Growth is the Labour Government’s defining mission after its 2024 election win, and addressing the UK’s chronic housing shortage will be central to achieving it.
Ministers have established a bold target: deliver an average of 370,000 new homes each year until the next election. Supported by the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Labour has set clear, urgent expectations not just for housing, but for the infrastructure and economic growth needed to underpin it.
At the heart of this plan is the creation of the New Towns Taskforce: a dedicated team of independent experts focused on delivering major new communities of over 10,000 homes, alongside the infrastructure and services that make places thrive.
By delivering New Towns, the Government aims to not only tackle the housing crisis, but to create vibrant communities and catalyse economic growth.
The ambition is commendable, but the task is enormous.
The data in this area speaks for itself, with just over four million people on a waiting list for social housing, and almost exactly the same number of homes “missing” from the UK’s housing market.
Meanwhile, net additional dwellings added to the housing market stood at only 221,070 in 2023 – 24, far below the supply level required to make Labour’s targets a reality.
In London, the picture is just as concerning. As BusinessLDN’s recent The case for a new town in London report highlights, housebuilding has consistently fallen short of London Plan targets over the past decade. Without a radical shift in how we plan and deliver housing, this crisis will only deepen.
The idea of New Towns isn’t new. The vision first dates back to 1946, with bold developments that reshaped Britain’s landscape after the war. Today, with an even greater housing need, the New Towns model offers an opportunity to deliver large-scale, well-planned communities with the services, jobs, and infrastructure people need.
But good intentions alone are not enough. The success of the New Towns agenda will depend on how we deliver, not just what we promise.
The New Towns Taskforce is rightly focused on identifying the most appropriate locations for new communities. Yet without a clear, actionable delivery model, even the best plans risk stalling.
At Mace, our experience working with local authorities and delivery agencies nationwide tells us that major housing developments often face a series of challenges. These can range from securing long-term, sustainable funding, to building skills and talent pipelines, to adapting quickly to economic, political, and societal change, to building early and meaningful rapport with local communities.
We also know that these challenges can be overcome with the right delivery strategy, investment, leadership, and collaboration.
To support local governments and delivery authorities, Mace has developed a new insights paper: Delivering New Towns. Inside, we outline a practical blueprint for turning New Towns ambitions into lasting, successful communities — based on proven approaches, real-world experience, and lessons from projects across the UK.
Download our insights paper and discover how we can turn today’s ambitions into tomorrow’s thriving communities.