Dentons sponsored the TCPA to produce a new version of the New Towns Act, updated to make it fit to deliver the cities that we need today. Why is it relevant? Because we have all talked about increasing the delivery of housing and found it difficult to achieve in the present planning system. And because the legislation is already available to deliver several new towns like Milton Keynes if there is the courage to do so. This could be done quickly, and we would all benefit.
One benefit of a new Act would be to force the present cross-party rhetorical commitment to new homes into legislative form. It would allow the law to be modernised. It can bring in duties in relation to good design, sustainable development and dealing with climate change. Importantly, it could also start to bring back to life the real vision that lay behind the original 1946 Act – of creating better places for people to live and work. We should seize the opportunity to do so.
