It has been roughly 2 months since the new Labour Government was voted into power. During this period, we have already been provided with a consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reversing changes made to it by the previous government. The consultation pledges 1.5 million new homes over the next 5 years to tackle what Angela Rayner describes as ‘the most acute housing-crisis in living memory’. The NPPF consultation period will close on 24 September 2024, with aims for adoption at the end of the year.
To achieve the increased rate of 300,000 new homes per year, several changes to the NPPF have been proposed. Much attention has been given to the increase in housing targets for LA’s and the utilisation of Greenbelt (or more specifically ‘Grey-belt’) land for new homes to be built upon. Whilst these proposals are paramount to resolving the short-term supply issues, it is the mid to long term proposals that are the focal point of this article – the introduction of New Towns in England.
On the 31st July 2024, the government announced an independent ‘New Towns Taskforce', with Sir Michael Lyons acting as its chair and Dame Kate Barker as its deputy. The taskforce will be responsible for shortlisting sites that they deem suitable for settlements of at least 10,000 new homes, with others expected to reach 25,000. Whether the sites will include urban regeneration projects, urban extensions or standalone greenfield (new) towns remains to be seen, with the first meeting to be held this month. What we do know for now is that projects of such scale will undoubtedly take time, and the government has acknowledged this by separating the work of the taskforce from the targets set within the NPPF.
The aim of the taskforce is to produce its list of recommendations within a year, and for works to begin by the end of this parliamentary term. Whilst the primary objective of these new towns is to provide much needed housing, it is hoped that they will also kickstart economic growth and unlock the economic potential of existing towns/cities. The key will be finding sites that do not promote isolated economies, but instead house the workforce of neighbouring towns/cities and develop areas which have previously had constraints on their expansion.
Historically, the concept of ‘New Towns’ is not a new phenomenon in England. After devastating bombing during World War 2, there was a post war need to re-build homes that had been lost and ease over-crowding in the capital. After increasing pressure, the authorities passed the New Towns Act 1946 to try and resolve the issue. A total of 32 towns were ‘designated’ across the UK over the next 27 years and implemented over 3 different phases. The first of these was Stevenage in Hertfordshire. Collectively these designated towns now house roughly 2.8 million people, so it is fair to say that these developments saw at least some degree of success.
However, it would not be correct to gloss over the challenges that these designated towns have faced throughout their short lifespans. Besides the obvious obstacles that would be expected when establishing new communities such as attracting families and businesses, a fundamental mistake in hindsight was that each designated town was placed under the supervision of a separate Development Corporation (DC). Without a centralised body providing oversight, each DC was free to make their own decisions to achieve their own versions of ‘Utopia’. Naturally, this created variations in the decision-making processes when each town was designed by the respective DC.
For example, Skelmersdale (Skem), a town outside of Liverpool, was designated in 1961. Some questionable decisions were made by the initial planners who did not correctly anticipate the tangible effects that these would have on the residents. Whilst the town does have some unique quirks such as no traffic lights, Skem only ever reached half of its target population size at 40,000. Perhaps the greatest contributor towards this was the decision not to have its own railway station. The planners had hoped that Skem would consequently develop its own unique identity from the towns and cities in the surrounding area. Instead, it guaranteed decades of economic isolation. Nevertheless, the town today does boast affordable housing and respectable schooling with plans for development over the coming years. This is perhaps a reflection of the changing priorities that we as British citizens have in 2024 when looking for a place to live.
On the contrary, Milton Keynes, first designated in 1967, is one of the UK’s fastest growing cities, home to circa 10,000 businesses and has been used as a model for towns internationally. The Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC) was given the freedom to deliver the largest settlement of all 32 designated towns with a target population of 250,000. A handful of existing towns were incorporated into the revolutionary design which featured grid like roads, independent cycle/pedestrian paths and picturesque lakes and parkland. The non-hierarchical grid design proved to be a success as it allowed residents to travel easily through the city unlike in traditional concentric cluster towns. The geographical location was also a massive attraction, with prime rail links to Birmingham and London. Even though there was some apprehension towards the forward-thinking decisions made by MKDC at the time, Milton Keynes is living proof that thriving establishments can be developed if a considered approach is taken.
Seemingly in an attempt to avoid past mistakes, the New Towns of the 21st century will universally be governed by a New Towns Code (NTC), which will act as a rulebook for developers. Not only will it ensure that homes are built ‘sustainably’ and are ‘well-designed’, but it will look to add minimum targets for much needed affordable housing. As alluded to above, transport links to existing settlements will be paramount to the success of these New Towns, so this will also be regulated by the NTC. Ultimately the rules will be in place to ensure that the New Towns are built to be desirable places to live, with all of the infrastructure you would expect to find in an established area.
Whilst the NTC does provide some confidence that the New Towns will not fall victim of the mistakes made in the past, it has been almost 50 years since the last time a town was ‘designated’. Within that time there has been a shift in what we as individuals require socially, economically and environmentally. For the New Towns to thrive, they must encapsulate these changes and anticipate the evolving demands over the years to come. If the taskforce can truly deliver refreshing, accessible and affordable settlements in their proposals, they stand a chance at helping the government navigate out of the housing-crisis.
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