Government UK has issued the ‘Independent report: New Towns Taskforce: Report to government’.
Government UK writes:
… although no new towns have been designated in the last 55 years, they continue to exert a firm grip on imagination of those convinced of the need for government to adopt a bigger calibre response to promoting economic growth and the supply of homes. This is perhaps no surprise, given that the 32 new towns established since 1945 are now home to approximately 2.8 million and include some of the fastest growing local economies in the country. Clear evidence of the impact of bold, visionary government action and this nation’s ability to create new communities and revitalise others.
We were commissioned by the government in September 2024 to identify specific locations for new towns and to make recommendations on how they might be designed and delivered, with a particular focus on unlocking economic growth as well as making a significant contribution to meeting housing demand in England.
We have used the last year to engage widely with landowners, residents, housing providers, the design community, investors as well as many others who I would like to thank for offering their time and expertise. We have learnt much both from existing new towns but also from those with ambitions for the future. Throughout our work, we have been impressed by the scale of support for a new generation of new towns and the widespread recognition that it need not be limited to green field sites but can include urban extensions and even the remodelling of existing city centres as long as the new community has a clear and distinct identity.
All of this debate points to a compelling argument: that the early creation of well planned, large-scale ‘new town’ developments in the right locations can make a telling contribution to both the pressing need for more homes but also to the nation’s ambition for faster economic growth – especially if priority is given to locations with growth potential which are currently constrained by local shortages of skilled workers due to a lack of affordable homes.
I am confident that our shortlist of 12 new towns are well-placed to achieve the objectives set by the government and will lead to the creation of successful new communities, with lasting positive economic and social impacts both in the locations themselves, but also within their wider regions. These are specific sites with a degree of local support and landowners, developers, councils and others ready to welcome a new town. The exact boundaries of each place would depend upon further careful work by MCHLG and Homes England, including in due course public consultation.
As we have travelled the country we have been struck by the widespread consensus that as a nation we must urgently do more to ensure that we can meet the housing needs of our children and grandchildren. We have therefore taken particular interest in locations where new towns can be delivered quickly. In some of these locations planning and even development is already advanced but, in every case, we are convinced that designation as a new town accompanied by energetic government action can increase both the scale of development and the speed of delivery.
Only government can provide the confidence for long-term investment, innovation in building and design, the urgent acceleration of infrastructure provision (especially for power, water and transport) and effective cooperation across government departments. It needs to be bold in responding to this challenge, by asserting its role to act in the national interest and to engage robustly with land owners, developers and builders to create partnerships that share risks and returns. However, the Taskforce understands the intense funding pressures on government at present and recognises that this will constrain the progress that can be made with some new town opportunities.
These are challenging times for new calls on the public purse but we take heart from government’s willingness to consider long-term loan funding, the potential use of guarantees and tax funding instruments to attract and secure private investment. We also recognise that the landscape for long-term institutional investment is evolving and has already had a substantial impact on the supply of homes to rent. We were particularly encouraged to find large investment bodies (domestic and international) willing to support government leadership in creating new towns.
Our report is clear that this initiative is not just about building houses but rather the creation of thriving communities, each with a distinct sense of place and tailored to local challenges and opportunities. The creation of new towns where residents can invest their energies and their dreams. Above all our placemaking recommendations focus on the importance of early master-planning for the whole area, as well as careful design for the creation of high quality places, supported by long-term stewardship. We emphasise early investment in social and economic infrastructure, good transport connections, and the environmental resilience needed to create a sustainable community.
During our investigations, we have taken particular pleasure in finding landowners and developers currently following our placemaking approach because it reflects their own commercial interests and legacy ambitions. These are natural partners for government, but partnerships must be robustly negotiated with the aid of strong commercial advisers to ensure a real sharing of risks and return; learning from a history of promises made to secure planning approval but often diluted subsequently.
In our conclusions about how new towns might be delivered we stress the role of dedicated development corporations able to focus single-mindedly on creating the new town, to acquire land on the best possible terms, to draw together the necessary design and commissioning skills, to plan and ensure the delivery of infrastructure and homes, and to engage effectively with residents and neighbours as well as local government. They may not be needed for every location but they our preferred instrument of delivery and any other approach must be measured against the strength of this one. We are encouraged that the owners and investors that we met share the view that a development corporation would bring skills and increased confidence as well as reflecting government commitment.
For too long there has been a lack of public confidence in this country’s ability to deliver the homes and infrastructure that we need. I hope that the work of the Taskforce in support of government’s wider aims can help rebuild trust and self-confidence and provide a lasting legacy for how large-scale housing is delivered in this country.
