Seven new towns proposed to kickstart housebuilding push

Seven locations proposed as new towns with each location delivering at least 10,000 homes with several delivering up to 40,000.

The locations of seven new towns have been named for consideration as part of the most ambitious housebuilding programme in more than half a century.

Built for the future from the ground up, the next generation of new towns will create well-connected new communities with homes, jobs, schools, green space and transport links planned from the start.

Each proposed location is expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes, with several delivering 40,000 or more in the decades to come.

The proposed locations are:

• Tempsford, Bedfordshire — up to 40,000 homes built around a new East West Rail station, linking residents to Cambridge, Oxford, London and Milton Keynes

• Crews Hill and Chase Park, Enfield — up to 21,000 homes helping to meet London’s acute housing need

• Leeds South Bank, West Yorkshire — up to 20,000 homes capitalising on the city’s economic momentum and the government’s £2.1 billion local transport investment

• Manchester Victoria North, Greater Manchester — at least 15,000 homes regenerating the heart of Greater Manchester, with a new Metrolink stop connecting residents to jobs across the city

• Thamesmead, Greenwich — up to 15,000 homes unlocking inaccessible riverside land in London, enabled by the planned Docklands Light Railway extension

• Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc, South Gloucestershire — up to 40,000 homes at the heart of a world-class research and advanced engineering economy

• Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire — building on its history as one of the original new towns, to take forward the ‘renewed town’ vision to expand the city by around 40,000 homes and reinvigorate the centre with a new local transport system, boosting connectivity in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor

Furthermore, as part of the government’s drive to instil pride in our communities, these towns will be designed for modern, everyday life – with neighbourhoods that people can easily get around without a car, shared green spaces and vibrant high streets.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

People want real change – homes they can afford, local infrastructure that works, and good jobs in thriving communities.

Our next generation of new towns marks a turning point in how we build for the future.

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.

To drive forward delivery, four interim advisers have been appointed to support the New Towns Unit:

• Lyn Garner, former Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation;

• Ian Piper, former Chief Executive of the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation;

• Emma Cariaga, Chief Operating Officer of British Land;

• David Rudlin, Founding Principal of Rudlin & Co and principal author of the UK Government’s National Model Design Code

Building on the success seen in Stratford through the London Legacy Development Corporation and elsewhere, some new development corporations will also be stood up to support the delivery of these new towns.

As set out in the proposed placemaking principles, these new towns will create affordable and balanced communities with the schools, health facilities and community infrastructure neighbourhoods need, supported by high quality public transport and walking and cycling infrastructure.

To ensure that new towns are built in a holistic way, that meets communities’ growing needs, government is taking a cross-government approach to ensure the utilities, health, education, and digital infrastructure to underpin new towns from the outset.

Alongside the new towns consultation, the government has also confirmed today that the National Housing Bank will launch on 1 April. It will be backed with up to £16bn of financial capacity and will aim to deliver over 500,000 new homes.

The government has also confirmed additional support worth up to £400 million over the next decade for subsidised products. This will enable both the National Housing Bank and regional Mayors to issue loans and investments at lower interest rates and unlock housebuilding across the country.

Confirmed today that the Bank will be chaired by Peter Vernon, with Simon Century as its Chief Executive, the Bank will respond flexibly to market needs, unlock over £53 billion of private investment, and provide developers with more financial stability and certainty to support the delivery of over half a million new homes. Century and Vernon both have comprehensive experience in property, financial services, regeneration, and management consultancy.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

For decades this country’s planning system has been a direct obstacle to building new homes, ramping up costs and pricing young people out of the housing market.

Two years ago, I promised that we would grasp the nettle of planning reform. Now we’re planning to build a new generation of new towns, opening up the expansion of our most dynamic cities and raise up new communities.

Our economic plan is the right one. Through stability, investment and reform we are building a stronger and more secure economy.

Simon Century, National Housing Bank Chief Executive, said:

From day one, we’ll use deep expertise to back innovative, large-scale delivery — accelerating the supply of high-quality affordable homes and thriving places people want to live.

The Government also assessed six further New Town locations — Adlington, Heyford Park, Marlcombe (East Devon), Plymouth, South Barking and Wychavon Town — which will not be taken forward as New Towns at this stage but are deemed to be credible development opportunities and may continue to be supported through existing housing programmes. In Plymouth, for example, there is a unique opportunity to bolster the UK’s defence and security sector, and will have its own bespoke support package to unlock its potential as a centre of excellence in naval technology, and to ensure that lack of good quality homes does not act as a barrier to growth.

Furthermore, an additional £234 million grant fund will support Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) to unlock 8,000 new homes on derelict brownfield land. Areas benefitting from the funding include Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the East Midlands, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull & East Yorkshire, Tees Valley, West of England and York & North Yorkshire.

Together, these measures form part of the government’s commitment to ease the housing crisis, supporting first-time buyers, and creating thousands of jobs across construction and related industries.

Further information:

• The New Towns Taskforce published its report in September 2025, recommending 12 potential locations. The government responded on 28 September 2025.

• A public consultation on proposed locations and draft planning policy is open until Monday 18 May and will be published shortly.

• Final locations will be confirmed later this year after the consultation and Strategic Environmental Assessment and any further required environmental assessment.

• No decisions have been made on the names of New Towns.

• The National Housing Bank is operational from 1 April, with up to £16bn of long-term flexible capital deployable, sitting alongside the new Cities Investment Fund, with up to £1.5 billion available for direct devolution to Mayors.

• Full adviser biographies: Lyn Garner — Chair of London Stadium LLP, former CEO of the London Legacy Development Corporation and New Towns Taskforce member. Ian Piper — CEO of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation since 2017. Emma Cariaga — COO of British Land, previously co-led the Canada Water development. David Rudlin — Founding Principal of Rudlin & Co, visiting professor of urbanism at Manchester School of Architecture and principal author of the National Model Design Code.

• The Brownfield Housing Fund (BHF) is a grant fund to unlock housing supply on brownfield land. This funding is part of our wider National Housing Delivery Fund (NHDF) which will launch in April to deliver funding to support housing delivery across the country. It is directly allocated to Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) to ease the viability issues that brownfield projects face and therefore unlock homes on brownfield land. We have previously announced devolved housing funding for the most established MSAs through their Integrated Settlements. Today a further £234 million has been allocated for Mayoral Strategic Authorities in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the East Midlands, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull & East Yorkshire, Tees Valley, West of England and York & North Yorkshire, to unlock 8,000 new homes.

BIOGRAPHIES

Simon Century

Simon Century joined Homes England in 2025 as Chief Investment Officer. He is responsible for leading the agency’s investment strategy and partnerships to accelerate housing delivery nationwide.

Prior to this, Simon spent nine years at Legal & General as managing director, where he built and grew multiple housing businesses across social and affordable housing, build to rent, senior living, and build to sale, as well as pioneering platforms for modern methods of construction.

Simon began his career at investment and advisory firm TradeRisks and later joined the affordable housing provider bpha, leading corporate strategy and finance.

He is a full member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, holds a certificate in investment management from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, and has a psychology degree from the University of Liverpool.

Peter Vernon

Peter Vernon has an extensive senior career in property, regeneration, and management consultancy. He joined the Homes England Board in May 2024 and is Deputy Chair, in addition to chairing Homes England’s Investment Committee.

Peter is also Chair of Grosvenor Hart Homes. Prior to this he was Group Executive Director of Grosvenor until 2021, having previously served as Chief Executive of Grosvenor Property UK between 2008 to 2017. Prior to Grosvenor he was a Partner with PwC Consulting. He has held Non-Executive Director roles for organisations including The Berkeley Group plc and BusinessLDN. He served as a Trustee of Peabody and a Senior Advisor to Places for London.

Peter was a member of the Policy Committee of the British Property Federation, the Montague Review of institutional investment in the UK build to rent sector, a commissioner of the City Growth Commission, a member of the Government Estates Regeneration Panel and vice chair of the West End Partnership.

Additional stakeholder quotes:

Sir Michael Lyons, Chair of English Cities Fund and SQW Group, and previous Chair of the New Towns Taskforce, said:

I warmly welcome the government’s decision to progress seven of the locations recommended by the New Towns Taskforce and to continue discussions in the remaining areas.

The consultation provides an opportunity to reflect on lessons from the past and inform a new generation of new towns that can support sustainable growth and create places of lasting value. This is just the ambitious response we hoped for.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

The Leeds South Bank New Town is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver up to 13,000 new homes in one of the UK’s fastest growing cities.

The development will be supported by the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System and vital investment in Leeds Station, to unlock jobs and opportunity in the heart of the North.

Alongside our partner Leeds City Council, we will deliver the new, high quality homes and communities that local people need and deserve.

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:

The country’s fastest growing regional economy here in the West of England is the perfect place for a new town: Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc. As we continue to create jobs and growth, we need to build the right homes in the right places - with the services and infrastructure that people need.

Just on Friday, we officially named Bristol Brabazon, the new railway station that will open this autumn to serve this regional Growth Zone. The Housing Secretary also saw the West’s brilliance up close at NCC on Thursday, where we were proud to host the Mayoral Council for the first time.

In a huge week for devolution, real momentum is building for our region as we work with government and partners across the West of England to deliver change that people can see and feel.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:

We are glad to see Victoria North getting this backing from the Government. It is one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration projects right at the heart of its fastest-growing city-region.

Victoria North will see the building of 15,000 new homes, including many for social rent, alongside high-quality green spaces close to our city centre.

We believe it is the model of what a new town should be, with modern homes linked to high-quality public transport. Only this week we agreed to invest £60m in a new tram connection for Victoria North from our ground-breaking Good Growth Fund.

Greater Manchester is ready to deliver a decade of good growth, giving people quality jobs and truly affordable homes, and Victoria North is a crucial part of that.

Elliot Shaw, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer for National Highways, said:

We are working with government and other organisations to make sure new towns are well connected from day one.

Our motorways and major A roads are essential because they link people to jobs, services and opportunities and are vital to thriving communities.

Peter Vernon, National Housing Bank Chair, said:

As a Public Finance Institution, the Bank can move quickly and develop solutions that work for communities. We’ll work with partners across the sector to drive delivery at pace.

Pat Ritchie, Chair of Homes England, said:

On behalf of the Homes England Board, I am delighted to welcome Peter as Chair and Simon as Chief Executive of the National Housing Bank.

As part of the Homes England group, the Bank will enhance how we support partners across the country. With Peter’s leadership and Simon’s deep delivery expertise, the Bank is well placed to drive investment and accelerate the homes and places communities rely on.

Charlie Nunn, Group Chief Executive at Lloyds Banking Group, said:

Housing is fundamental to economic prosperity, growth and healthy communities. At Lloyds, we play a leading role in financing the housing ecosystem, including supporting the social housing sector with more than £22bn of new finance since 2018, through commercial lending and deal facilitation.

Building the homes the country needs requires strong public and private sector collaboration, and we look forward to working with the new National Housing Bank to help accelerate the delivery of good quality, genuinely affordable homes across the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-new-towns-proposed-to-kickstart-housebuilding-push