The NFU is calling for productive farmland to be protected under government plans to build new towns, four of which will be built on previously undeveloped land. Find out how you can raise your concerns before the government's consultation on the new towns proposals closes.
The government plans to start work on at least three new towns before the general election.
If you farm near to one of the proposed sites, you can raise your concerns with us by either contacting your local office to register for one of our feedback events, or by emailing our policy team at: [email protected].
The consultation will close on 19 May 2026. You can feedback directly at: GOV.UK | New Towns Draft Programme Consultation.
23 March 2026
The government has launched a public consultation on its new towns draft programme.
Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government is proposing to take forward seven locations, scaled back from the initial twelve locations it had originally identified.
Three are brownfield sites in cities:
The other sites will include some proportion of greenfield land (new towns sprouted on undeveloped land), with different levels of government support:
The government is seeking views on these locations and is also conducting an environmental assessment before any final decisions are made. It has said this will be the first of many opportunities to shape the proposals under consideration.
The NFU has serious concerns that the construction of these new towns will have a significant impact on the British countryside and rural communities.
We are calling for transparency and for productive farmland to be protected wherever possible.
We will continue to raise the concerns of farmers and rural communities to ensure that their wishes and needs are met by the drive to deliver greater housing supply. We will also be engaging with the government, as well as national and regional stakeholders, to strive for the best outcomes for agricultural and rural communities.
The NFU has concerns over land acquisition and the use of compulsory purchase powers. The consultation document acknowledges that this is a way to acquire land at an early stage so that the government can capture some uplift in value.
Voluntary agreement with landowners should always be sought before any compulsory purchase powers are used.
We strongly oppose removing ‘hope value’. Hope value refers to the uplift in land value based on potential future development.
The NFU warns that giving authorities power to remove hope value could:
This page was first published on 23 March 2026. It was updated on 24 April 2026.
Once you have submitted your query someone from NFU CallFirst will contact you. If needed, your query will then be passed to the appropriate NFU policy team.