Investment in Hard Strategic Infrastructure

Investment in hard infrastructure involves investing in improving the physical environment for businesses thereby making it more attractive for business retention, expansion and recruitment. Possible projects include: 

• Building or improving key access roads;

• Improving the railway for passenger and goods services;

• Developing, improving and/or expanding the local airport;

• Developing, improving and/or expanding the local port;

• Developing, improving and/or expanding industrial sites and buildings. This could include anything from planting trees, to comprehensive landscaping, to building entire new science parks;

• Developing, improving and/or expanding commercial sites and buildings (for shops and offices);

• Increasing the availability of industrial and potable water;

• Improving and/or expanding the sewerage disposal system;

• Improving and expanding the telecommunications systems;

• Improving and expanding the energy systems;

• Environmental enhancements;

• Crime prevention equipment installation.

 

These projects all involve considerable expense, outside agencies and often national government departments and the private sector. Competing demands for hard infrastructure investment are always hard to prioritize, especially when there are massive poverty issues for communities to face.

 

However, a LED strategy can help local governments prioritize infrastructure investments according to need, potential for cost-recovery, opportunities for leveraging additional resources, etc. They can also provide an opportunity to identify possible public private partnerships in the provision of infrastructure and related maintenance.

 

Case Studies
While we hope you might find the links below of interest, please note the World Bank is not responsible for the content of non-World Bank websites.

 

• Peru, Villa El Salvador -- (This is an example of encouraging local business growth, encouraging new enterprise and promoting inward investment as well as investment in hard and soft infrastructure).

• Ukraine -- (This is an example of  investment in hard and soft infrastructure).

• Vietnam, Haiphong -- (This is an example of area targeting, encouraging local business growth and investment in hard and soft infrastructure).

 

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