Prime Minister announces plans for next generation of new towns
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced plans to deliver the next generation of new towns, including measures to expedite the planning process for new housing developments by requiring bodies such as National Highways, Natural England, and the Environment Agency to engage directly with planners and housebuilders to resolve issues that have impeded development. Additional funding has also been announced, including £2m to support the Building Safety Regulator in improving the processing of new-build applications, £3m in grants for local councils to strengthen planning capacity, and £20m to transform neglected small-scale council-owned sites into new homes, focusing on areas most in need. Starmer also revealed that over 100 proposals from across England were submitted in response to the New Towns Taskforce’s November 2024 call for evidence, each capable of delivering 10,000 homes or more.