Peters Apps writing in the i-paper says
The Labour leader has put new towns at the centre of his pledge to ‘get Britain building again’. But without council housing and state money experts fear the project is ‘doomed’
“For the first time in nearly half a century we will show the imagination to build new towns,” the Labour leader told the party conference. He promised 10 new towns “in every region of the country”, promised to flatten any local opposition with new planning laws and openly attacked the NIMBYs “who always say ‘yes, but not here’”.
Keir Starmer? No, Gordon Brown in 2007. But 16 years on, the majority of the new towns he promised have never been built. So will Sir Keir’s ambition turn out any differently (asks Peter)?
“So far Labour has not signalled any intention to put up the long-term state loans that paid for the post-war new towns or pay for the high levels of social rented housing that made them possible. Instead, they have briefed that “the majority of up-front investment” will come from the private sector.”
You can read the article here
One of the complaints of New Towns was that they were ‘too working class’ with ‘too much council housing’. But before Right to Buy council housing itself had a social mix. You could find a school teacher and a school cleaner, a clerical worker and a factory workers.
The new towns development did not only include brand new towns but included ‘overspill towns’ like Swindon to ease over-crowding in London. By arrangement between London and Swindon councils people could move to a job in Swindon and were giving a new council house. This utilised the Town Development Act of 1952. “An Act to encourage town development in county districts for the relief of congestion or over-population elsewhere…” Government funding enabled the building of new council estates.
Here’s an article about Harlow New Town (pictured) by John Boughton
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 