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NHF boss joins government’s New Towns Taskforce
The chief executive of the National Housing Federation (NHF) has joined the government’s New Towns Taskforce, which aims to deliver hundreds of thousands of homes.
Kate Henderson is among eight members who were named alongside the chair and deputy chair of the taskforce.
Ms Henderson said was “delighted” to join the group, which will support the government to “deliver the next generation of new towns”.
The government’s housing delivery target for this parliament is 1.5 million homes.
The taskforce held its first meeting this week in Milton Keynes and confirmed the final list of members, as it looks to identify potential sites for new towns.
The group is expected to report back on potential locations to ministers next year.
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Another task for the group involves the creation of a ‘new towns code’, which developers will have to follow to “ensure new towns are great places to live and will include the golden rule of 40% affordable housing”.
Sir Michael Lyons, chair of the English Cities Fund, has been appointed chair of the taskforce, while Dame Kate Barker, who led the 2004 Barker Review of Housing Supply, is deputy chair.
Other members of the taskforce include:
- Bill Hughes, global head of real assets and co-head of private markets at Legal & General
- Dame Diane Coyle, an economist and Bennett professor of public policy at the University of Cambridge
- Eamonn Boylan, interim chief executive of Manchester City Council
- Helen Gordon, chief executive of build-to-rent developer Grainger
- Nick Raynsford, a former minister and current president of the Town and Country Planning Association
- Sowmya Parthasarathy, an architect and urban designer at Arup
- Wei Yang, a town planner and urban designer, and chief executive of the Digital Task Force for Planning and chair of Wei Yang & Partners
Angela Rayner, housing secretary and deputy prime minister, said: “Today marks a momentous step in our journey to deliver the next generation of new towns and transform the lives of millions of working people in every part of the country.
“We want to see new communities with real character – providing genuinely affordable, safe and secure homes, much-needed infrastructure and well-paying jobs.”
She said “with a strong team of experts” standing by his side, “I have every confidence in Sir Michael’s leadership and his taskforce is working at pace to make sure our long-term ambition becomes a reality”.
Ms Rayner said the group’s mission is “already underway”, with members leading a series of workstreams and set to report back in 12 months.
As well as identifying potential sites, workstreams include agreeing principles and standards that must be met to provide good-quality places, exploring new ways to attract future funding and investment, and finding practical solutions to remove barriers that will unlock the delivery of new towns.
“This work will form the publication of the final report due to land on ministers’ desks next year, with plans to engage with mayors, local leaders and communities in the coming months,” Ms Rayner said.
Housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook said the taskforce “brings together a wealth of experience from across the industry”.
“Today’s meeting also confirmed working arrangements for the taskforce, who will report back to the deputy prime minister on a monthly basis, and they will be supported by officials across the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Homes England every step of the way,” he said.
Sir Michael, chair of the New Towns Taskforce, said: “We have an important agenda to work through over the next 12 months to ensure that the next generation of new towns deliver the government’s plans for economic growth and housing ambitions.”
The government launched its New Homes Accelerator in August, which aims to speed up 200 stalled schemes.
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