The Environment Agency welcomes the publication of the New Towns Taskforce report and the government's initial response. With economic growth as the government's number one mission, we are uniquely positioned to contribute to the next generation of New Towns through our statutory role to protect and enhance the environment while supporting sustainable development.
Building environmentally resilient communities
Consideration and investment in environmental capacity and enhancement is essential for healthy, economically thriving and climate-resilient communities of the future. The New Towns programme presents an exciting opportunity to help shape plans for new development at scale, delivering sustainable growth that is resilient to climate change.
Our involvement in new towns is part of the broader engagement we undertake on housing and development matters across the country. We respond to over 10,000 development consultations each year, and engaging on New Town proposals enables us to provide input early on these very large, emerging sites. We have rapidly reformed our planning service, now providing advice consistently within the 21-day deadline, and will continue to use our technical expertise to achieve the best outcomes for both the environment and economic growth.
Our commitment to sustainable development
We want to ensure new homes are built with adequate flood risk protection, reliable supplies of drinking water and sewerage services, whilst remediation brings previously developed land back into productive use. Crucially, we want to put green space, nature recovery and enhancement at the heart of these new communities.
To support this vision, we have already been working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England teams supporting the Taskforce. We have been providing environmental evidence for exploratory locations and sharing our insights on the key ingredients for new town design, location and the essential infrastructure investment needed.
Supporting the Strategic Environmental Assessment process
We are keen to continue supporting the next stage of the work on new towns over the coming months, working closely with the New Towns Unit ahead of selecting new town locations in the spring. This includes providing evidence on environmental opportunities and constraints for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process, helping to ensure optimum locations are identified.
The SEA is required by the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004. It provides a high level of protection to the environment by ensuring environmental and sustainability considerations are built into the preparation of relevant plans and programmes that set a framework for development consent. The SEA process will assess the likely significant environmental effects of the proposed New Towns programme, alongside reasonable alternatives. It ensures these environmental effects are known, publicised, consulted on, integrated into decisions, and then monitored.
Bringing expertise and experience
Our expertise, including our experience of working with local authorities, development corporations and developers, will help ensure these new communities achieve the Taskforce's ambition that "New towns should be designed and delivered to embrace environmental principles, with buildings and neighbourhoods that are low carbon, climate resilient and which help to protect, restore and enhance biodiversity."
We are excited to be part of this next stage and the opportunities it brings to ensure the protection and enhancement of the environment alongside supporting growth, affordable homes and job creation. By working together, we can create communities that are not only economically successful but also environmentally sustainable for generations to come.
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Comment by Ian Gregory posted on
The idea that we need new towns to get economic growth in an age of AI and robotic technology just fills me with dread.