What is next for New Towns?

In our September 2025 blog, we updated you on the Government’s response to the New Towns Taskforce’s report (“Report”). Today, we are pleased to provide a further update on a live MHCLG consultation (“the Consultation”) which opened on Monday, 23 March 2026 and is running until 19 May 2026 on the new towns draft programme (“the Programme”). The Consultation is split into 5 sections, the introduction, new towns programme, new town locations, delivering new towns and the next steps. Together with Gary Soloman, we have set out a summary of the key elements below.

What are the objectives of the Programme?

Section 2 of the Consultation sets out the background of the need for the Programme, the parts being consulted on and the objectives. The intention is for each new town to deliver at least 10,000 homes to enable efficient land use, support supply chain growth and innovation, create integrated infrastructure and deliver affordable housing and social infrastructure. In addition to scale (objective 1), the key objectives are economic growth (objective 2), geographic spread (objective 3), delivery (objective 4) and placemaking (objective 5). 

What are the chosen locations? 

Section 3 highlights that the selection process has been informed by an analysis of environmental effects at programme level. The consultation includes the SEA environmental report (ER) and a non-technical summary at Annex B which finds that overall the Programme will support wide-ranging societal benefits and better overall outcomes to meet the need for housing and economic growth with significant positive effects in relation to the population. This is subject to appropriate mitigation being put in place, particularly in relation to impacts on air quality, health and wellbeing, climate change, biodiversity and the historic environment. Once the Programme has been adopted, proposals for new town locations will be subject to more detailed, site-level environmental assessment and assessment under the Habitats Regulations. At a local and plan-level, the expectation is that the mitigation of negative effects and opportunities to enhance the environment will be pursued through comprehensive masterplanning and design, avoiding the loss of key designated sites and other key natural assets, provision of appropriate supporting infrastructure, implementation of targeted strategies, and early, effective engagement with statutory bodies and local communities. The consultation seeks views on the ER,  particularly additional relevant environmental information, local environmental constraints, alternatives identified, cumulative effects and practical methods of mitigation and monitoring.

Annex C of the report sets out the methodology used to initially review over 100 locations to determine their suitability. The government then identified thirteen locations capable of meeting objectives 1, 2 and 4, comprising the 12 shortlisted sites in the Report and an additional reasonable alternative comprising urban regeneration of several sites at South Barking in East London.  Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the Government proposes to progress new towns at seven locations, as follows: 

• Three sites are described as “priority interventions”, which will be prioritised and receive significant government focus and support for delivery: Crews Hill and Chase Park (up to 21,000 homes), Leeds South Bank (circa 20,000 homes) and Tempsford (over 40,000 homes);
• Two mature schemes will be provided with assistance to maximise development opportunities: Manchester Victoria North (at least 15,000 homes) and Thamesmead (up to 15,000 homes);
• Two scalable schemes of considerable potential will be supported for initial phases with opportunities to scale up development also being explored: Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc (up to 40,000 homes) and Milton Keynes (circa 40,000 homes). As mentioned in our earlier blog, we have been advising on the planning and real estate elements of the Brabazon strategic site since it was acquired by YTL Developments in 2016, so we are delighted to see its potential has been recognised and that it has progressed to the next stage.

The Government will continue to refine its understanding of the propositions through the consultation and through further site-specific, bespoke work, in order to inform how best to support each location’s potential and determine the timelines for bringing forward phases of development. The consultation notes that wider flood mitigations are required prior to delivery at Tempsford, and site remediation and upgrades to existing flood and power infrastructure are required at Thamesmead. Faster progress should be capable of being made on the first phase of Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc, with future phases reliant on further work on necessary transport services and infrastructure, and at Milton Keynes East, with delivery in central and Milton Keynes North contingent on an appropriate local transport solution.

The remaining 6 sites at Adlington (14,000 to 20,000 homes), Heyford Park (over 13,000 homes), Marlcombe (10,000 to 14,000 homes), Plymouth (10,000 to 14,000 homes), South Barking (over 48,000 homes) and Wychavon Town (10,000 to 15,000 homes) are assessed as strong propositions, and the Government is supportive of them coming forward as large sites through previously established programmes and interventions. 

How will new towns be delivered?

The Government proposes to offer a tailored package of support to each new town, involving:

• Resource and capital funding to develop masterplans and design codes, technical studies, business cases and governance structures. Funding will also be used for land remediation, acquisition and to enable infrastructure and placemaking;
• Support to establish an appropriate delivery vehicle for each location;
• Access to a New Towns Unit for programme governance at a senior level (described as a “Single front door” for this purpose);
• Reliance on a proposed New Towns Planning Policy (covered in Annex A). This will sit alongside the NPPF and contain plan-making and decision-making policies, including policies on the treatment of new town proposals which involve Green Belt land, the approach to safeguarding land, and the establishment of placemaking principles. The consultation notes that local planning authorities should continue with plan-making in advance of the Programme being established and give consideration to any potential impacts of other developments on the delivery of new towns;
• Establishment of a New Towns Place Review Panel to provide impartial advice to delivery bodies and planning authorities.

The Government has confirmed that fuller details of the offer, including specific details of what will be included at location and Programme level, will be set out in the Government’s full response to the Report, later in 2026.

The Government considers that the delivery of housing in new town proposals should contribute towards meeting the identified housing need of relevant strategic and LPAs. It will however consider whether further policy or guidance is required on an alternative approach to new town proposals delivered by development corporations with full plan-making powers, as the standard method may not be appropriate for calculating housing need in that scenario. 

The consultation notes that, subject to the relevant legal requirements and environmental assessments, the delivery vehicles will seek the early assembly of land through voluntary negotiation in the first instance and the use of compulsory purchase powers (if required to ensure comprehensive delivery). Any uplift in land value arising could be reinvested to support the provision of affordable housing, community facilities and other essential public services. The proposed minimum target for affordable housing is 40%, of which at least half is to be available for social rent. Local conditions in each of the chosen locations will unlock how feasible it is to meet this. 

What are the timescales? 

Subject to the outcomes of the consultation and completion of all assessment work (SEA and HRA), the proposal is to adopt the Programme in Summer 2026. This will set out early delivery actions including further consultations on delivery vehicles and local planning frameworks and the confirmation of masterplans. The Government will also continue to engage widely with communities and stakeholders to ensure that new towns are planned and delivered to the highest standards of design, sustainability, and long-term stewardship.

How can we help? 

We have extensive experience of acting for developers, local authorities and landowners on the consenting and delivery of large residential led mixed use schemes, so please do get in touch with us or Gary Soloman, head of our Planning and Compulsory Purchase team, if you have any queries on responding to the consultation or advancing a consenting strategy on a proposed scheme.