The Government is set to announce which of the 12 sites being considered across the UK will go ahead but it has been revealed there were more applications in London than just the two shortlisted
Planned New Towns in Enfield and Thamesmead could “show the way” for further major housing developments across the capital, the London Assembly has been told. The proposed developments – which could yield up to 40,000 new homes in London once fully built – are waiting for ministerial sign off this spring, having been shortlisted by the government last year.
They are two of 12 sites being considered across the UK as the government looks to hit their target of building 1.5million homes by the next election by replicating the success of previous New Towns such as Milton Keynes. It has now emerged that up to six sites in London were being considered by the independent New Towns Taskforce but were rejected due to being too focused on “regeneration” as opposed to “urban extension”.
Sowmya Parthasarathy, Director of consultancy Arup and a member of the advisory panel on New Towns, told the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee on Wednesday (February 11): “We developed criteria for those sites which came forward – these included having a good proportion of land ownership under single control, existing or potential transport links, value for money and some momentum for these sites to move into planning in this Parliament.
“We also looked at whether these sites could provide 40 per cent affordable housing. We received six applications from London out of 100 in total. The other unchosen sites were varied – some of them were much more regeneration focused, but we wanted to pick sites where housing could be developed in a new construct because then you can develop that new identity.”
She stressed, however, that the door was not closed on the rejected sites being developed in the same way in future. “If Enfield and Thamesmead can show the way on how to build at pace with good identity and affordability, then those principles could be taken to those other sites,” Ms Parthasarathy added. “But of the candidates, these two could show the way much better than others.”
The London Assembly was told that while the planned developments on Thamesmead Waterfront and Crews Hill aren’t brand new settlements, but instead extensions of already existing dwellings, the definition of “New Town” was relaxed in the latest wave of considerations.
Ms Parthasarathy said: “We did start off with an expectation that we would be able to pick standalone new towns like Milton Keynes – but we had to expand the definition to include urban extensions. Many of the principles of how these New Towns will be delivered are aligned with the older ones.
“The current New Towns contain a variety of typologies. Some of them are standalone, some of them are urban extensions, like Thamesmead. Some of them are identifiable places within cities, like Southbank in Leeds.
“We were asked to look at places which could deliver a minimum of 10,000 units. It’s a definition fit for today. The London ones are urban extensions or densifications.”
Deputy Mayor for Housing Tom Copley claimed there was no reason why the current wave of New Towns should be the “end of the story”, especially in London. Noting the government’s demands for 88,000 homes a year to be built in the capital, he said further New Towns could be one of the ways that City Hall can be “ambitious” in reaching the target.
Mr Copley also said “there are probably a number of other sites that are of the scale and have the potential to be New Towns in future”, but refused to name them specifically.
“I see no reason why the 12 locations identified by the New Towns Taskforce should be the end of the story,” he added. “Over the long term, 12 should not be the limit. But let’s get these two off the ground first.”
Last month the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) joined the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee on a visit to Thamesmead Waterfront, where developers Peabody have expressed optimism in the scheme being given the final green light.
The government’s decision to approve the DLR extension to Thamesmead means the project is ready to move forward, according to Kate Greenway, the Project Director for Thamesmead Waterfront.
“We’ve learned that you need to bring the infrastructure first and then the housing,” she told the committee. “Thamesmead Waterfront itself was part of the original masterplan but the transport infrastructure promised was never delivered.
“Now we have that certainty around the DLR extension, we feel confident in bringing forward that vision.”
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