conveyancing - OneSearch

If you’ve seen headlines about “twelve new towns”, you might be wondering what exactly the New Towns Act is… and more importantly, whether it has anything to do with your house purchase.

The short answer? Yes… but not in the way people often think.

The New Towns Acts (starting in 1946 and now governed mainly by the New Towns Act 1981) give government the power to designate large areas of land for master‑planned new communities. Think Milton Keynes, Stevenage, or Harlow – places planned from scratch, complete with homes, parks, schools, and jobs.

And with the UK’s current push for new towns – including a New Towns Taskforce and an agenda to begin three sites before 2029 – the legislation is back in the spotlight.

But to understand why the Acts exist at all, we need to take a little time-travel detour back to the late 1800s…

Where It All Began: The Garden City Movement

Long before the government had statutory powers to build new towns, one man planted the conceptual seed: Ebenezer Howard, the father of the Garden City Movement.

In 1898, Howard looked at the choking smog of industrial London and thought: “There must be a better way to live.” His solution was so simple it was radical: combine the best of town life with the best of country life – and avoid the worst of both.

This became the famous ‘Three Magnets‘ diagram:

Town = jobs, community, entertainment… plus pollution and overcrowding
Country = beauty, nature, clean air… plus fewer opportunities
Town‑Country = the perfect hybrid

Howard’s Garden City concept imagined self‑contained towns of around 30,000 people, surrounded by permanent green belts, with homes, industry, farmland, and civic spaces arranged in a walkable, balanced, thoughtful way.

Two real Garden Cities emerged from his vision – Letchworth (1903) and Welwyn (1920) – both near London, both proof that planned communities could be greener, healthier and genuinely pleasant to live in.

Howard wasn’t just designing cities. He was proposing social reform: places where people could thrive physically, socially, culturally, and economically.

And when post‑war Britain needed to rebuild fast, government planners didn’t need to look far for inspiration. They took Howard’s blueprint – and scaled it massively.

Enter the New Towns Act

The New Towns Act 1946 was the government’s way of turning the Garden City dream into national policy. Instead of relying on philanthropic experiments, the Act gave the state real powers to:

1. Designate a “new town”

If the Secretary of State decides an area should be developed as a new town (after consultation), an official designation order is made.

2. Create a Development Corporation

These were specialist, powerful bodies with the ability to:

buy land (including compulsory purchase)
build roads, homes, parks and utilities
plan whole communities
act quickly and at scale

3. Register a local land charge

Here’s where this matters to conveyancers: A new town designation creates a Part 7 Local Land Charge. As summarised in the Local Land Charges guide: “New Towns charges relate specifically to the designation of new towns under the New Towns Act 1981… Charges contain financial and infrastructure obligations.”

(New Towns charges are rare today – but absolutely still exist.)

Why are we talking about New Towns again?

Because the housing shortage isn’t exactly shrinking. Recent reports show:

Government plans to start work on three new towns within this Parliament
A New Towns Taskforce recommending 12 initial locations
A growing push for “infrastructure‑first” large‑scale development

This echoes the post‑war urgency that created the first wave of new towns – but with modern challenges like green belt constraints, infrastructure capacity, environmental concerns, and skills shortages layered on top.

The sites for the twelve new towns suggested include: Adlington in Cheshire, South Gloucestershire, Crews Hill in Enfield, North London, Heyford Park in Cherwell, Oxfordshire, Leeds South Bank, Victoria North in Manchester, Marlcombe, East Devon, Milton Keynes, Plymouth, Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Thamesmead in south-east London, and Worcestershire Parkway.

What does this mean for homebuyers and conveyancers?

1. A New Towns Act charge might appear in searches

Most people will never see one – but if a property lies within a designated area, the Local Search may reveal:

a Part 7 New Towns charge
historic development corporation entries
compulsory purchase‑related notations

If you see one, it’s worth pausing for a closer look.

2. It may signal future large‑scale growth

A New Town designation means:

new housing
new transport links
new community infrastructure
long‑term development (often decades)

This can be hugely positive – or occasionally disruptive.

3. Buyers often need reassurance

A New Towns charge doesn’t mean your home is about to be bulldozed. It means the area was (or is) part of a planned development programme. With new towns re‑entering national policy, these designations may become more visible in the coming years.

The Garden City Legacy, Modernised

Today’s new towns (if delivered well) aim to combine:

sustainable transport
biodiversity and green space
mixed-use neighbourhoods
high‑quality design standards
community governance
long‑term stewardship

Or, to put it another way: Howard’s Garden City principles… but with full fibre broadband, heat pumps, and a nearby rail station.

It’s a reminder that while the challenges facing Britain have changed, the core idea that inspired the New Towns Acts – building thoughtfully planned places for people to thrive – is still very relevant.

Across the UK, thousands of neighbourhoods, streets, and historic green spaces are protected as Conservation Areas, but what does that actually mean for the people who live there?

Whether you’re buying, renovating, or just curious about your postcode, understanding these designations can help you make confident, informed decisions.

What are conservation areas?

A Conservation Area is a place officially recognised as having special architectural or historic interest. In the UK, there are more than 10,000 of these designated areas, covering everything from historic town centres to Victorian suburbs, model villages, and even former industrial landscapes. They exist to preserve the character of places people value – not just individual buildings, but neighbourhoods, and green spaces.

The goal isn’t to stop development altogether. It’s to make sure any changes respect what makes the area unique.

Why are they designated?

An area gets Conservation Area status when the council decides it has something special worth preserving; the sort of neighbourhood that makes people say, “Ooh, this is nice,” and planners quietly add, “Yes, and we’d quite like it to stay that way.”

Think cobbled streets, sash windows, historic parks, or rows of carefully detailed terraces. It’s the combination of all these elements that gives a Conservation Area its identity.

What it means for property owners

If you live in, or are buying within, a Conservation Area, you’ll find that some works require extra permissions. That might include:

Demolishing part or all of a building
Changing windows, doors, roofing materials, or cladding
Building extensions or outbuildings
Removing or pruning trees

None of this is meant to block improvements – it simply ensures changes fit the character of the area. Many homeowners are surprised to learn that even small alterations, like replacing a fence or removing a chimney, can require consent.

And importantly: carrying out certain works without permission can be a criminal offence.

Why accuracy matters in searches

Because Conservation Areas create legal constraints, it’s crucial they’re identified correctly in property searches. In fact, our own data teams regularly uncover cases where a property is incorrectly flagged as within a Conservation Area, or – more dangerously – flagged as outside when it is very much inside.
Examples from internal casework show properties where mapping discrepancies or council errors led to incorrect Conservation Area information being returned, sometimes affecting planning outcomes or buyer decisions.

That’s why cross‑checking multiple sources – including local authority data, detailed mapping, and boundary updates – is essential.

The upside

Research consistently shows that people appreciate living in these protected areas – homes often enjoy greater stability in value, thanks to the careful management of their surroundings. They’re sought after because they retain character, charm, and identity.

If you’re buying or improving a home in a Conservation Area, don’t panic – but do take the time to understand the rules. With the right guidance, it’s entirely possible to make thoughtful changes that respect local character and suit modern living.

Widespread “wait-and-see” approach to home-moving in Q4 2025 leaves market on pause.

Our Q4 2025 Property Trends Report indicates that speculation around the Autumn Budget slowed residential market activity in the final quarter of the year. In England and Wales, listings and completions dropped 7% and 6% year‑on‑year, while SSTC and search orders saw steeper falls of 17% and 19%. Mortgage valuations also slowed, though remortgaging remained steady.

Scotland performed comparatively well despite similar uncertainty. Listings dipped in October and November, recovering in December as demand resurfaced. Search activity remained muted, but SSTM volumes stabilised by year‑end. The nationwide picture suggests delays rather than loss of demand. Expectations of further rate cuts and continued price adjustments could help unlock more activity in 2026.

Other headline findings from Q4 2025 include:

Listings volumes were down 7% compared to Q4 ‘24 volumes.
In Scotland, listings were up 5% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
SSTC volumes were down 17% year-on-year in Q4 ‘25.
SSTM levels in Scotland were down 9% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
Completion volumes in Q4 ’25 were down 6% compared to Q4 ‘24.
In Scotland, completions were down 3% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.

Download the report for the latest trends affecting the residential sector in Q4 2025.

2025 has been a year of meaningful networking and collaboration, and there’s nowhere more engaged in networking than the Midlands.

Through our partnership with networking group, PropertyFace2Face (PF2F), OneSearch proudly sponsored and co-hosted five vibrant Curry Club lunch events that brought property and construction professionals together in Leicester, Nottingham, and Derby. These gatherings weren’t just about exchanging business cards – they were about building relationships, sharing ideas, and creating opportunities.

Celebrating Five Fantastic Events

This year, we joined forces with PF2F for five unique events, each with its own flavour and energy:

7 February – Leicester Comedy Curry Club, MemSaab Restaurant
A lively lunch of laughter with professional comedian, Arthur Smith and networking that sets the tone for the year ahead.
9 May – Derby Curry Club, Nicco Restaurant
A spring meet-up which sparked conversations and new collaborations over a curry.
21 August – A Slice of Summer Social, Nicco Restaurant
Derby’s property and construction professionals celebrated in the sun, enjoying delicious Indian canapés, Prosecco and live Ibiza-style music in August.
19 September – Nottingham Curry Club, MemSaab Restaurant
An engaging event with speed networking that brought together like-minded Notts property and construction professionals.
9 October – High Chai & Chatter, Passan’s Restaurant, Nottingham
The premiere High Chai & Chatter event took place in October, featuring a Nottingham-themed quiz and a delicious Indian-inspired take on Afternoon Tea.

Each event had its own highlights, but all shared one common theme: meaningful connections that create new business opportunities.

Claire Slade, Business Development Manager at OneSearch, said:
“It’s been incredible to see these Curry Club events bring people together. Each one has sparked new conversations and opportunities – and that’s what networking is all about.”

Sasha Stewart, Co-Founder, Property Face2Face added:
“Partnering with OneSearch this year has been a fantastic experience. Together, we’ve created spaces where property and construction professionals can connect, collaborate, and thrive. We can’t wait to continue this journey in 2026.”

Looking Ahead to the New Year

The momentum doesn’t stop here. We’re kicking off the new year with another exciting PF2F event at Mint Leaf Lounge Restaurant, Bank, London on Thursday, 22nd January 2026 – and we’d love to see you there!

👉 https://pf2f.co.uk/event/22nd-january-2026/

Join the Conversation

In conveyancing, it only takes one piece of flawed or unverified data to turn a smooth transaction into a costly nightmare.

The real cost of dealing with fragmented search results isn’t just wasted time; it’s the threat of disputes, liabilities, and fall-throughs that erode confidence and damage your firm’s reputation. If you’re tired of spending valuable hours double-checking sources or dealing with last-minute data surprises, you need a method that guarantees accuracy and peace of mind.

To give you a clear, visual understanding of the solution, we’ve created a new infographic: Solving the Data Puzzle. It lays out our meticulous, forensic methodology – the Triple Check – that ensures accuracy across all three key stages of data collection and review. Download it to instantly see why our unparalleled data foundation delivers the clarity, confidence, and efficiency you need to succeed.

As part of the continued roll out of new and remastered reports, our attention has turned to our agricultural offering, the SiteSolutions Farm report.

You might wonder why it’s important to order a SiteSolutions Farm report instead of a traditional environmental search, after all, don’t they cover the same factors? In reality, agricultural transactions involve a host of unique considerations. For example, the Environment Agency has reported that agricultural runoff is the single biggest polluter of rivers, responsible for 40% of waterway damage. This highlights the need for an agricultural report that goes beyond a standard contaminated land liability assessment.

Agricultural considerations

Farm transactions involve a broader range of factors, often making reports more complex and harder to interpret. Our reports are built differently – offering clear analysis and mapping of key agricultural issues such as pollution incidents, poor land management, intensive farming, and land classification, alongside standard assessments of flood and contamination risk. These localised factors, unique to agricultural land, are surfaced and presented as prudent enquiries to help conveyancers identify potential issues early, facilitating a smoother transaction.

Template redesign

The redesigned front page features a clear summary that instantly highlights contamination and flood risks, with direct hyperlinks to the relevant sections within the report. Risk ratings, summary maps, and consultant commentary are now unified on one page, allowing clients to quickly access the same insights as our consultants and build confidence in our conclusions. All data is analysed by a consultant and presented in plain English, free of jargon and acronyms, for clarity and accessibility. Author contact details are also prominently displayed for easy access to expert support.

Professional opinion

At Landmark, we believe that assessments without environmental consultant input fall short. Our reports empower consultants to apply their expertise, rather than simply echoing raw data, which often lacks context. A great example of this is in the flood section, where automated data can exaggerate the nature and extent of risk. Our consultants assess flood risk holistically, considering topography, land type, and existing water features, to provide a more accurate and representative outcomes. Justifications for these assessments are included in the commentary, ensuring transparency. We only report a risk as significant when it truly is.

Considering development?

With the government placing greater emphasis on energy scrutiny and the transition to a low-carbon economy, there’s a growing trend in renewable energy projects. Farm owners are increasingly seeing this as an opportunity to diversify their land, especially in areas that don’t yield strong returns from traditional farming. The good news is that, provided certain parts of the farm remain in agricultural use, the SiteSolutions Farm report can support redevelopment projects such as solar and wind farms.

Summary

Our farm report is tailored to the specific context of agricultural transactions, with bespoke recommendations that highlight potential liabilities and localised risks, from flooding to broader environmental factors unique to farmland. It offers comprehensive oversight for every transaction.

Explore the future of environmental due diligence

Landmark’s redesigned Argyll SiteSolutions reports set a new standard for environmental searches. With an intuitive design, industry-leading data interpretation, and upgrades that address today’s most pressing risks, these reports empower you to deliver exceptional service to your clients.

Discover the full portfolio here: https://hubs.la/Q03NgCTp0