New Town powers for councils

Councils have been given new powers which will help them deliver homes their communities need.

Housing Minister Dominic Raab MP announced the measures, which will allow councils to progress New Town Development Corporations, once approved by government. The new corporations will be responsible for delivering new towns and garden communities in their area through master planning and project development. Each new town is expected to deliver tens of thousands of much needed local homes.

The developments will provide the right homes for local people by involving communities in the project, giving residents a say in what homes are needed where. Council representatives, community stakeholders and experts will partner with the organisations, in a move designed to support the government’s ambition of delivering 30,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s.

Housing Minister Dominic Raab MP said: “We need to build the homes our communities need and I’m committed to giving councils the tools they need to deliver.

“That’s why we’re giving councils the option of applying to establish development corporations. These will be locally accountable and must listen to the views of the community to ensure that the right homes are built in the right places.”

The government is preparing to launch its new National Planning Policy Framework later this summer, which will streamline the system and allow the delivery of the homes this country needs.

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