Speculation grows around potential new 10,000 home town locations in Aylesbury Vale

Under the project, greenlit to address the UK’s housing crisis, a minimum of 10,000 homes will be built in parts of the country.

Leading Buckinghamshire politicians within the Conservative Party have previously said they believe towns in the northern part of the county will be targeted for the scheme.

This week, during meeting between business owners in Winslow, chair, Simon Wilkinson, said he believes Winslow will be one of the areas where over 10,000 properties are built.

Nearby Calvert has also been discussed as an area which might be used for a 10,000-home expansion.

Buckingham and Bletchley MP Callum Anderson, who is the Parliamentary representative for Winslow, said: “As far as we are concerned, we think it is still too early to be speculating about where any new towns will be located.

“As per the Policy Statement on new towns from 31 July 2024, the New Towns Taskforce will deliver a final shortlist of recommendations within 12 months.”

Labour announced plans, soon after taking over the Government, to construct 370,000 homes a year during the current Parliamentary cycle.

This scheme forms the key part of the Government’s objective to address the UK’s housing crisis with so many adults unable to get on the property ladder.

As part of the ambitious housing project, the Government has set up New Towns Taskforces, that will earmark large areas suitable for new communities of at least 10,000 households.

Labour believes creating new towns across the country will boost economic growth and provide more people with opportunities to enter the housing market.

As pointed out by Mr Anderson these groups have just started meeting and are due to make their final conclusions next summer.

Locally, concerns have been raised with how little is known about these potentially transformative housing projects. Councillor Diana Blamires, who is running in Winslow at next year’s by-election, said: “It’s extremely concerning to hear that Winslow might be the chosen site for one on the Government’s New Towns of 10,000 or more houses when we have no details.

“The Government has said it’ll announce the sites of New Towns after the election but residents don’t want a done deal. It is crucial there’s infrastructure if there are going to be any new developments at Winslow.

“It’s not on for Labour to hoodwink us. The New Towns Task Force has started meeting and Winslow residents deserve to know if the town is about to grow to three times its current size.”

Labour’s plans to address UK-wide housing issues have proved divisive in Buckinghamshire, with the Conservative council leader, Councillor Martin Tett has questioned the value of its ‘grey belt’ scheme. He has also claimed that the strategy, which will see the Government target areas of land, currently protected from construction that do not deserve green belt status, will lead to a 42% increase in the number houses located in Buckinghamshire.

Mid Buckinghamshire MP Greg Smith has claimed Buckinghamshire does not need another new town, citing Milton Keynes’s development over the past 50 years.