Labour has announced a major push to tackle England’s housing crisis with the creation of 12 brand-new towns, each designed to be fully fledged communities

with homes, schools, doctors’ surgeries, shops and green spaces.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed will reveal the plans at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, calling it the biggest new town programme since the post-war era. Three projects are expected to break ground before the next general election: Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank, and Crews Hill in north London.

Reed described the plans as “the next generation of cutting-edge communities,” echoing Clement Attlee’s post-war housing drive. Each settlement will include at least 10,000 homes, with 40% classed as affordable and 20% reserved for social housing.

The first three towns

Tempsford, Bedfordshire – A tiny village of 600 people is set to become a key hub on the Oxford–Cambridge growth corridor. But locals say they’ve been left in the dark. Parish council chair David Sutton said residents have had “no idea whatsoever of the scale” of what’s coming.

Leeds South Bank– Already part of a massive regeneration scheme to double the city centre, this project will now be expanded into a new town.

Crews Hill, Enfield – Plans are already on the table to build around 5,500 homes on green belt and grey belt land just 12 miles from central London.

Nine more towns lined up

Other proposed sites include:

- Adlington, Cheshire East – A standalone settlement near the village of 1,200 people.

- South Gloucestershire – Thousands of homes north of Bristol in places like Cribbs and Yate.

- RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire – An old airbase to be turned into a new mixed-use community.

- Victoria North, Manchester – Part of an ongoing plan for 15,000 homes and a new riverside park.

- Marlcombe, Devon (near Exeter) – A fresh new town site in the South West.

- Plymouth – New housing and regeneration along the city’s historic waterfront.

- Milton Keynes – Estate regeneration on a large scale to refresh the existing town.

- Worcestershire Parkway – Up to 10,000 homes alongside a new town centre and transport hub.

- Thamesmead, South-East London – A riverside redevelopment with thousands of homes.

The bigger picture

Labour says the goal is to “restore the dream of homeownership” for families locked out of the market. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has framed the project as central to his growth strategy, promising to “sweep aside the blockers” that hold back housebuilding.

But the challenge is huge. Labour has pledged 1.5 million homes by 2029, yet experts warn that England faces a shortfall of around 4.3 million homes, with record numbers living in temporary accommodation. Planning approvals also hit a record low during Labour’s first year in office.

To deliver the towns, the New Towns Taskforce has recommended setting up special development corporations with powers to buy land, grant planning permission and invest in infrastructure—similar to the approach used in east London before the 2012 Olympics.

The final details—such as funding, site boundaries and environmental checks—are expected to be confirmed in spring 2026, after local consultations.