Commenting on the New Towns Taskforce announcement

But now that the starting gun has been fired, attention must shift rapidly from aspiration to delivery. The question is no longer if but how. 

The UK has decades of mixed experience when it comes to new towns. We know what good looks like – clear governance, robust land assembly, secure funding and sustained political will – and we know how easily things can falter when these elements are missing. The New Towns Taskforce report feels more theoretical than practical. It outlines possible delivery models but stops short of committing to one. That uncertainty matters because without clarity on governance and finance, confidence will falter before a single brick is laid. 

Land assembly is critical. Announcing locations before the land is secured risks inflating land values and creating expectations that cannot be met. Homes England needs to be front and centre of assembling land for these identified areas of growth to ensure the benefits of land value derived from the expected growth and infrastructure being delivered benefits the public purse. Likewise, funding for infrastructure cannot rely on Community Infrastructure Levy alone. These are multi-billion-pound schemes that may require tax increment financing, strategic infrastructure funds and potentially compulsory purchase powers to unlock sites at scale. 

Support from existing communities is also an important part of the jigsaw. While this announcement is unequivocably good news for those of us who see the economic and development potential of new towns, it will alarm many residents who fear radical change to their communities. Early consultation, honest dialogue and clear delivery plans are essential with both local residents and landowners: Mayoral development corporations in their inception have had a faltered start by not assembling the land once the red line was drawn – we should not make the same mistakes on these proposed new towns. 

There is also a political dimension. With local elections less than a year away, keeping communities and local authorities onside will be critical. While none of the named locations currently sit in Reform heartlands, that picture could shift quickly if local sentiment is ignored. 

The ambition shown in the Taskforce’s proposals is welcome, specifically the fact that many of these proposed new towns considerably exceed the original target of 10,000 homes. 

In that respect, it is unsurprising that this announcement comes ahead of the Autumn Budget, signalling growth intent and feeding into the Office for Budget Responsibility’s outlook. But ambition alone will not build homes or create thriving economies. 

If these new towns are to succeed, the government must move fast to set out delivery packs for the first sites – with clear governance, funding routes and land assembly strategies. Without that detail, today’s optimism risks becoming tomorrow’s frustration.