An inquiry has been launched to ensure new towns, such as that proposed in Adlington, are being built in the right places.

The House of Lords Built Environment Committee has launched the second module of its modular inquiry into the Government's plans for the next generation of new towns.

Entitled 'New Towns: Building Communities', the second module will focus on how to ensure that each of the new towns and expanded settlements can become thriving, successful communities where families want to live and set down roots.

 Lord Gascoigne, chair of the committee, said: "Now that the New Towns Taskforce has made its recommendations, it's time to get on with building this next generation of new towns. But we need to make sure that the towns we build are places where people genuinely want to make their homes and raise their families.

 "That means building communities as well as houses. Each of the sites recommended by the Taskforce has its own peculiar characteristics and will pose unique challenges, but we want do all that we can to set out how each of them, and their successors, can succeed.

 "I'm excited to be starting this next module and truly want to hear from as many different voices as possible. We know from our first module that people of all ages and from all backgrounds have strong opinions, insights and ideas about new towns and we urge all of you to respond to this call for evidence and give us your answers to our questions."

The inquiry offers a chance for people to have their say (Credit: Nub News)

The first module of the inquiry looked at the fundamental legal, financial, fiscal, and governance frameworks that need to be in place before any construction of new towns can begin.

READ MORE: Adlington new town will not succeed without strong leadership and adequate funding, say House of Lords committee

Now, the committee will consider 'the essential components of high-quality placemaking' and how to apply them to the proposed sites, including Adlington.

They will look to explore issues of design, aesthetics, and green space, and how to ensure that these new towns are accessible and safe for all.

The committee is seeking answers to the following questions:

1. If new towns are to be built in i) inner urban, ii) edge of urban, and iii) rural locations:
2. How should the principles of good placemaking adapt in order to build viable places with a positive character and identify?
3. What are the current barriers to good placemaking in these different locations, and how can they be overcome?
4. Should new towns be seen as an opportunity to encourage innovative urban design and architecture?
5. If so, what does this mean?
6. What lessons can we learn from the experience of other countries?
7. How can high quality urban design be afforded?
8. How can new towns be future-proofed, responding to changing working and lifestyle patterns, emerging economies and new technologies?
9. How should nature and biodiversity be incorporated in the development of new towns?
10. What social and community infrastructure should be prioritised in the early development of new towns and what at a later stage?
11. If developing such infrastructure is financially unviable, how can this be overcome?
12. How can new towns use the built environment to support health and encourage healthy lifestyles, including mental health?
13. How can new towns be designed to ensure they are inclusive and accessible to all groups throughout their lives?
14. What are the critical tools of design governance that should be used to deliver high quality design throughout the development journey of new towns?

 Individuals and organisations are now being invited to submit written evidence addressing the above questions.

Further details of how to do this can be found here.

The deadline to respond is 00.01am on Monday, December 1.