Ministers have confirmed the locations for seven new towns in England, marking what is being described as the most ambitious housebuilding project in half a century. The programme, led by the housing and communities department, aims to construct between 15,000 and 40,000 homes in each location, with coordinated development of schools, healthcare, public transport, and walking and cycling paths.
The new towns include a mix of urban and rural sites. In Bedfordshire, up to 40,000 homes are planned around the historic village of Tempsford, near the A1, on a former RAF base. This site will also feature a major station interchange linking the east coast mainline with a new east-west rail link between Cambridge and Oxford.
Five projects are within or on the edges of major cities. In London, up to 21,000 homes are planned in Crews Hill and Chase Park in Enfield, and 15,000 homes in Thamesmead, supported by an extension of the Docklands Light Railway. Other urban projects include Victoria North in Manchester (15,000 homes), Leeds South Bank (20,000 homes), and Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc in north Bristol (40,000 homes).
The final project is in Milton Keynes, itself a postwar new town, where 40,000 homes will be added. The seven chosen locations were selected from a shortlist of 12 announced in September. The five unsuccessful sites—Adlington in Cheshire, Heyford Park in Oxfordshire, Marlcombe in East Devon, Plymouth, and Wychavon Town—will receive alternative support, as will South Barking in east London.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the plan “marks a turning point in how we build for the future,” adding: “From the ground up, we’re planning whole communities with homes, jobs, transport links, and green spaces designed together – so we can give families the security and opportunities they deserve.”
