The government may have approved proposals for 14 new ‘garden villages’ across England – but what exactly are they and can these homes help tackle the UK’s housing crisis? Here is everything you need to know:
What are garden villages?
Garden villages are designed to be distinct, self-contained communities of between 1,500 and 10,000 homes. The villages will include green spaces, good transport links and affordable homes to help tackle the country's housing crisis. The idea was originally devised by the English town planner Ebenezer Howard, formally known as ‘garden cities’, they provided a greener alternative to urban slums.
Why are they being built?
All garden villages are built in response to meeting local housing needs, with the scheme designed to help ease the pressure on the UK’s existing towns and cities. The £6 million fund will go towards developing new villages which could generate 48,000 new homes. But, with garden towns and cities already been announced it’s hoped a total of 200,000 properties will be built. Although these new communities will not only deliver homes, but boost local economies through providing new jobs and facilities.
Where are the new garden villages and towns?
The 14 new villages announced stretch from Cumbria in the north of England to Cornwall on the south-west coast.These developments will be distinct new places with their own community facilities, rather than extensions to existing urban areas.
The 14 new garden villages are:
- Long Marston in Stratford-on-Avon
- Oxfordshire Cotswold in West Oxfordshire
- Deenethorpe in East Northants
- Culm in Mid Devon
- Welborne near Fareham in Hampshire
- West Carclaze in Cornwall
- Dunton Hills near Brentwood, Essex
- Spitalgate Heath in South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
- Halsnead in Knowsley, Merseyside
- Longcross in Runnymede and Surrey Heath
- Bailrigg in Lancaster
- Infinity Garden Village in South Derbyshire and Derby City area
- St Cuthberts near Carlisle City, Cumbria
- North Cheshire in Cheshire East
The 3 new garden towns are:
- Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
- Taunton, Somerset
- Harlow & Gilston, Essex, and Hertfordshire
Will any of these homes help first-time buyers?
In the government prospectus, high-quality starter homes involved in garden villages will be offered to young first-time buyers with at least a 20% discount.
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