England’s new towns must be walkable and green, say campaigners

Thinktank founder says recent attempts to build new towns are ‘depressing, unsustainable and stupid’

Labour should build 12 new towns in England that are not car-dependent or built on flood plains, a former government adviser has said in a report.

A detailed plan for a dozen new towns, proposed by thinktanks Britain Remade and Create Streets, would mean 550,000 well-designed and appropriately located homes. The new homes would boost the economy by £13-28bn annually by improving access to high-paying jobs in well-connected cities, according to the report.