which separates recyclable material from council waste, as well as providing a centre for the public and businesses to recycle bulky items. This facility significantly expands recycling infrastructure in north London, anticipating the shift towards more recycling and less waste from residential households.

'The park also integrates a new visitors centre – EcoPark House – which provides facilities to enable learning programmes on waste, energy and recycling, while re-homing the local Edmonton Sea Cadets and providing them with a wharf onto the River Lee. This building will be entirely off-grid, using renewable power generated using photovoltaic cells and ground-source heat pumps, in combination with highly efficient insulation, natural ventilation and timber solar shades, acting as an exemplar for low-energy environmental solutions.

'Sustainable principles are embedded into the design of the entire master plan. A combination of integrated photovoltaic panels, low-carbon concrete, geothermal piles, and insulated green and brown roofs minimise operational energy use, while investment in creating nature corridors increase local biodiversity. In addition, the redevelopment plan identifies a large scale ‘opportunity site’ which will be released once the existing EFW is deconstructed, allowing the north London boroughs to explore in the long term the development of new green technologies in response to future recycling and energy challenges.'

Chris Patience, Principal at Grimshaw, was also asked during the discussion about the role of design in the data centre sector and how better planning could mean they are turned much more into civic assets:

'The majority of data centres are grey and black boxes...the strategy so far has been to try and hide them . There is a real opportunity here on the design of data centres, effectively to flip the script. We think the sector could be positioned as civic minded urban assets. They take up a lot of power so it would be better if you could use these in combination with other buildings and developments as waste heat is big issue. Having data centres in the middle of nowhere is a problem because there is nowhere you can then re-use that excess heat. We think it is better to bring them onto the edges of communities, where you can then re-use that heat for houses and even for urban swimming baths. Similarly with water usage, harvesting grey water is an opportunity and could help to generate green energy on site. It's important to make sure data centres are visible and have community benefits.'

Above: Colne Valley viaduct (courtesy Grimshaw for ALIGN JV and HS2)

LDA Design's Head of Infrastructure, Alister Kratt, joined the conversation to talk about the need to make infrastructure resilient and appealing while being aware of the risks of communications focused purely on 'place-making':

' A lot of this is do with communities understanding what is happening. It is not just about communication but also ultimately good design. The process of getting there is just as is important as the outcome achieved. The risk of using the term 'place making' in relation to infrastructure is the danger of 'green wash'. When you consider infrastructure in general context it is very important that the outcomes for communities can be as meaningful as possible. HS2 it is a train line that goes from A to B and the communities along the way do not appear to benefit from that transit route Therefore it is very important that the points of engagement with HS2 for those communities - be they a bridge, tunnel, an adjacent pub - need to be as delightful and engaging as possible. It goes back to the point Kirsten made about humanising infrastructure and it needs to feel and look as though someone has cared about it.

'There is a Welsh word which does not have a direct English equivalent - 'Hiraeth' - that describes the emotional connection to a place. It's about understanding a place through the components that make it up and why one responds emotionally to it.

There is a risk that change brought by new infrastructure is seen a bad thing and we hold onto nostalgia. However there is a generational change where we have the opportunity to see infrastructure as a sign of positive change. I agree that when you look at data centres, it's important to celebrate their roles. However, it also comes down to the nature of promoters and developers and this will sometimes be only about the amount of commercial return rather than being altruistic and what the project can give to communities.

'In relation to HS2 in the early stages we were commissioned as LDA Design to petition with the Colne Valley Trust and the regional valley park to help and show how they could engage with the emerging concept. It was a really interesting process to help them understand what was coming and to get the business case in a ready state so they could engage with HS2 and get positive outcomes. When I passed the Colne Valley viaduct this morning it was fascinating listening to people on the train talking about the infrastructure.

Above: wetlands habitat and nature reserve by Sizewell C (courtesy Sizewell C)

Alister continued:

'In terms of Sizewell C the whole idea that the UK needs an energy strategy to feed its cultural need for energy consumption is a really important piece of communication. It's about not just mitigating the bad effects, but respecting what we need as a society.

'In the wider sense of things that touch communities it's important to mention how the Wild Aldhurst nature reserve and the Wild Studio developed a vision for the de-intensification of farms within the Sizewell Estate. This has now resulted in a much richer landscape than it was 15 years ago. It does provide some buffering against the nuclear infrastructure.

'It will be about the economy, the coast, tourism and whose place is it? It belongs to local communities and those who visit and also the promoters who will operate and curate the infrastructure. It's about the totality of place. Developers who are going to be owner operators by definition take more care about the curation of place and design of the infrastructure, than those who 'flip' projects.'

Sizewell C has reported:

'We have created 150 hectares of nature reserve for the wildlife living on our estate. These habitats are teeming with different creatures including reptiles, badgers, water voles and many bird species.

'We have plans to create another four nature reserves on our estate to enhance the landscape and compensate for any loss of SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) land that is needed to build Sizewell C.

'These spaces won’t disappear after we’ve finished building Sizewell C. They are here to stay for the benefit of people and wildlife, all part of our project’s positive legacy for Suffolk.'

Above: Curzon Station, Birmingham, courtesy of Grimshaw

Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change & Planning at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, was asked to comment on the opportunities that have come from the construction of HS2 line, but also how to reduce the carbon footprint of new developments:

'We need to be very clear what problem we need to solve with infrastructure. The problem HS2 will solve is to allow more local trains to run between Rugby and Birmingham as the (west coast line) currently needs a third track. That could have been done for £20 billion. We have had 'mission creep' as the HS2 railway project then became about speed which meant it needed special curves. Therefore we are having to build a new station (at Arden Cross) as HS2 cannot go into the existing Birmingham International station.

'In the end that extra 20 minutes saved between London and Birmingham is of no benefit so we need to think carefully when planning infrastructure. Take the housing issue - we need more housing. However if we put this in rural parts of Solihull we need more infrastructure.

'We need to think about objectives when planning infrastructure. On climate change we need to separate operational climate costs of an operation, and the other elements of structural and capital costs. Once our energy grid is de-carbonised, the embedded carbon in transportation will reduce, but we need to be careful about how we use concrete. Concrete is inherently carbon intensive, You make concrete by reacting calcium carbonate to make calcium oxide and CO2 is released. We need to move in materials for new housing construction to steel framed and timber framed.

'We are developing a heat network for Solihull town centre, and we need to think about co-benefits - as we discussed earlier on the re-use of data centre energy. We have a new station for HS2 in Solihull. The first thing HS2 wanted to do was put in a massive car park with a maintenance deport. We fought that car park. It's a perfect place for a community with a university campus, with the west coast mainline, and the airport nearby. For too long HS2 has been a railway project, when it needs to be an economic and social regeneration project'.

Muse, working in partnership with Solihull MBC, has described the opportunity at Arden Cross, on land adjacent to the new HS2 Interchange station:

'Arden Cross is a £3.2bn opportunity to drive substantial growth across the West Midlands and the national economy.

Located in the heart of the country, Arden Cross is facilitated by the HS2 Interchange in Solihull, as well as a strategic location adjacent to Birmingham Airport, the West Coast Main Line, and the motorway network. It is one of the best connected locations in the UK.

'Arden Cross has the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs. It will deliver a mixed-use community of thousands of new homes, shops, leisure, and public space, as well as significant commercial opportunities.

'In partnership with the University of Warwick, a new HealthTech Campus will anchor an Arden Cross Innovation District. The Campus will bring together the University, the NHS, anchor industrial partners, and innovative SMEs in a bespoke public-private-academic partnership.

'Leveraging the West Midlands’ competitive advantage in life sciences, Arden Cross will be a hub for research, collaboration with industry, and the development of products and processes to improve patient outcomes.'

Part 3 of Future Cities Forum's 'Infrastructure and Energy 2025 report' will have contributions from Coventry Very Light Rail, Price & Myers and Transport for London.

Above: Arden Cross bird's eye view - site for HS2 Interchange Station at Solihull

Above: CGI of Arden Cross showing proposed HS2 Interchange Station (courtesy Arden Cross)