The 12 new towns that could change UK maps forever

Brand new towns are to be built across England to tackle the housing crisis and a final decision on exactly where they will be built will be made this Spring.

Inspired by the post-WWII Labour government’s  housebuilding efforts, the new Government boldly announced ambitious plans to build a series of  ‘new towns’ across England to tackle the shortage of affordable homes.

A New Towns Taskforce, led by Sir Michael Lyons, was commissioned by the government to explore different approaches to large-scale development. It  recommended 12 potential sites  for the new towns across England.

Now the Government is expected to make a final decision on which new town locations will get the go-ahead after the conclusion of the ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in May. They are determined to begin building in at least three new towns in this Parliament, so by August 2029.

Some of the proposed developments are brand new standalone towns while others are situated within major cities or straddle the edges of urban conurbations. Each ‘town’ will have at least 10,000 homes with an ambition for a minimum of 40% affordable housing, half of which will be for social rent. 

Robbie Calvert, head of policy and public affairs at the Royal Town Planning Institute said: “We are in a housing crisis 40 years deep and we want to see economic growth. We need an ambitious large scale vision and this is what the new towns proposals are.We feel the new towns are a positive thing for the country overall and an exciting opportunity to build homes that work for the future.”

Mr Calvert says it is important though to learn from the mistakes made in the building of the previous new towns, like Swindon, Stevenage and Milton Keynes. “In those cases the car was king and major roads and roundabouts caused disconnection.”

He says Poundbury in Dorset, embodying King Charles III’s vision for  a traditional, sustainable urban design, promoting walkable communities with mixed housing (private & affordable) and independent businesses, is an example of a successful new town that has borrowed ideas from the past with ideas for the future.

He added: “We also really need to consider what our high streets of the future will look like because at the moment many of them are failing and consider that many people are working from home and living more in their own neighbourhoods.”

Katy Lock, Director of Communities at the Town and Country Planning Association added: “There is an opportunity for this programme to have positive outcomes and deliver exemplar new communities, to truly capture that post-war ambition for change and create a legacy of new towns fit for the future."

So where are the12 proposed ‘new town’ locations?

1. ADLINGTON, CHESHIRE EAST

A standalone settlement to serve the growing industries in Greater Manchester including 14,000-20,000 homes on greenbelt farmland, creating a continuous built area from Macclesfield to Stockport. The proposal includes commercial spaces (offices, workshops and labs), schools and sports facilities but faces  much local opposition over the loss of greenbelt land.

2. BRABAZON, SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

A new neighbourhood on Bristol’s former Filton Airfield, made up of  6,500 new homes.

The massive YTL Arena Bristol, will be the  centre piece of the development with a new train station, schools, offices, and extensive public green spaces including Brabazon Park with a lake, cafes, and independent shops.

3. MARLCOMBE, DEVON.

Another standalone settlement close to Exeter Airport and the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone.  It will feature around 8,000 homes, new schools, health facilities, green spaces connecting to the Clyst Valley, community hubs, shops, and integrated transport links, aiming for a “climate-resilient, inclusive community by 2050.”

4. TEMPSFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE.

Up to 40,000 homes will be built and a  key new railway station on the East West Rail/East Coast Main Line junction at Tempsford. The plan connects Oxford and  Cambridge via the East West Rail (EWR) project with Tempsford a key interchange.

New infrastructure, shops, and community facilities, located on former airfield land near Sandy and St Neots are part of the development plan.

5. WYCHAVON, WORCESTERSHIRE PARKWAY

Situated at the Worcestershire Parkway site, under the proposed “Wychavon Town,” planners aim to build 10,000 energy-efficient homes, a town centre, four parks, schools, a sports hub, and healthcare facilities, creating a self-sufficient community with major infrastructure for transport and jobs, with the first phase targeting 5,000 homes by 2041.

6. HEYFORD PARK, CHERWELL, OXFORDSHIRE

A massive regeneration project on the former RAF Upper Heyford base, transforming it into a new community with up to 9000 homes, schools, shops, and green spaces, aiming to become a sustainable new town.

Over 60% of the site will be dedicated to green and blue (water) infrastructure, parks, and walkways and plans include upgrades to Heyford Train Station and improvements to the Cherwell Valley Line.

7. CREWS HILL, ENFIELD, NORTH LONDON

Up to 21,000 homes to be integrated within the existing Crews Hill and Chase Park areas to create a green, family-focused community with significant new infrastructure, including schools, GP surgeries, improved transport, and extensive green spaces, transforming low-value land (nurseries, golf course) into a major sustainable development building on the area’s horticultural heritage.

8. SOUTH BANK, LEEDS

A new urban district featuring up to 13,000  new homes (including low-carbon housing), millions of square feet of commercial space, parks (like Aire Park), retail, leisure, and new infrastructure, aiming to create a vibrant, sustainable extension of the current city centre on a brownfield site.

9. VICTORIA NORTH, MANCHESTER

A £4billion  regeneration project creating 15,000 new homes organised into seven distinct new neighbourhoods with extensive green spaces like City River Park, improved transport links, schools, healthcare, and shops, transforming former industrial land into a vibrant new district with housing for diverse needs.

10. THAMESMEAD WATERFRONT, GREENWICH.

The proposed new town at Thamesmead Waterfront aims to transform a 100-hectare derelict site into a vibrant, modern riverside community with up to 15,000 new homes (50% affordable) and new public spaces, focusing on improved transport links, including a crucial  Docklands Light Railway extension and improved walking and cycle routes to create a highly connected, sustainable, and inclusive neighbourhood.

11. ‘RENEWED TOWN’, MILTON KEYNES

It was the original 1970s new town. Now the proposal for Milton Keynes’ renewal, guided by the MK City Plan 2050, includes 40,000 new homes, a new Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, expanded tech/education hubs, and significant green infrastructure, aiming to reduce car dependency, enhance local amenities (health, shops, parks), and create a thriving, inclusive city.

 12. CITY CENTRE AND DEVONPORT REGENERATION, PLYMOUTH.

Plymouth’s 'densified development' focuses on a major city centre and Devonport regeneration, aiming for 10,000 new homes, significant infrastructure investment, and expanded city boundaries to include nearby rural areas creating a larger, connected urban-rural region with new schools, healthcare, and green spaces.