Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
broken clouds
weather
OMAN
23°C / 23°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

England plans new garden towns, villages to ease housing crisis

887511
887511
minus
plus

LONDON: New garden villages and towns will be built across England in an attempt to alleviate the housing crisis, the government said.


The villages will not be extensions of existing small towns or villages, but “distinct new places with their own community facilities,” the Guardian quoted authorities as saying on Monday.


Sites from Cornwall to Cumbria have been identified in the first round of approved locations, making them eligible for a share of a £6 million ($7,39,6440) government technical and financial support fund.


After completion, the villages may vary in size from 1,500 homes up to 10,000.


The development of the villages would be locally led by communities rather than central government, said Housing Minister Gavin Barwell.


The 600-acre former Deenethorpe airfield near Corby, Northamptonshire, is one of the sites that has been approved for a village.


The plans include a village green, shops and community hall, as well as more than 1,000 homes.


Dunton Hills, a garden village set to be built near Brentwood, Essex, will have at least 2,500 homes, as well as new Gypsy and Traveller pitches.


Three new garden towns have also been announced near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, Taunton in Somerset, and Harlow and Gilston in Hertfordshire.


Announcing the scheme, the Housing Minister said the villages will create almost 50,000 new homes from Cheshire down to Devon, while the towns will take the total to 200,000 new homes. — Agencies


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon