Building new towns for the future; the interim report of the New Towns Taskforce

[edit] Introduction

The New Towns Taskforce, established by the MHCLG in September 2024, was tasked with advising the government on where and how to deliver the next generation of new towns. Its core mission being to unlock economic growth and help meet England’s housing demand by identifying and recommending suitable sites for development.

Halfway through its 12-month programme, the Taskforce issued a policy update, noting progress made and welcoming the government’s commitment, it was announced ahead of the Spending Review to provide financial support. The support being described as a crucial step in ensuring certainty for what is positioned as a transformative national programme.

• Vision led; have a clear long term vision for each town, with a distinct identity, so they become places residents are proud to call home.
• Higher density; be built at a higher density that enables residents to walk to local amenities, take advantage of easier travel further afield and relax in shared, inclusive, open green spaces close to home.
• Business creation, growth and employment opportunities; provide jobs for residents and enable businesses to grow, supporting the government’s economic growth mission.
• Healthy and safe communities; promote healthy lives, providing communities with easy access to parks and nature.
• Long-term stewardship; have a clear plan for maintaining the town through its lifetime, to ensure it continues to meet residents’ needs.
• Community engagement; establish clear and effective ways to engage the local community in shaping the vision and goals for the area.
• Well-connected; have effective public transport within the town itself as well as links to wider transport networks and support cycling and walking.
• Balanced communities; provide a diverse range of high-quality housing with a range of housing types to suit the needs of a balanced community, including affordable housing and homes for social rent.
• Social infrastructure; focus on building thriving communities, ensuring access to good schools, cultural and sporting facilities, healthcare and hospitals to ensure new residents have the facilities they need from the outset.
• Environmental sustainability; support climate resilience and biodiversity and be ambitious in meeting environmental targets, meaning cleaner air, more parks and green spaces that are better for wellbeing.

The Taskforce drew inspiration from the historic post-war New Towns Committee, which laid the groundwork for 32 thriving communities that continue to shape millions of lives today. With similar ambition, this new programme seeks to respond to modern economic and housing challenges.

A national call for evidence invited site proposals capable of accommodating at least 10,000 homes, generating over 100 submissions from across every region of England. While many suggested urban extensions, some offered proposals for entirely new settlements. These responses have both enriched the Taskforce’s evidence base and demonstrated widespread enthusiasm for the initiative, underscoring the opportunity to build on the nation’s long-standing tradition of creating planned communities to drive growth, prosperity, and improved living standards.

The case for new towns is rooted in the ambition to create thriving, sustainable communities that directly tackle the UK’s housing shortfall and its wider economic and social impacts. A lack of affordable housing is restricting labour mobility, worsening public health, disrupting education, and delaying family formation, with the 2021 Census showing a sharp rise in adult children living with parents.

By delivering substantial numbers of well-planned homes, including social rented housing, new towns can ease affordability pressures while coordinating infrastructure, transport, and public services from the outset. Beyond housing, they can unlock economic potential in constrained areas, attract investment, stimulate job creation, promote regional productivity, and embed environmental sustainability through innovative design, ensuring they become places people are proud to call home.

The report reiterates that new generation of new towns build on a century of government-led settlement programmes, with the Taskforce emphasising the need to learn from both the successes and shortcomings of past efforts such as: Post-1945 new towns, Eco-towns, and Garden Communities. Key lessons identified include the importance of a clear and locally grounded vision, strong community engagement, and strategic site selection supported by infrastructure and local backing.

It states that successful new towns must also deliver balanced and diverse housing, foster business growth and employment opportunities, and ensure effective public transport and connectivity. Environmental sustainability is central, with developments expected to contribute to net zero goals, climate resilience, and biodiversity, while also supporting health and wellbeing through access to green spaces. It also notes that the early provision of social infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, cultural and sporting facilities are what make communities desirable and cohesive.

Long-term funding models, private investment, and robust stewardship structures are required to ensure sustainable delivery and governance. Building on these lessons, the Taskforce has drafted principles to guide all new towns, setting an expectation for ambition and exemplary standards in development.

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