3rd Report - New Towns: Creating Communities
- HC No.
- Not recorded
- Published
- 26 Mar 2026
- Items
- 0
- Government response
- Government response published 27 May 2026 (deadline 26 May 2026). Read the government's response ↗
Select committee: Built Environment Committee
New Towns: Creating Communities
Open
Opened 27 Oct 2025
Where it stands
The inquiry is open, opened 27 October 2025.
The committee has published 1 report, most recently 3rd Report - New Towns: Creating Communities on 26 March 2026.
The government's response
Published 27 May 2026. The deadline was 26 May 2026.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and says it is "closely considering" it as it develops the proposed New Towns Programme, while deferring many of the recommendations to a fuller response "later in the year".
- The government "agrees with the Committee" that the programme should be grounded in a clear long-term vision, and says each new town will deliver "at least 10,000 homes".
- On placemaking, "subject to the outcomes of the current consultation", it intends to incorporate the proposed principles into planning policy, and it will publish Design and Placemaking Guidance for new towns (no date given).
- The Department will establish a New Towns Place Review Panel to provide "impartial advice" on the design and placemaking quality of emerging masterplans, design codes and development proposals.
- No final decisions on locations or delivery will be made until the Strategic Environmental Assessment is complete; locations are to be confirmed "later this year", and the detail of the government offer is to follow in the response to the Taskforce report "later in the year".
Reports
- 3rd Report - New Towns: Creating Communities26 March 2026
Evidence
- 7 oral evidence sessionsLatest 21 January 2026
- 21 witnesses
Recent activity
- Government Response to the Committee's report "New Towns: Creating Communities"27 May 2026, Report published
- 3rd Report - New Towns: Creating Communities26 March 2026, Report published
- Oral Evidence Session21 January 2026, Oral evidence
Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jan 2026 |
Oral Evidence Session
Lise-Anne Boissiere · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government,
The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP · Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
|
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| 9 Dec 2025 |
Public session
Brett Leahy · Enfield Council,
Niall Bolger · Belport
|
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| 2 Dec 2025 |
Oral Evidence Session
Amanprit Arnold · Disability Urbanism,
Councillor Holly Bruce · Scottish Green Party,
Dinah Bornat · ZCD Architects
|
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| 25 Nov 2025 |
Public session
Julia Thrift · Town and Country Planning Association,
Professor Rachel Sara · Birmingham School of Architecture,
Professor Susan Parham · University of Hertfordshire Urbanism Unit
|
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| 18 Nov 2025 |
Public session
Kevin McGeough · Ebbsfleet Development Corporation,
Paula Bond · Northstowe Arts,
Rhiannon Corcoran · University of Liverpool
|
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| 11 Nov 2025 |
Public session
Ben Pentreath · Ben Pentreath Ltd,
Edwin Heathcote · Financial Times,
Lucy Musgrove OBE · Publica,
Phineas Harper,
Will Cousins · Pooleyville
|
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| 4 Nov 2025 |
Evidence session
Catherine Williams · The Home Builders Federation (HBF),
Daisy Narayanan MBE · The Crown Estate,
Paul Augarde · Augarde & Partners
|
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Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Amanprit Arnold · Founder and Director | Disability Urbanism | 1 |
| Ben Pentreath · Founder | Ben Pentreath Ltd | 1 |
| Brett Leahy · Executive Director for Environment and Communities | Enfield Council | 1 |
| Catherine Williams · Planning Director | The Home Builders Federation (HBF) | 1 |
| Councillor Holly Bruce · Councillor for Langside Ward at Glasgow City Council | Scottish Green Party | 1 |
| Daisy Narayanan MBE · Public Realm Director | The Crown Estate | 1 |
| Dinah Bornat · co-director | ZCD Architects | 1 |
| Edwin Heathcote · Architecture and Design Critic | Financial Times | 1 |
| Julia Thrift · Director of Healthier Place-making | Town and Country Planning Association | 1 |
| Kevin McGeough · Head of Strategy and Placemaking | Ebbsfleet Development Corporation | 1 |
| Lise-Anne Boissiere · Co-Director for New Towns, Infrastructure and Housing Delivery | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 1 |
| Lucy Musgrove OBE · Founding Director | Publica | 1 |
| Niall Bolger · consultant and non-exec director | Belport | 1 |
| Paul Augarde · Director | Augarde & Partners | 1 |
| Paula Bond · Head | Northstowe Arts | 1 |
| Phineas Harper | Not recorded | 1 |
| Professor Rachel Sara · Oscar Naddermier Professor of Architecture | Birmingham School of Architecture | 1 |
| Professor Susan Parham · Director | University of Hertfordshire Urbanism Unit | 1 |
| Rhiannon Corcoran · Professor of Psychology and Public Mental Health | University of Liverpool | 1 |
| The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP · Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1 |
| Will Cousins · Partner | Pooleyville | 1 |