The Labour government is planning the biggest housebuilding drive in a generation, with 1.5 million homes promised within the five years of the current parliament.
A big part of that ambitious project is the creation of new towns on a scale not seen since the late sixties.
Writing in Metro this morning, Sir Keir Starmer revealed more than 100 proposals had been sent to his government from across the country.
The PM said: ‘They’ll be affordable, safe and warm. They’ll have the services communities need. They’ll be well connected, well designed, with good access to green space and nature.’
According to the Guardian, locations for up to 12 new towns will be chosen from that list, with construction set to begin before the next election.
But what areas are most likely to be picked?
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Here are a few of the sites that Housing Secretary Angela Rayner may have her eye on.
Thames estuary
Labour says it wants to distribute power and jobs across the UK, but there’s no doubt London will remain the country’s biggest draw for a long time to come.
The capital’s population has been growing since the early 1990s, and as housing struggles to keep up with demand, prices have become eye-watering.
So it’s unsurprising that the area east of the city, where the Thames widens to meet the English Channel, is a top candidate for a new town – or new towns.
They could be placed in southern Essex or north-west Kent, places with decent transport links to London.
Nottingham and the Midlands
The Guardian has reported that one of the spots being eyed by ministers is the area between Derby and Nottingham.
This could run into strong opposition, as the land around Nottingham is protected by a green belt.
However, the government has already announced its intention to build homes on what it calls the ‘grey belt’ – meaning poor-quality green belt land that doesn’t contribute much towards nature.
Stafford could also end up with a new settlement nearby as planners try to avoid placing too much extra pressure on the overcrowded south-east.
Northampton and the East
Northampton and its surrounding area were a major focus of the last New Towns wave more than 50 years ago.
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Milton Keynes, which has more than 250,000 residents, is considered one of the top success stories from that previous drive, while Northampton itself was massively expanded.
Planners could be looking at a similar site when picking locations for the new towns Labour has promised.
It has great transport links, with the M1 running nearby and the southern end of the M6 beginning a short drive away, while the tiny village of Tempsford east of Bedford has been earmarked for a major rail development that could boost its size considerably.
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