New Towns Taskforce

The New Towns Taskforce was an independent expert advisory panel – established in September 2024 and led by Sir Michael Lyons and Dame Kate Barker – to support the Government to deliver the next generation of new towns. Lichfields was asked by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to provide planning and economic services to support the Taskforce and the Government’s New Town Unit shaping the resulting programme. The task resonated with Lichfields’ heritage, the company having established its credentials working on the third generation of post war New Towns.

Working closely with officials and the Taskforce, we provided support across a series of thematic topics intended to inform the Taskforce’s analysis and recommendations, with a particular focus on the evidence base. These included: analysis on lessons to be learned from past New Town and equivalent large scale development programmes in the UK and overseas; the strategic and economic case for New Towns; the planning and delivery routes for previous large scale developments, and some strategic analysis on the opportunity for New Town forms of development in London.

Our inputs helped inform Taskforce deliberations on its strategic approach to New Towns and on preparation of its report, which was published in September 2025. MHCLG also drew upon our work in preparing its initial response to the report and chart its future way forward.