Our vision for new towns and villages
We have a vision for future new towns and villages. As part of this vision, we aim to help meet the Government’s goal to build 1.5 million new homes over five years.
Our new towns offer homes for people of all ages, from young families to older adults. We create zero carbon homes, surrounded by green spaces, that blend into the landscape. Our new towns & villages include:
40% gold standard or policy compliant tenure blind affordable homes.
Beautiful architecture surrounded by green spaces and always promote nature recovery.
Net zero carbon homes and where possible Zero Bills homes with Octopus Energy.
Create diverse communities where people feel empowered to play an active role.
A modern transport network with walkways, cycleways, and buses to reduce car use.
Schools, doctors’ surgeries, parks, and community hubs from the outset.
A natural landscape led approach, promoting biodiversity, and protecting landscapes and wildlife.
Using local supply chains and providing opportunities for skilled local jobs and apprentices.
What is a new town?
A new town is a planned community built from scratch. These towns are created in areas with little or no housing. New towns provide places to live, work, and play, helping to ease crowded cities.
New towns feature schools, parks, shops, and transport links, creating a true sense of community. In the UK, building new towns became popular after World War II. Towns like Milton Keynes and Crawley are well-known examples.
These communities offer space, peace, and a good place for families to grow.
Beautiful places that follow Garden City principles
Our new towns and villages are inspired by garden cities. Garden cities have green spaces, walkable paths, and easy access to shops and services. In our planning, we follow the natural landscape to make beautiful new towns.
We design beautiful homes inspired by local villages, towns, and rural landscapes. All our homes are set among green spaces and include homes for all – from affordable homes to larger private homes.
We’re building some of the first homes at Welborne Garden Village, a new sustainable garden city in Hampshire.
Setting the gold standard for affordable homes
Our new towns are for everyone. We build affordable and private homes to the same standards, with no difference in quality or design. We meet or exceed the required levels for affordable housing. Our homes offer a range of tenures to suit local needs.
In 2023, we delivered about 600 affordable homes across the south of England. At Ockford Ridge in Surrey, we delivered net-zero carbon homes for Waverley Borough Council.
Net Zero carbon living
Our Warm Homes plan delivers new towns that are energy-efficient and net zero carbon. Homes are both future-ready and comfortable for the people living in them. A net zero carbon home is energy-efficient and powered by renewable energy, either on-site or off-site. We use air source heat pumps and solar panels in our builds.
We work with Octopus Energy to build “Zero Bills” homes, helping residents at Templegate, Burgess Hill with no energy bills for at least five years.
Community at the heart of new towns
We design communities that help people live happier, healthier lives. Our homes are part of a larger, well-planned community that benefits everyone who lives there. By creating jobs, homes, and schools, we aim to make a positive impact on each area we build.
Following the NHS Healthy New Town principles, we plan for healthy, connected communities with easy access to high-quality services—without needing a car. This boosts both mental and physical well-being.
Active & sustainable travel
All our new towns and villages focus on sustainable travel. Our communities follow the 20-minute neighbourhood model, where walking and cycling are the main ways to get around. This design makes it faster to walk or cycle to school, work, and other places.
We partner with Urban Mobility Partnership and others to provide sustainable transport options.
Nature & environment
We design our new towns within and around green spaces, blue corridors, and areas that support biodiversity. We keep natural features like trees and hedgerows, and work to improve local habitats.
With every new town, we add at least 10% more biodiversity than existed before. Our communities support nature recovery and climate resilience.
A new Garden Suburb at Woodgate
Woodgate at Pease Pottage is a new 619-home garden suburb on the outskirts of Crawley. It’s designed around a large village green, with a Community Hub, café, shop, and primary school.
Large green corridors, a large lake and forest walks provide areas for exercise and leisure activities. The shop is community owned and run, through our partnership with Plunkett UK.
We built a £4 million primary school – far more than our section 106 agreement. The school opened early in the development, serving students well ahead of plans.
Get in touch
Contact us for more information about our new towns and village proposals.
