The government needs to give SME and regional contractors the chance to build its New Towns, urged Rico Wojtulewicz, head of policy and market Insight at the NFB and House Builders Association (HBA).
He argued this would be crucial in harbouring innovation and quality in the new projects.
Wojtulewicz said: “We must ensure New Towns provide opportunity for existing and new SME housebuilders and regional contractors to build.
“Those sized businesses deliver the workforce capacity needed to reduce reliance on immigration, the competition which drives innovation and quality, and spread the risk of default during economic downturns.
“This is best done through a strategic land arrangement and proportionate procurement processes.”
He added: “There will also be a temptation to work with the largest developers and support their business models, especially regarding volumetric offsite housing.
“However, 100% of projects and constructors can implement component Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and investment in that space can be applied to all homes.
“We must not waste the opportunity to ensure all homes are delivered more quickly and innovation comes forward to retrofit the UK’s twenty-one million homes, 12.5 million of which are traditionally built.”
The government says that each new town should deliver a minimum of 10,000 homes and 40% affordable housing, half of which will be for social rent.
A New Towns Unit will also be established by the government to build the towns.
The 12 recommended locations are:
• Standalone settlement in Adlington, Cheshire East.
• A corridor of connected development in South Gloucestershire, across Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc.
• A new town infill between Chase Park and Crews Hill in Enfield.
• A former airbase at Heyford Park in Cherwell.
• An urban development in Leeds based on transport connectivity.
• Inner-city development and densification in Manchester, Victoria North.
• A standalone settlement in Marlcombe, East Devon; strengthening the region’s labour supply and supporting the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone.
• A ‘Renewed Town’ in Milton Keynes, supported by a Mass Rapid Transit system.
• High density development in Plymouth.
• New settlement in Tempsford, Central Bedfordshire, taking advantage of strong rail links,
• Riverside settlement in Thamesmead, Greenwich.
• Expanded development at Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon.