Overview
- The government, which set out the plan Monday, proposed seven new towns with at least 10,000 homes at each site and a 40% affordable housing target.
- Locations named are Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank, Crews Hill and Chase Park in Enfield, Manchester Victoria North, Thamesmead in Greenwich, Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc in South Gloucestershire, and Milton Keynes.
- Linked transport is central to several sites, including a new East West Rail station at Tempsford, a planned Metrolink stop for Manchester Victoria North, a Docklands Light Railway extension to unlock Thamesmead, and a new local system to bolster Milton Keynes.
- Ministers cut the list from a larger shortlist and moved to consultation, kept the programme budget undecided, and said they could use compulsory purchase if land talks fail.
- The government appointed four interim advisers — Lyn Garner, Ian Piper, Emma Cariaga and David Rudlin — while industry voices warned costs and weak capacity could slow delivery of Labour’s wider 1.5 million homes pledge.