Communities Secretary James Brokenshire has called for an increase in garden towns in England, as he announces the new garden communities programme
The garden communities programme will see more high quality homes built and green spaces created, expanding on government’s plans for more locally-led developments.
The emphasis on garden towns 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.
As part of the planning process for new garden towns, the winning bidders will receive advice and grant funding for help with staffing or environmental assessments.
Communities Secretary 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.”
Community involvement and engagement will be a key consideration when judging the 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 today signals the start of a 3-month application process, with successful garden community proposals being announced later in the New Year.
