Are there enough construction workers and planners to build new towns? - Lords committee to ask witnesses

At 10.45am on Tuesday 1 July 2025, the House of Lords Built Environment Committee will hear evidence from:

• Ian Woodcroft, Head of Policy and Government Relations, Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
• Robbie Calvert, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

This session, which is open to the public, is part of the committee's inquiry on new towns and expanded settlements. It will be held in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords and streamed live on Parliament TV.

This session will focus on ensuring long-term strategic support, beyond this parliament, for new towns and expanded settlements.  The committee is likely to ask about:

• How capacity and skills gaps might affect the delivery of proposed new towns.
• Why little progress been made in addressing skills shortages in both the construction industry and in local authority planning departments.
• The likely effectiveness of steps taken by the Government to address the skills issues in construction and planning.
• Whether the proposed new towns provide an opportunity to increase capacity and improve skills, expertise, and innovation in the construction and planning sectors.