Protecting the public realm without shutting it down
As Martyn's Law approaches, this free special report from LocalGov and Hill & Smith sets out how councils can protect public spaces without shutting them down.
New towns must avoid 'planning mistakes of the past', report warns
30/06/2026 New towns could help tackle London's housing crisis, but only if delivered with clear standards on housing, transport and community involvement, report says. |
Enfield pulls out of New Town scheme
29/05/2026 Enfield Council has formally withdrawn from the Government's New Town programme following the election of Conservative leader Cllr Alessandro Georgiou. |
New towns must be designed with young and old in mind
07/05/2026 Age-friendly new towns are vital for an ageing population, writes Charlotte Lewis, Head of Communities at Centre for Ageing Better. |
Government confirms seven locations for new towns
23/03/2026 The Government has announced seven proposed locations for a new generation of towns, each expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes. |
Peers raise council capacity concerns
22/01/2026 Questions have been raised over local government's capacity to play a role in the creation of new towns. |
New Town properties at risk of ‘severe’ aviation disruption, analysis says
19/01/2026 Eleven of the Government’s proposed New Town locations will experience ‘significant aircraft noise exposure’, research suggests. |
MPs urge overhaul of developer levies
28/10/2025 The system for capturing developer contributions is failing communities, leaving vital public amenities like schools and GP surgeries underfunded, MPs say. |
Councils key to New Towns success, say peers
27/10/2025 Councils must have a key role to make a success of the New Towns programme, peers have urged. |
New Towns report: 'stars align' for mayors
09/10/2025 Mayors are set to take more prominent roles in planning matters, a think-tank has said. |
Labour conference: Reed reveals 12 new town sites
29/09/2025 Housing secretary Steve Reed has revealed the location of 12 new towns as part of his pledge to ‘build, baby, build'. |
New towns report delayed amid fears over rising costs
19/09/2025 The final report of the New Towns Taskforce has been delayed as part of the Government’s attempts at a refresh. |
Residents want more say in new town development plans, survey reveals
13/08/2025 A survey has revealed that 73% of people don’t feel confident that the Government’s new towns scheme will fulfil future ‘community needs’. |
