12 New Locations Identified for Potential New Towns

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10 October 2025

A new government taskforce has recommended 12 locations for potential new towns, pledging to begin building at least three before the next general election.

These could be the first new towns to be designated in the UK since 1945. Sites at Tempsford, Crews Hill and Leeds South Bank have been identified as the most “promising”.

The New Towns Taskforce, led by Sir Michael Lyons, says that establishing the new towns will help to promote growth in areas where the cost or availability of housing is problematic. They could also act as testbeds for sustainable infrastructure provision.

The taskforce recommends that each new town should have at least 10,000 homes, at least 40 per cent of which should be affordable. The new towns must also have “easy access” to vital social infrastructure such as schools and GP surgeries. 

In the taskforce’s report, Sir Lyons states: “Our report is clear that this initiative is not just about building houses but rather the creation of thriving communities, each with a distinct sense of place and tailored to local challenges and opportunities. The creation of new towns where residents can invest their energies and their dreams.”

The 12 locations are:

• Adlington, Cheshire East
• Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc
• Chase Park and Crews Hill in Enfield
• Heyford Park, Cherwell
• South Bank, Leeds
• Victoria North, Manchester
•  Marlcombe, East Devon
• A “Renewed Town” in Milton Keynes
• Densified development in Plymouth
• Tempsford
• Thamesmead, Greenwich
• Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon

The government will now embark upon a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on each location to understand the environmental implications of developing new towns. A draft proposal and final SEA consultation results will be published in early 2026, before confirming the final locations.

Picture: an aerial photograph of a lake in Milton Keynes. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 10 October 2025

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