Biggleswade featured in Secretary's 19 new villages report
A 10,000-home urban extension to Chelmsford in Essex, a 7,000-home settlement near Ashford in Kent, controversial plans for a garden community on green belt in Tandridge, Surrey, and a "dementia-friendly" village in Rutland, are among the proposals that have been supported.
A total of £2.85 million has been pledged by the MHCLG to "support the development of plans for housing", with each project receiving £150,000 "to progress planning applications and specialist reports needed before homes are built".
The 19 new garden communities are:
- Berinsfield Garden Village (South Oxfordshire District Council) – the potential for up to 2,300 homes south of Oxford.
- Borough Green Gardens (Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council) – an opportunity to deliver up to 3,000 homes.
- Burtree Garden Village (Darlington Borough Council) – a project led by Hellens Group with the support of Darlington Borough Council, aiming to deliver up to 2,000 homes.
- Chilmington (Ashford Borough Council) – aiming to deliver up to 7,250 homes south-west of Ashford.
- Cyber Central (Cheltenham Borough Council) – aiming to deliver up to 3,000 homes and around 8,000 jobs, primarily in the field of cyber security.
- Dalton Barracks (Vale of White Horse District Council) – a free-standing proposal with the potential for up to 4,500 homes south of Oxford.
- Dunsfold Park (Waverley Borough Council) – an opportunity for up to 2,600 homes in the form of a new free-standing settlement by 2032.
- East of Biggleswade (Central Bedfordshire Council) – led by UK Regeneration, a free-standing project proposing up to 1,500 homes east of Biggleswade.
- Newton Abbot Garden Community (Teignbridge District Council) – the potential for up to 6,800 homes that provides the opportunity to regenerate the existing town centre.
- North East Chelmsford Garden Community (Chelmsford City Council) – the potential for up to 9,850 homes.
- North Dorchester (West Dorset District Council) – proposal for up to 4,000 homes to the north of Dorchester.
- Shapley Heath Garden Village (Hart District Council) – the potential for up to 5,000 homes by 2043 in the form of a new, free standing settlement.
- Skerningham Garden Community (Darlington Borough Council) – a project led by Skerningham Estates with the support of Darlington Borough Council, aimed at delivering up to 4,500 homes.
- South Godstone Garden Community (Tandridge District Council) – up to 4,000 homes on green belt.
- South Seaham Garden Village (Durham County Council) – led by Home Group, a free-standing project aimed proposing up to 1,500 homes.
- St George’s Barracks (Rutland District Council) – a new, free standing settlement proposing up to 2,215 homes near Rutland Water. This has been described by the MHCLG as "a dementia-friendly community village" that "would allow the elderly to live safely and independently in their own homes".
- Threemilestone Garden Village (Cornwall Council) – proposing up to 2700 homes to the west of Truro.
- West of Elvington (City of York Council) – up to 3,339 homes as part of a free-standing garden community.
- Whetstone Pastures (Blaby District Council) – a free-standing proposal for up to 3,500 homes in the heart of Leicestershire.
"We welcome the new homes these projects will bring, but this is about so much more than 'housing units'.
"It’s about supporting local areas that have the vision and drive to create great new places – with all the facilities, green space and transport to make a community that will thrive.
"And I’m really pleased that our plans include a specially designed community that would support the needs of people with dementia, as part of a new Garden Community at St George’s Barracks in Rutland."
