New towns: laying the foundations
Antony Oliver
6 November 2025
What a pleasure to chat to Lord
Ben Gascoigne on
The Infrastructure Podcast this week about the
UK House of Lords Built Environment Committee’s work on New Towns - and the UK Government’s ambition to tackle the housing crisis through a new generation of well-planned, infrastructure-led communities.
It’s a lively conversation that covers a lot of ground – have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.
As Chair of the House of Lords Built Environment Committee, Ben talks us through the findings of the Committee’s latest report New Towns: Laying the Foundations — which calls for decisive national leadership, a dedicated cabinet minister, and a new national delivery agency to drive progress.
With a target of 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament, the challenge is not just about numbers, but about creating thriving, sustainable places where people want to live and work.
It’s clear that successful delivery the next generation of New Towns will need vision, coordination, and long-term commitment — the question is, does the government have the patience and time required to make it happen?
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