Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the draft New Town Acts 1981 (Local Authority Oversight) Regulations by what mechanisms will (a) the oversight authorities and (b) New Town Developments Corporations be accountable to constituent local authorities.

We are clear that a locally led New Town Development Corporation will only be created where this has the express support of and is requested by all the local authorities, including in two tier areas the county council, covering the area to be designated for the new town. Any body created through these Regulations will be overseen by an oversight authority comprised of one or more local authorities appointed by the Secretary of State to oversee the development of the new town.

We will shortly be publishing guidance to accompany the Regulations that will provide further details on the mechanisms for ensuring appropriate local authority oversight of locally led New Town Development Corporations.