Di Maddaloni, Francesco; Mosca, Luigi; Castro, Armando; Glass, Jacqueline; Vecchiato, Riccardo; (2025) Twenty Steps to Better Collaboration: Bridging Project Organisations and Local Authorities in Major Infrastructure Projects. UCL, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction: London, UK.

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Abstract

This report addresses a significant managerial and knowledge gap at the intersection of project management and public administration, specifically regarding the complex relationships between project delivery organisations and local authorities during the planning and execution of major infrastructure projects. Despite the growing emphasis on measuring a project organisation’s success by its ability to secure stakeholder consent through participatory decision-making, the challenges of these often-mandated collaborations between project delivery organisations and local governments have been overlooked. These relationships are crucial because infrastructure projects often struggle to gain community support, and local authorities face challenges in balancing development goals with public concerns. When mismanaged, these relationships can result in distrust, prolonged consent processes, and project delays. Instead of fostering a shared purpose, tensions often arise, emphasising the need for a structured approach to coordination and engagement. In this report, we focus on these business-government collaborations by examining their symptoms (what does not work), diagnosis (why it does not work), and recommended treatments (how they can be made to work). In doing so, the study draws a roadmap by identifying three key areas of intervention: (1) collaborative governance (addressing power and accountability); (2) capacity building under time-constrained conditions (addressing knowledge and resource constraints); and (3) stakeholder engagement (addressing trust issues). These insights are based on a three-year in-depth qualitative analysis of two Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) in the UK. Researchers conducted 74 interviews, direct observations, a workshop, and document analysis, offering a comprehensive view of project delivery challenges. We then propose a 20-step roadmap to enhance collaboration between project organisations and local authorities, ensuring more efficient planning, decision-making, and implementation of major infrastructure projects. Ultimately, we aim to encourage greater participation from both businesses and the government in these discussions, thereby transforming planning and execution of major infrastructure projects for the benefit of investors and society.

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