Last edited 27 Dec 2020

Development corporation

Development corporations can be created by statutory instruments to facilitate developments in areas that need large-scale coordination of investment and planning. They are a statutory bodies set up to regenerate a designated area, bringing land and buildings into effective use, and acting as the planning authority for that area.

Many of the post-war new towns were established by New Town Development Corporations created under the New Towns Acts.

Types of development corporation in the UK now include:

Urban Development Corporations (UDC), such as Ebbsfleet, which are accountable to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
New Town Development Corporations such as Milton Keynes, also accountable to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Mayoral Development Corporations, such as the London Legacy Development Corporation, created under powers given to the Mayor of London by the Localism Act 2011, and accountable to the Mayor.

In June 2018, it was announced that local councils are to be given powers to request the creation of New Town Development Corporations, accountable to the local authority or authorities in the area.

These locally-led bodies will be responsible for delivering new towns and garden communities in their area by:

Drafting proposals for the new developments which the oversight authority can approve.
Masterplanning and project development.
Bringing on board private investment.
Partnering with developers.
Overseeing completion.

Housing Minister Dominic Raab MP said; “We need to build the homes our communities need and I’m committed to giving councils the tools they need to deliver. That’s why we’re giving councils the option of applying to establish development corporations. These will be locally accountable and must listen to the views of the community to ensure that the right homes are built in the right places.”