Seven sites across the United Kingdom have been earmarked for the creation of entirely new towns, marking a significant step in the government’s drive to tackle the housing shortage.
Each development is expected to deliver a minimum of 10,000 homes, with some projected to exceed 40,000 properties.
The planned communities are being designed with a modern blueprint in mind.
Ministers say the new towns will prioritise walkability, reducing reliance on cars, while incorporating shared green spaces and lively high streets intended to anchor local life.
The selected locations span England and include Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank, Crews Hill and Chase Park, Manchester Victoria North, Thamesmead, the Brabazon and West Innovation Arc, and Milton Keynes.
Thamesmead, in particular, has been highlighted as a key site within the programme.
A further six locations were considered during the selection process but have ultimately been ruled out. These include Adlington, Heyford Park, Marlcombe, Plymouth, South Barking and Wychavon Town.
Alongside the developments themselves, the government is also weighing potential names for the new towns, drawing on figures from British history.
“These new towns are about planning for the future in a more joined-up way, creating places where families can feel secure and thrive.”
—- Housing Secretary Steve Reed
Among the suggestions are Elizabethtown, Pankhurst, Attleeton, Athelstan and Seacole.
The initiative forms part of Labour’s broader commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes over the course of the current parliament, with the aim of widening access to homeownership with construction scheduled to begin before 2029.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the programme signals a shift in how communities are built, promising developments that integrate housing with infrastructure, employment opportunities and green space from the outset.
“People are looking for tangible change,” he said. “That means affordable homes, infrastructure that keeps pace, and communities where people can build their lives. These new towns are about planning for the future in a more joined-up way, creating places where families can feel secure and thrive.”
