Map reveals 12 NEW towns coming to England under £48billion scheme

THE UK is expected to see the construction of a dozen new towns as part of a new Government scheme.

Estimated to cost a total of £48 billion, this new generation of homes hopes to tackle the housing crisis.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed pledged that construction will begin at three of the locations before the next election.

Speaking at Labour’s party conference, he said the Government will “do whatever it takes to get Britain building”.

Labour plans to take forward the construction of 12 new towns as recommended by a report from the Government’s New Towns Taskforce.

While the locations are spread across the country, priority for construction in the current Parliament will likely be given to Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank, and Crews Hill, north London.

Priority locations

Labour has described each of these locations as the “most promising sites”.

Tempsford, home to 600 people in around 300 houses, has been earmarked as a potential hub on the Oxford–Cambridge growth corridor, at the crossroads of the East-West rail line and the East Coast Mainline railway.

Meanwhile, Leeds South Bank is already part of a significant regeneration scheme which aims to double the size of the city centre. 

And similarly, Crews Hill in Enfield, located around 12 miles from the centre of London, is already the subject of a draft local plan.

This proposal involves the building of around 5,500 homes on green belt and grey belt land.

New town details

According to Labour plans, each of the dozen new towns will have at least 10,000 homes.

This means the scheme could collectively result in 300,000 houses being built across England.

The housing minister welcomed a recommendation by the New Towns Taskforce that at least 40% of these new homes should be affordable.

According to the taskforce, a fifth of these residentail sites should be reserved for social housing.

The proposed new communities will also be supported by GP surgeries, schools, green space, and transport links.

Labour plans to build both standalone settlements and expansions of existing towns, or new areas within cities as part of this scheme.

This development would mark the first major programme of new towns since the post-war era.

Echoing the historic period, Labour said the towns represent “the next generation of cutting-edge communities”.

Speaking to delegates, Reed said the project is designed to “restore the dream of home ownership” for families priced out of the market. 

Other locations

The other proposed locations include a standalone settlement in Adlington, Cheshire East.

This would serve growing industries in the county and Greater Manchester.

And another location would aim to connected developments across South Gloucestershire, which is located near a cluster of advanced engineering and technology businesses.

The scheme also proposes the redevelopment of a former airbase at Heyford Park, Cherwell, Oxfordshire as well as the construction of new homes in Victoria North, inner Manchester.

A standalone settlement has also been put forward in Marlcombe, East Devon.

And the renewal of Milton Keynes city centre as well as the expansion of its periphery, alongside a new mass transit system has also been proposed,

A Plymouth development and a new riverside settlement in Thamesmead, Greenwich have also been outlined.

And finally further development at Worcestershire Parkway in Wychavon was put forward.

Environmental assessments need to be carried out before planning and building work for each location can begin.

No final decisions on locations will be made until this assessment concludes and preferred locations could change as a result of the process.  

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