The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) is asking political parties to be clear on their views regarding the delivery of new garden cities, and has issued a new publication and a series of fringe events to encourage further constructive discussions.
TCPA writes:
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) is calling for all three leading Westminster political parties to make a firm manifesto commitment to delivering new Garden Cities. Creating a new generation of Garden Cities presents significant opportunity to achieve beautiful, high quality and climate resilient places, which will form part of the portfolio of solutions to tackling the UK’s acute housing crisis.
Speaking in advance of the TCPA’s fringe event at the Conservative Party conference on Sunday evening, Kate Henderson said: ‘For the first time in a generation, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition have recognised the huge opportunity that Garden Cities present, however we need brave political leadership in order to bring Garden Cities forward. That is why we are calling on all three leading Westminster political parties to make a firm manifesto commitment to world class new communities.’
‘In supporting new Garden Cities the manifestos must also set out the Garden City principles to avoid accusations that Garden Cities are nothing more than just a political buzzword for large-scale housing estates. Many of the Garden City ideals remain of critical relevance today, providing a foundation and an economy of scale for high quality, attractive and inclusive places, creating new jobs and truly sustainable lifestyles. Without the Garden City principles there is a risk that the manifestos will fail to build much needed consensus for high quality place-making.’
‘While the TCPA firmly believes new Garden Cities have a role to play, they must sit alongside investment and regeneration of our existing towns and cities. Regeneration remains a key priority and the TCPA has shown how the Garden City principles can also be applied to this task.’
As part of the ongoing campaign to bring forward a new generation of Garden Cities, the TCPA in partnership with Crest Nicholson plc, has published a myth buster which addresses the most common myths about Garden Cities, and explains the role they can play in helping address that nation’s acute housing crisis.
The myth-buster has been launched to coincide with the political party autumn conferences, where, in conjunction with Crest Nicholson and key speakers, the TCPA is holding a series of fringe events exploring Garden Cities, Housing and Planning. The events will also be supported by the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust, and will seek to address what the Garden City Principles mean in the 21st century, and explore how they form an essential part of the portfolio of solutions to the country’s escalating housing crisis.
The fringe events will be held under the Homes for Britain banner at the party conferences.
