A former government adviser has said in a report that Labor should build 12 new towns in Britain that are car-free or built on flood plains.
Detailed plans for 12 new cities, proposed by think tanks Britain Remake and Create Streets, will see 550,000 well-designed and well-located homes built. The report says new homes will improve access to well-paying jobs in well-connected cities, boosting the economy by between £13bn and £28bn a year.
New towns should include green areas with gardens, garden plazas, street trees, and parks. They should be richly layered with trees and gardens, and green spaces should be either securely private or clearly public, with no in-between.
Nicholas Boyes-Smith, founder of Create Streets and a former government adviser, said recent attempts to build new settlements were “depressing and unsustainable” due to their sprawl and dependence on cars. “It's possible and stupid.” The new city should follow suit.
The principle of 'moderate density' means that irregular crowding is avoided and people can easily walk to shops, workplaces and facilities.
They should also not be built on national landscapes, flood plains or in areas of special scientific interest and should have good public transport links. It calls for developments to be mixed-use and to end the trend of building housing estates where people have to drive to industrial parks or shopping centres.
“We need to make sure that all our daily necessities are close to where we live. “This is what planners call a 'modal shift' – the freedom to get around to work, leisure, shopping and school without having to rely on a car or public transport.”
The authors identified towns with high demand for housing and good connections with existing and planned infrastructure, including public transport. All new towns are well connected with England's productive cities.
“Over the past 60 years, all government-led attempts to create new towns and settlements have basically failed,” Boyes-Smith said.
“There are too few houses, too far apart, and they are built too slowly. There is no real town center, walkability, and little public transport. An ugly civic center that only a mother could love. There is no pull. I The few times we've actually built something, it's not in a city, but in a vast suburb.The model is not a “new town by the station” but a “parking lot by the station.” It's depressing, unsustainable and stupid.
“We have to be more ambitious in what we build. Why do new towns have to be uglier and worse than old ones? It's been 10 years and the government… We don't want to hear about yet another failed initiative. This paper suggests how important and smart government planning could avoid that fate.”
This comes as Labor faces pressure to fully implement future housing standards. This means new homes must be properly insulated and have heat pumps and solar panels installed to reduce carbon emissions and save on heating costs.
Sam Richards, chief executive of Britain Remake, said: 'Building at a lower density not only allows us to build more homes on less land, but also reduces emissions. people who live outside the city have 50% less carbon emissions than people who live outside the city.
proposed new town
● Greater Cambridge: Expanding the city to allow for more housing, experimental space and innovation.
● Tempsford, Bedfordshire: A new, well-connected town that takes full advantage of new infrastructure and has excellent links to Cambridge, Oxford and central London.
● Winslow, Buckinghamshire: Opportunity to 'mirror' the town across the newly restored East West Rail to Oxford and Milton Keynes.
● Cheddington, Buckinghamshire: A new town built along the west coast trunk line and set to benefit from increased transport capacity once HS2 opens.
● Salford, Surrey: This new town could help alleviate the housing crisis in Brighton and London, while also helping to fund upgrades to nearby Brighton Main Line and the M23.
● Greater Oxford: Expanding the city to enable more housing, experimental space and innovation.
● Iver, Buckinghamshire: Abundant land adjacent to two stations on the Elizabeth line.
● Hatfield Peverell, Essex: A new town 'mirrored' across the railway line. It is well served by the A12 and the East Coast Main Line.
● Bristol Expansion: Helping to alleviate the worst housing crisis outside the South East by creating one of the most regulated green belts in the UK.
● Chippenham, Wiltshire: New moderate density expansion organically extends the market town eastwards.
● York: Extend the city to the ring road and help ease the north's worst housing shortage.
● Arden Cross (Birmingham Interchange): Build a new town next to the new HS2 station, Birmingham Airport, the M42, A45 and a potential tram extension into Birmingham centre.
