Sector leaders welcome new towns announcement

On making the announcement, the prime minister visited Berkeley Group’s Eastbrook development in Milton Keynes yesterday as the government unveiled a new report by the New Towns Taskforce.

This new neighbourhood is set to deliver more than 4,000 low-carbon private and affordable homes, alongside a new strategic road network, three primary schools, a secondary school, shops, restaurants, essential services, healthcare facilities, office space and community hubs.

Rob Perrins, chief executive of Berkeley Group, said: “We were delighted to welcome the prime minister to Milton Keynes as we continue to work with all levels of government to speed up housing delivery and drive growth. 

“Our Eastbrook project is a brilliant example of national government, local authorities and the development sector working together to unlock complex sites and deliver the crucial social and transport infrastructure needed to support thousands of new homes and jobs. This major urban extension of Milton Keynes embodies everything the government is doing to tackle the housing crisis and create sustainable neighbourhoods fit for the future.” 

Greg Reed, group chief executive of Places for People, said the news was “incredibly welcome”.

He said: “Labour’s ambition and strategic approach to tackling the housing crisis continues to impress, but none of this can happen without a sharpened national focus on green construction skills.

“We especially welcome government’s commitment to ensuring the right infrastructure is rubberstamped into plans for new towns before spades hit the ground.

“These projects should put people first, and community engagement, provision of GPs, transport links, shops, schools and green space must be at the heart of any new such project.”

Jonathan Seager, policy delivery director at BusinessLDN, said it was “encouraging to see the government issuing a clear statement of intent regarding new towns as we await clarity on which sites will be taken forward”.

“London’s acute housing need, political structures and connectivity make it ideal for getting shovels in the ground to deliver tens of thousands of new homes,” Mr Seager said.

“This will require the government to set out funding options for the new towns programme as part of the Spending Review, as well as delivering on its commitment to reform the planning system.”

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said: “The government has responded to our calls to make the planning system more efficient and effective.” 

She added: “It’s good that the government is now looking at the impact of statutory consultees on planning applications. We’d urge the government to be even bolder in streamlining processes and ensuring they are adequately resourced.”

Richard Cook, chief development officer at Clarion Housing Group, added: “We welcome the government’s announcement, which will provide much-needed momentum to address the housing crisis and deliver the new communities that the country so urgently needs.”

Mr Cook said the announcement could help unlock its site near Beam Park in Dagenham.

“Our scheme adjacent to Beam Park has the potential to deliver 1,000 affordable homes but continues to face delays, particularly due to the uncertainty of the funding of the Beam Park Station, which is critical to our ability to bring this scheme forward,” he said.

“We are hopeful that with this renewed focus, we will, along with our stakeholders, be able to unlock this key strategic site and bring much-needed affordable homes for Londoners.”

The government also announced this week that existing Affordable Housing Programmes will see an additional £350m to help unlock development ahead of the Spending Review in the June.