Following the General Election in July 2024, a think tank report recommended that to help meet the Government's housebuilding target of 1.5 million, Britain's next 'new town' should be built at Tempsford. The Government commissioned a New Towns Taskforce that September to identify sites and in January last year, the Chancellor announced plans to expedite construction of a new railway station at Tempsford. The Taskforce published its interim update a month later.
Richard wrote to National Highways urging them to include the potential development at Tempsford in the plans for A1 improvement funding, and has continued to raise the issue in subsequent meetings, including with the Transport Secretary, highlighting the lack of clarity around the proposals. Given the area’s above‑average housing growth and the increasing strain on local services, Richard has been advocating for a firm commitment to build infrastructure first - an argument he underlined in a Westminster Hall debate on Planning and Development in Bedfordshire.
Richard has met with CPRE Bedfordshire and the national CPRE team to discuss the potential impact of a new settlement on the area, including concerns about the significant flood risks and alerted the Housing Minister of the flood‑plain issues relating to Tempsford. Richard also met with the Chair of Tempsford Parish Council to understand local concerns, and invited residents to share their comments on the Taskforce’s proposed principles.
In September, after months of speculation, the Taskforce shortlisted Tempsford as one of twelve potential new town locations, indicating a scale of “over 40,000 homes”. In response, the Government confirmed its plan to build a New Town in Tempsford describing it as one of the “most promising” sites.
Since that announcement, Richard has been working to ensure that residents’ views are represented in the Government's decision making process. Richard met with Anglian Water to discuss the impacts of a development at Tempsford as well as with Government officials to seek clarity on the process and timescales of when a proposal would be published.
At the beginning of the year, along with the Chair of Tempsford Parish Council and the Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, Richard held a meeting with residents in Tempsford to hear their ideas and concerns about such a development and these have been shared with the Department for consideration in their assessment period. In January, Richard also raised these concerns in a parliamentary debate on New Towns, during which the minister advised that the Government would consult on the New Towns Programme in the coming weeks.
In March, the Government confirmed it would be progressing with seven locations, including Tempsford and a consultation was launched.
Such a development will represent a huge change in the way of life for residents not only in Tempsford, but also in the neighbouring villages and towns. Richard will continue to press for residents’ views to be properly reflected in the Government’s process, and to insist on an infrastructure‑first approach.
You can read more about Richard's work on this below.
