Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the provision of new housing through New Towns counts towards housing targets in Local Plans.

The government established the New Towns Taskforce in September 2024, tasking this independent expert advisory panel with making recommendations to ministers within 12 months on the location and delivery of new large-scale new communities in England.

As detailed in the Taskforce’s full terms of reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the panel will advise on a ‘New Towns Prospectus’ – standards that developers must meet in these new settlements (covering social and affordable homes, design, transport links to towns and city centres, public transport, green spaces), as well as what the government ‘offer’ is in return.

We have been clear that the next generation of new towns will deliver over and above local housing need assessed through the new standard method. We intend to keep under review the interaction between new towns and local housing need figures, taking into account the Taskforce’s final report once submitted in July 2025.