- 2a: Government and local authorities should work together, through a robust and transparent process, to designate locations for new and expanded settlements by 2020. This should involve:
- commissioning formal studies to identify and assess options for new settlements required, and potential locations for these settlements
- consultation with communities, statutory agencies, infrastructure providers, wider stakeholders and public examination of proposed sites
- formal designation of sites and the publication of such assessments as legally required.
- The Commission is optimistic that Government and local authorities will reach agreement on the scale and location of new settlements in the national interest. However, if agreement cannot ultimately be reached, the Secretary of State should designate these new settlements.
- 2b: Government should:
- work with local authorities to establish appropriate delivery vehicles for new and expanded settlements across the arc, considering the role that can be played by locally accountable Development Corporations, Mayoral Development Corporations, the Homes and Communities Agency and Urban Development Corporations
- establish New Town Development Corporations to deliver larger new and expanded settlements.
- In so doing, it should:
- work with local authorities to define and agree the objectives, membership and reporting arrangements for new development corporations
- provide a clear remit to support the economic success of large new settlements as centres of employment, and assist the development corporation by using wider policy levers to support local economic growth
- explore the full range of options for funding development corporations’ programme of land acquisition, including providing public funding with a view to unlocking substantial private investment, and balancing considerations of short term affordability and long term value for money.
Government should work with local authorities
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