New Towns will unlock growth
Following publication of an independent report that recommends twelve locations as potential new towns, the Government confirmed it will progress work on the next generation of new towns across England.
Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said:
“New Towns are an obvious tool in the armoury of tackling the housing crisis and unlocking growth. There will be challenges to overcome, some political, but it has not taken long for the twelve locations to be identified, and this is evidence that the Government means business when it comes to building the homes and places England needs.”
A New Towns Unit will also be established by the government and work across government to build the towns. The government says that each new town should deliver a minimum of 10,000 homes and 40% affordable housing, half of which will be for social rent.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will identify the environmental impacts but no final decisions on locations will be made until this assessment concludes and the list of preferred locations could change as a result of the process.
Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight at the NFB and House Builders Association (HBA), said:
“New Towns, new energy infrastructure, new reservoirs and new ambition. The Labour Government are pushing the UK down a new, exciting path, and one we haven’t seen for half a century. The New Towns plan will unlock new homes and places, while supporting the Governments spatial planning plans.
“They can act as a regional growth mechanism, while encouraging outside investment. And they will highlight how difficult planning is in practice, thus progressing the wholesale planning reforms the UK desperately needs.”
However, Mr Wojtulewicz offered some advice to the Government in relation to the how New Towns should come forward:
“We must ensure New Towns provide opportunity for existing and new SME housebuilders and regional contractors to build. Those sized businesses deliver the workforce capacity needed to reduce reliance on immigration, the competition which drives innovation and quality, and spread the risk of default during economic downturns. This is best done through a strategic land arrangement and proportionate procurement processes.
“There will also be a temptation to work with the largest developers and support their business models, especially regarding volumetric offsite housing. However, 100% of projects and constructors can implement component Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and investment in that space can be applied to all homes. We must not waste the opportunity to ensure all homes are delivered more quickly and innovation comes forward to retrofit the UK’s twenty-one million homes, 12.5 million of which are traditionally built.”
The 12 recommended locations are:
- Standalone settlement in Adlington, Cheshire East.
- A corridor of connected development in South Gloucestershire, across Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc.
- A new town infill between Chase Park and Crews Hill in Enfield.
- A former airbase at Heyford Park in Cherwell.
- An urban development in Leeds based on transport connectivity.
- Inner-city development and densification in Manchester, Victoria North.
- A standalone settlement in Marlcombe, East Devon; strengthening the region’s labour supply and supporting the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone.
- A ‘Renewed Town’ in Milton Keynes, supported by a Mass Rapid Transit system.
- High density development in Plymouth.
- New settlement in Tempsford, Central Bedfordshire, taking advantage of strong rail links,
- Riverside settlement in Thamesmead, Greenwich.
- Expanded development at Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon.