Raising a new town: Lessons from delivering new communities in the UK

As the government moves forward with its plans for 12 new towns across England, and attempts to deliver the 1.5 million new homes promised within this parliament, the nation is faced with some challenging questions: What is required to successfully deliver a new community, and deliver new housing? And, while we know that it takes a village to raise a child, what does it take to raise a village?

At Arcadis, we have supported the creation and delivery of some of the UK’s most ambitious new communities – including Langarth Garden Village in Cornwall, Northstowe in Cambridgeshire and Otterpool Park in Kent. Our experience has taught us that successful placemaking goes far beyond building homes; it is about fostering resilient communities, creating a sense of place and delivering long-term value for all stakeholders.

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With these new towns, the government, developers and community partners must remember that awarding funding and siting these spaces is only the beginning. The real challenge and opportunity lies in how we plan, deliver and steward these places over the decades to come.

There are several key ingredients to delivering successful new communities:

A clear, shared vision

Every successful community begins with a compelling vision, co-created with future residents, partners and stakeholders. In developing Langarth Garden Village, there was a visioning process in conjunction with the council’s business plan which put community wellbeing, environmental stewardship and economic opportunity at the heart of the masterplan.

This process now shapes every decision, from the design of public spaces to the phasing of infrastructure.

Multidisciplinary expertise

Success demands a consultancy team that can advise across the full spectrum of challenges, including project management, financial analysis, engineering, environmental impact, risk management and compulsory purchase. Given the need to mitigate climate change impacts and support the community into the future, expertise in climate resilience, smart infrastructure and digital solutions is also expected now as well.

The ability to work within integrated project teams, pairing developers with commercial managers and community leaders, is the only way to achieve success.

Commercial viability and flexible funding

Ambition must be matched by commercial viability. At Northstowe – one of the largest new settlements in the UK – it has been critical to balance the up-front infrastructure investment with long-term value generation in its design. This included advising on contract appointments which provide flexibility so that design and construction work can proceed in line with market demand for housing.

Linked to that viability is ensuring flexibility and future proofing of infrastructure, including siting electric vehicle charging points. A monitor and manage approach works well to avoid overengineering, and centring community needs.

Mastery of planning and land control

Navigating local planning frameworks and securing land control is foundational to success. For Otterpool Park, which will feature 10,000 new homes, the developer needed significant support through complex land assembly and planning applications, ensuring a robust foundation for delivery and avoiding costly delays.

Even the best ideas can ultimately become derailed by minor mistakes in the approvals process, and unique experience working in partnership with local authorities is crucial.

Willing and aligned partners

Ultimately, no single entity can deliver a new community alone. At Northstowe, the scheme included Homes England, local authorities, developers and community groups to align objectives, manage risks, and ensure that commercial arrangements supported a shared vision for the town.

A key aspect of any successful delivery must be ensuring that partners understand each other’s business objectives as well. Only by focusing on shared wins will delivery come to pass.

Delivering the result is also a feat of endurance: building a new community from scratch requires both tenacity and perseverance from the stakeholders, as the projects will take time to move from vision to reality.

Focusing on long-term stewardship

True placemaking is about creating legacy for a community. Governance and stewardship models are designed to ensure the new community is managed sustainably, protecting assets, maintaining public spaces, and creating structures that empowered residents for generations to come.

This requires more nuance than a one-size-fits-all approach and, throughout the delivery of a new community, it is important to consider which methods will positively influence progress and ultimately provide true social value to the town.

We know local authorities are willing to take calculated risks – such as borrowing to deliver strategic infrastructure early – to unlock faster housing delivery and more favourable commercial outcomes. But they need support with expert advice and robust risk management, to give them ability to act decisively when opportunities arise.

Teams need to act as trusted partners that work with the community to ensure their growth is sustainable for all.

Delivering a successful new community is about creating places where people want to live, work and thrive. This requires vision, commercial acumen, technical expertise and genuine partnership.

The industry is ready to play its part in shaping and growing the next generation of UK towns and villages. By drawing on our experience, working collaboratively and keeping the focus on people and places, we can build communities that stand the test of time. So, let’s get to work.

Charles Hill is a regional director for local government at Arcadis