Delivering New Towns
How local governments and delivery authorities can follow through on their housing obligations
The UK has struggled to meet its housing commitments for decades amid the ongoing housing crisis.
To tackle this, the government created the New Towns Taskforce, a dedicated team of independent experts focused on delivering major housing and community projects of over 10,000 homes. Between 2024 and 2025, the Taskforce is reviewing the best sites for New Town development to present to the government.
However, while it is right for the Taskforce to focus on establishing the best locations for New Towns, failing to address exactly how New Towns are delivered risks good intentions ending up being just talk.
Mace’s latest insight paper sets out how local governments and delivery authorities can follow through on their housing and New Towns obligations.
Key statistics
370,000
new homes required per year
221,070
additional dwellings built in 2023 - 2024
4.3m
people need social housing in the UK
“It is right for the Taskforce to focus its current efforts on establishing the best locations for New Towns, but failing to address exactly how New Towns are delivered risks good intentions ending up being just talk”.