New Towns Taskforce

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.

The Deputy Prime Minister appointed Sir Michael Lyons as the Taskforce chair. Sir Michael has a distinguished career in public service, having spent over 26 years in local government, including 17 years as the chief executive of 3 major UK local authorities. He has a detailed knowledge of the housing sector, not least through the Lyons Housing Review commissioned by the then Leader of the Opposition, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP. He was also a former Chairman of the BBC. Sir Michael is the current non-executive Chairman of the English Cities Fund – which is a joint venture with large scale regeneration developments in London, Liverpool, Plymouth, Salford and Wakefield.

Sir Michael will be supported in his role by Dame Kate Barker as Deputy Chair, a former non-executive director at Taylor Wimpey. Dame Kate is experienced in working with the government on housing policy and has previously been commissioned by the government to conduct a major independent policy review of UK housing supply, and subsequently a review of land use planning. Alongside her experience in housing policy, Dame Kate also chairs the trustees of the Universities Superannuation Scheme and has previously been an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.

In September 2024 the New Towns Taskforce was established as an independent expert advisory panel appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support the government to deliver the next generation of new towns. In February 2026 the New Towns Taskforce published its interim report, as a policy statement updating the government on progress in its first six months: 'Building new towns for the future' .

You can find out more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-statement-on-new-towns/policy-statement-on-new-towns#further-detail-on-the-new-towns-taskforce

[edit] BREAKING NEWS

Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP (2025) 'Government unveils plans for next generation of new towns', gov.uk, 13 February

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