New Towns Taskforce holds first meeting

The New Towns Taskforce has held its first meeting and confirmed its final list of members.

The group will be working on plans for largest post-war housebuilding programme; creating largescale communities that could deliver hundreds of thousands of high-quality homes to tackle the national housing crisis and drive economic growth across the country.

The taskforce met for the first time in Milton Keynes - an example of a post-war town - and confirmed the responsibilities for each member, laying the groundwork to identify appropriate locations and learning the lessons from previous efforts to build new towns.  

Taskforce members will lead a series of work streams and are set to report back in 12 months.

The taskforce will identify and review high potential locations for new towns; agree principles and standards that must be met to provide good quality places; explore new ways to attract future funding and investment; and find practical solutions to remove barriers that will unlock the delivery of new towns.

The deputy prime minister and housing minister joined remotely.

Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said: "Today marks a momentous step in our journey to deliver the next generation of new towns and transform the lives of millions of working people in every part of the country.   

"We want to see new communities with real character –providing genuinely affordable, safe and secure homes, much-needed infrastructure and well-paying jobs.

"With a strong team of experts standing by his side, I have every confidence in Sir Michael’s leadership and his Taskforce is working at pace to make sure our long-term ambition becomes a reality."

Housing and planning minister, Matthew Pennycook said: "I am really pleased that the New Towns Taskforce has held its first meeting today.

"It brings together a wealth of experience from across the industry, and I look forward to engaging with it over the months ahead as it works to identify the most suitable locations across the country for large-scale new communities."

Chair of the New Towns Taskforce, Sir Michael Lyons said: "I am very pleased to chair the first meeting of the Taskforce today. We have an important agenda to work through over the next 12 months to ensure that the next generation of new towns deliver the government’s plans for economic growth and housing ambitions.   

"I look forward to working with our very experienced Taskforce members to provide the Government with robust recommendations within a year."