The House of Lords Built Environment Committee has today launched
the second module of its modular inquiry into the Government's
plans for the next generation of new towns.
This second module, entitled ‘New Towns: Building Communities',
will focus on how to ensure that each of the new towns and
expanded settlements can become thriving, successful communities
where families want to live and set down roots.
The first module looked at
the fundamental legal, financial, fiscal, and governance
frameworks that need to be in place before any construction of
new towns can begin.
The committee will consider the essential components of
high-quality placemaking and how to apply them to the different
proposed sites, all of which are unique and pose very different
challenges and opportunities. The committee will explore issues
of design, aesthetics, and green space, and how to ensure that
these new towns are accessible and safe for all.
, Chair of the House of
Lords Built Environment Committee, said:
“Now that the New Towns Taskforce has made its recommendations,
it's time to get on with building this next generation of new
towns. But we need to make sure that the towns we build are
places where people genuinely want to make their homes and raise
their families.
“That means building communities as well as houses. Each of the
sites recommended by the Taskforce has its own peculiar
characteristics and will pose unique challenges, but we want do
all that we can to set out how each of them, and their
successors, can succeed.
“I'm excited to be starting this next module and truly want to
hear from as many different voices as possible. We know from our
first module that people of all ages and from all backgrounds
have strong opinions, insights and ideas about new towns and we
urge all of you to respond to this call for evidence and give us
your answers to our questions.”
The committee is seeking answers to the following questions:
- If new towns are to be built in i) inner urban, ii) edge of
urban, and iii) rural locations:
- How should the principles of good placemaking adapt in
order to build viable places with a positive character and
identify?
- What are the current barriers to good placemaking in
these different locations, and how can they be overcome?
- Should new towns be seen as an opportunity to encourage
innovative urban design and architecture?
- If so, what does this mean?
- What lessons can we learn from the experience of other
countries?
- How can high quality urban design be afforded?
- How can new towns be future-proofed, responding to changing
working and lifestyle patterns, emerging economies and new
technologies?
- How should nature and biodiversity be incorporated in the
development of new towns?
- What social and community infrastructure should be
prioritised in the early development of new towns and what at a
later stage?
- If developing such infrastructure is financially
unviable, how can this be overcome?
- How can new towns use the built environment to support health
and encourage healthy lifestyles, including mental health?
- How can new towns be designed to ensure they are inclusive
and accessible to all groups throughout their lives?
- What are the critical tools of design governance that should
be used to deliver high quality design throughout the development
journey of new towns?
The deadline for the submission of written evidence is
00:01 on Monday 1 December.
Read the call for evidence and
find out how to submit evidence.
