Are new towns and expanded settlements an effective means of delivering housing?

[edit] Background

Immediately after winning the general election the newly established Labour government announced on 8 July 2024 it would establish a New Homes Accelerator programme as a key component of the government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of its parliament. On the 31 of the same month it announced an expert taskforce to spearhead a new generation of new towns, the New Towns Taskforce, which was finally established in September 2024.

The role of the Taskforce being to advise ministers on appropriate locations for significant housing growth. It will deliver a final shortlist of recommendations within 12 months, but will have the freedom to share conclusions in respect of specific sites earlier if beneficial to the government’s housebuilding drive. The Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities wherever possible, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.

On 5 November 5, 2024 the New Towns Taskforce launched a call for evidence, which closed 13 December 2024. The call was designed to capture initial information for the Taskforce to explore the opportunities of a place for significant development. This is about ensuring the Taskforce are aware of all potential opportunities across the country as part of the evidence gathering process and submissions will not be formally scored as they would in a bidding process. The Taskforce will also be drawing on other data, including undertaking its own spatial analysis, to inform its recommendations about new towns.

[edit] New towns inquiry launched

On 19 March 2025, the House of Lords Built Environment Committee launched a modular inquiry into new towns and expanded settlements, that is to say running over a series of short, targeted modules. The Committee is aiming to discover whether new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing and, if so, how to ensure they are successful.

The Government aims to have up to 12 new towns under construction by the next election. More than 100 potential locations in England have already been identified and submitted to the New Towns Taskforce, the majority in London, the south east, and the south west.

The first module focusses on the fundamental, practical considerations for delivering towns, answering the basic question: is the construction of new towns and expanded settlements practicable and achievable? Considering the role of local, regional, and central Government, examining what effect devolution might have on delivery. Aswell as the role of the private sector and public/private partnerships, considering alternative funding models and looking to contemporary success stories both nationally and internationally.

Strategic master planning and long-term support will be highlighted, seeking to understand what the Government can learn from previous new town programmes to ensure successful delivery. The inquiry will also examine the practical implications of building on such a large scale, considering the capacity of the construction sector, the potential legal challenges, and the role of community consultation.

For the full list of questions and how to respond (before 12 May, 2025) visit the following link.

The Chair of the House of Lords Built Environment Committee, Lord Gascoigne, said:

“The Government’s new towns policy may be one of this Government’s most consequential policies and has the potential to shape all of our lives. This initial module of our long inquiry into the policy will focus on practical delivery and will seek to understand the legal, political, and economic channels through which new and expanded settlements can be successfully delivered. We want to hear from as broad a range of people as possible, from every walk of life. If you have a view on any aspect of this inquiry, take a look at our call for evidence and let us know what you think.”

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[edit] External links

https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/3626

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/518/built-environment-committee/news/205902/new-towns-inquiry-launched-by-lords-built-environment-committee/

https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2025/02/17/fast-tracking-housebuilding-through-the-new-towns-taskforce-and-new-homes-accelerator/

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/expert-taskforce-to-spearhead-a-new-generation-of-new-towns