Communities
Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP has called for an increase in garden
towns in England, as he announces the new garden communities programme.
The programme will
see more high quality homes built and green spaces created, expanding on
government’s plans for more locally-led developments.
The garden towns
push in England is part of government’s clear ambition to build 300,000 homes a
year by the mid-2020s.
Councils across
England and private developers who have secured support from local authorities
will be able to apply for a place on the programme.
The winning bidders
will receive tailored advice and potential grant funding for help with staffing
or environmental assessments; part of the planning process for new garden
towns.
James Brokenshire
said: "This plan is about the government working with councils and
developers to get great homes in keeping with beautiful areas in England.
"We want to
help local authorities build strong and vibrant communities where people want
to live, work, and raise families.
"Our garden
communities programme already has the potential to provide over 200,000 new
homes by 2050, and we want to go further."
Strong community
involvement and engagement will be at the heart of judging garden community
proposals; ensuring developments reflect local character while also designing
beautiful green spaces near homes.
Garden communities
can take the form of new villages, towns or cities and have the potential to
deliver well designed homes at an increased scale, with projects ranging in
size from 10,000 to 40,000 homes.
This prospectus
is the latest step by government to get Britain building, with 23 locally-led
garden communities already receiving funding support, with the potential to
deliver over 200,000 homes by 2050.
The launch signals
the start of a 3 month application process, with successful garden community
proposals being announced later in the New Year.
Last year 217,000
homes were built, marking the biggest increase in housing supply in England for
almost a decade.
