New town plans for England narrow as 12-site shortlist revealed

A UK government taskforce has recommended 12 potential sites for the creation of new towns in England, with at least three of those set to be taken forward early next year.

The report (PDF, 135 pages/6.7MB) put forward a mix of brand new locations and expansion of existing plans or urban areas, from Leeds in the north to Plymouth in the south, as part of the government’s drive to build more than one million new homes by 2029.

Iain Gilbey, new towns and communities planning expert at Pinsent Masons, said: “In my view, this is a sensible approach - reflecting the need for a diversity of solutions. A programme that relied on 12 standalone settlements would be very unlikely to hit the government’s delivery targets, quickly or at all.”

The proposed sites include three brand new towns – Adlington in Cheshire, Marlcombe in Devon and Tempsford in Bedfordshire - which join two settlements already being planned. One is at the former Upper Heyford RAF base in Oxfordshire, with the other a planned development around Worcestershire Parkway station in Wychavon.

Alongside these are seven proposed urban and city centre expansion projects: Brabazon, between Bristol and South Gloucestershire; Enfield's Chase Park and Crews Hill; South Bank in Leeds; and the Victoria North development in Manchester.

Also earmarked are plans for a riverside settlement in Thamesmead, in Greenwich, and renewing the urban infrastructure for Milton Keynes and Plymouth. Pinsent Masons provided advice for six of the twelve shortlisted locations.

The government said in its initial response that it aimed to have work started on at least three sites before the end of the current parliament, identifying Leeds, Tempsford and Crews Hill as the most promising of the 12 proposals.

However, strategic environmental assessments and consultation are still to be carried out on the sites, which may impact the final decision.

The goal for each of the settlements is to generate at least 10,000 homes with an ambition for a minimum of 40% affordable housing - half of which would be available for social rent. 

Rebecca Warren, who leads Pinsent Masons’ new towns and communities group, reflected that the announcement represented just the start of the projects’ journey

“There remains much needed clarity from the government: perhaps most critically on what funding will be available, for what and when,” she said.

“Interventions such as safeguarding directions have been trailed in the report, but care will be needed to avoid unintended consequences. Seeing sustainable stewardship take a key role in the taskforce’s report was a positive message. Life beyond the development corporation’s initial stewardship role will be important to effectively plan for and provide a seamless governance structure that facilitates multiple income streams to ensure the placemaking and community creation legacy is protected and curated.”

Richard Ford, new towns and communities planning expert at Pinsent Masons, said that even the unsuccessful sites could still have a significant role to play in future development plans.

He said: “The taskforce noted that there remains a significant need for smaller new settlements and sustainable urban extensions with co-located housing and employment opportunities, alongside physical and social infrastructure. Many schemes not selected will still be well placed to deliver these benefits.”

“While government funding and support may well concentrate on the selected sites, there are many locally-led and privately funded new town, sustainable urban extension and city centre site opportunities which can still be progressed. The recommendations from the taskforce can also provide useful ingredients for a wider variety of schemes,” he said.