PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
New Towns Task Force (30 August 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Expert taskforce to spearhead a new generation of new towns, published on 31 July 2024, what the remuneration for (a) Dame Kate Barker and (b) Sir Michael Lyons is; what the terms of reference were for their appointment; if she will publish any declaration of interests; and whether they have made any declaration of political activity.

Asked by:
David Simmonds (Conservative)

We are committed to delivering a new generation of new towns, with locations informed by the recommendations of an independent, expert New Towns Taskforce. New towns will include large-scale new communities built on greenfield land and separated from other nearby settlements, but also a larger number of urban extensions and urban regeneration schemes. Each new settlement will contain at least 10,000 homes, although we expect a number to be far larger in size. Collectively, we expect they could provide hundreds of thousands more homes in the decades to come, with some homes delivered within this Parliament. Any assessment of how many homes will be delivered within this Parliament will need to be informed by the locations selected, in line with the recommendations of the Taskforce.

In relation to engaging local communities, we have been clear that the Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities wherever possible, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest. New towns will be delivered in partnership with local leaders and communities. We will set out further details of the Taskforce in the coming weeks, ahead of the appointment of the other Taskforce members and its first meeting in the autumn.

Answered by:
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
9 September 2024