What happens when new towns become old?

The government’s proposed new towns are notable for their diversity—the dozen sites include dense urban infills, edge of city extensions and the more traditional new town typology of standalone settlements.

Yet there’s at least one thing they all have in common: the inescapable truth that they will age. Just as we focus on building good habits into our everyday lives to prevent the signs of growing old, we’ll need to future-proof new towns too.

To do this, practitioners must plan ahead and consider the needs of those who will call new towns home decades from now, as well as the first generation of residents. The future use of these places and their long-term guardianship must be considered from their infancy.