New Towns: Practicalities & Placemaking

About this episode

The episode discusses the practicalities and placemaking aspects of new town development in light of a new government consultation.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Samuel Stafford

Guests: Rebecca Warren, Fionnuala Lennon, Jonathan Schifferes, Lucy Bush, Hana Loftus

Topics covered

• New Towns
• Placemaking
• Government Policy
• Urban Development
• Environmental Implications

Keywords

• New Towns
• Placemaking
• Government Consultation
• Urban Planning
• Environmental Assessment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Government, New Towns Taskforce

Books & works: New Towns Draft Programme, New Towns Draft Programme Consultation

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