15 August 2018 – The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has welcomed the government’s renewed support for creating high-quality new communities, set out in the Garden Communities prospectus published this morning.
Creating new communities is far more than a numbers game, and the government’s prospectus rightly pays tribute to the TCPA’s founder, Ebenezer Howard, who recognised ‘…we need to build places people are happy to call home, places where they can come together to form thriving communities, places that lift our spirits whether we live in them or merely pass through’.
Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the TCPA, said:
The Garden Communities prospectus illustrates the government’s commitment to the opportunities provided by creating large-scale, sustainable new communities.
The prospectus presents an exciting opportunity for councils to think strategically about the most sustainable long-term growth options for their local areas and to come forward with proposals for high-quality new garden communities.
We particularly welcome the inclusion of garden city principles in the prospectus, and we urge local authorities pursuing this approach to adopt the principles as a framework, enabling the creation of genuinely affordable, inclusive, high-quality and climate-resilient new communities with the highest environmental standards.
The prospectus sets out the government’s offer of assistance to councils, including resource funding, advice from Homes England and cross-government brokerage to resolve barriers to delivery. However, at this stage, the government has not announced a funding package.
Kate Henderson added:
We hope the government will properly invest in this programme over the long-term to enable the creation of places which truly meet the ambitions of the garden city movement. The autumn budget is an opportunity for the government to be bold and brave in its commitment to unlocking the delivery of new garden communities and must ensure that the locations which are supported are truly exemplar.
Notes
- The government’s Garden Communities was published on 15 August 2018 and can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733920/Garden_Communities_Prospectus.pdf
- The Town and Country Planning Association www.www.tcpa.org.uk (TCPA) is an independent campaigning charity calling for more integrated planning based on the principles of accessibility, sustainability, diversity and community cohesion. The TCPA puts social justice and the environment at the heart of the debate about planning policy, housing and energy supply. We inspire government, industry and campaigners to take a fresh perspective on major issues including climate change and regeneration.
- For further information, please contact Jack Mulligan at the TCPA on 07825 707 546 or [email protected].
