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Interim Chair of Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), Eamonn Boylan, is among the members panel of housing and regeneration experts who will sit on the government’s newly-created New Towns Taskforce.
The New Towns Taskforce, which met for the first time in Milton Keynes on 17th September, will deliver a vision for creating largescale communities and hundreds of thousands of high-quality homes to tackle national housing shortages and drive economic growth.
Eight industry experts now have a seat at the table of the New Towns Taskforce, alongside Chair, Sir Michael Lyons, and Deputy Chair, Dame Kate Barker. They include key players across planning, infrastructure delivery, architecture and urban regeneration.
Stockport MDC interim chair, Eamonn Boylan, brings to the Taskforce over 40 years experience in local government. Prior to taking on the role with the body spearheading regeneration in Stockport town centre, he previously served as Chief Executive of Stockport Council at the start of the town’s £1 billion regeneration ambitions, before going on to serve as Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester. He is currently also interim CEO of Manchester City Council.
Other members of the taskforce include: Bill Hughes, Global Head of Real Assets and Co-Head of Private Markets at Legal & General; Dane Diane Coyle, economist and University of Cambridge professor; Helen Gordon, CEO of build-to-rent developer, Grainger; Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation; Nick Raynsford, President of the Town and Country Planning Association; Sowmya Parthasarathy, architect and urban designer for Arup; and town planner, Dr Wei Yang.
The New Towns Taskforce’s first meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, and set out workstreams and mission for the next 12 months. areas of work will include:
- Identifying and reviewing high potential locations for new towns.
- Agreeing principles and standards that must be met to provide good quality places.
- Exploring new ways to attract future funding and investment.
- Finding practical solutions to remove barriers that will unlock the delivery of new towns.
This work will form the publication of the final report due to land on ministers’ desks next year, with plans to engage with mayors, local leaders and communities in the coming months.
Angela Rayner said:
“Today marks a momentous step in our journey to deliver the next generation of new towns and transform the lives of millions of working people in every part of the country.
“We want to see new communities with real character –providing genuinely affordable, safe and secure homes, much-needed infrastructure and well-paying jobs.
“With a strong team of experts standing by his side, I have every confidence in Sir Michael’s leadership and his Taskforce is working at pace to make sure our long-term ambition becomes a reality.“
Chair of the New Towns Taskforce, Sir Michael Lyons said:
“I am very pleased to chair the first meeting of the Taskforce today. We have an important agenda to work through over the next 12 months to ensure that the next generation of new towns deliver the government’s plans for economic growth and housing ambitions.
“I look forward to working with our very experienced Taskforce members to provide the Government with robust recommendations within a year.”