Rayner sets out Labour's new towns

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has announced details of her party’s new towns policy, featuring developments with 40% affordable housing and homes delivered within the first term of a Labour government.

Speaking at the UKREiiF (the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum) event in Leeds, Rayner, also shadow levelling up secretary, outlined Labour’s New Towns Code, dictating that new housing schemes must be delivered with good links to towns and city centres as well as be close to transport and public services - “from doctors’ surgeries to schools”.

Labour’s new towns would also include a “gold standard aim” of 40% social and affordable homes, Rayner stated. And buildings would need to be built “with character, in tree-lined streets,” and with access to nature, parks and play areas.

With this new settlement approach, Rayner’s party was again “taking inspiration from the 1945 Labour government,” she said. This administration “built homes for heroes out of the ruins of war”.

But mindful of building large new towns “in the right place, in partnership with local people,” Labour would also establish an expert independent taskforce “to help choose the right sites”.

Rayner stated in her speech that the …