New Towns: Practicalities & Placemaking

Mar 28, 2026

Guest

Hannah Loftus

Guest

Hannah Loftus, placemaking director focused on vision-led delivery and early community activation. Lucy Bush, researcher on civic identity and community engagement. Jonathan Schifferes, local-government lead on housing and infrastructure-first delivery. Fionnuala Lennon, strategist for new communities and affordable housing. They discuss practical delivery, infrastructure sequencing, stewardship, vision-led governance, early community activation, and placemaking methods.

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INSIGHT

Affordable Targets Need Built In Flexibility

New towns must balance long-term flexibility with immediate affordability goals to remain viable.
Fionnuala Lennon stresses minimum affordable targets (40%) and adaptability over decades as demographics and needs evolve.

ADVICE

Deliver Social Infrastructure Early

Prioritise social infrastructure early alongside homes to serve high-need households.
Jonathan Schifferes warns that residents in urgent need require schools, GPs and services within walking distance, not years after housing delivery.

ADVICE

Win Support With Early Tangible Benefits

Use visible, early wins to build local political and community support.
Jonathan Schifferes gives Bewley Park Station as an example that delivered commuter benefits early into a 10,000-home garden community.

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New Towns are back in the news because the Government has announced the first formal step in creating the next generation of them with the launch of a public consultation on the draft New Towns Programme and its environmental implications.

The consultation builds on the findings of the New Towns Taskforce report in September 2025 and invites views on how the New Towns Programme will operate, how new towns will be delivered and planned, and the proposed approach to design, placemaking and planning policy. It seeks views on the Government’s offer to locations and a Strategic Environment Assessment report which focuses on local environmental constraints, the cumulative effects of new towns development, and practical methods of mitigation and monitoring.

Now then seemed like a good time for Sam Stafford to share a recording made online in November 2025 by new friends of the Rebecca Warren, Fionnuala Lennon, Jonathan Schifferes and Lucy Bush, and old friend of the podcast Hana Loftus.

The recording was actually made in two now combined parts, both steered by Rebecca. In the first third of this episode you will hear Rebecca, Fionnuala and Jonathan talk about some of the practicalities associated with new town development, and in the following two thirds you will hear Rebecca, Fionnuala, Lucy and Hana talk about placemaking.

Some accompanying reading.

Seven new towns proposed to kickstart housebuilding push

New Towns Draft Programme

New Towns Draft Programme Consultation

New Towns Taskforce: Report to government

On New Towns

New Lessons for New Towns

A fourth generation of New Towns – focusing on delivery

Radical Citizenship: a model for new towns and beyond

New towns in England: what next for the winners and runners up?

Public Sector RTPI Survey

Private Sector RTPI Survey

Some accompanying listening.

Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan - A New Town With An Old Sense Of Community

Any other business.

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