Ally of Angela Rayner slams plan for 20,000-home towns

A key ally of former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has criticized her proposal to build as many as a dozen new towns, each with up to 20,000 homes, across the United Kingdom. Rayner, who publicly championed the idea as a way to restore hope for people who could not afford to buy or rent, described the plan as a solution to the housing crisis. That was before she was sacked from the government for issues related to stamp duty on a second property. The current critique underscores internal opposition to the sites proposed for the ambitious scheme and highlights the political and financial pressures surrounding such large-scale development.

The focus of the latest pushback centers on a site on the Adlington estate between Manchester and Macclesfield, a green-belt area that has drawn attention for its proximity to a region popular with Premier League footballers and celebrities. The site was identified in September as one of Rayner’s proposed new towns, part of a broader plan to boost housing supply at scale along with accompanying facilities such as schools, health amenities, and improved transport infrastructure. The Adlington proposal sits at the heart of a debate over where new homes should go and how to balance housing needs with conservation and community concerns.

Gerald Cooney, who was Rayner’s election agent and chairs the £31 billion Greater Manchester Pension Fund, has publicly questioned the suitability of the Adlington site. He told reporters the location is “in completely the wrong place” and warned that the scheme appears to be driven by developer interests rather than community needs. “If you were building a new town in this area, you don’t need it there,” he said, adding that the area “doesn’t need new executive homes – we already have plenty of them.” Cooney’s critique comes as local stakeholders debate the best way to address housing waiting lists and supply pressures while safeguarding green space and existing communities.

Cooney’s involvement with Rayner extends from her time in leadership roles on housing policy to his own professional responsibilities. He was suspended by the Labour Party in February for concerns raised about remarks on social media by MPs and councillors, a background detail that adds complexity to the current dispute over the Adlington site and the broader towns plan. His stance, however, aligns with a broader chorus of regional voices urging caution about the locations selected for new towns and urging a focus on brownfield sites and established commuter corridors where demand is most acute.

Developer Belport is behind the Adlington proposal and has defended the plan as part of a national strategy to expand housing supply. Belport has pledged to allocate up to 40 percent of the proposed homes as affordable, offering them at about 20 percent below market value to attract key workers. The company argues the project would not merely create executive housing; it would also provide new schools, health facilities, transport improvements, and new jobs, aiming to relieve housing pressures while stimulating local economies. The prospect of significant affordable housing within the mix has been cited by supporters as a means to address unequal access to home ownership, though critics question whether the site’s geography and transport links can handle the scale.

The details of Camilla Legh’s involvement add another layer to the story. Legh sold her ancestral home and 2,000 acres of surrounding farmland, valued at roughly £25 million in 2023, to Belport. The sale, and the subsequent designation of the Adlington estate as a potential new town, has heightened scrutiny from local communities and heritage groups concerned about the loss of green space and the implications for traditional land use in the Peak District fringe area. Belport’s position that the scheme would increase housing supply, create jobs, and deliver infrastructure has been met with skepticism by residents who worry about traffic, environmental impact, and the long timeline before any homes are ready for occupancy.

A final decision on the sites included in Rayner’s nationwide towns plan is expected next spring, a timeline that has kept politicians, developers, and residents watching closely. Supporters say the plan could unlock thousands of new homes in areas with the most acute need, while opponents argue that the sheer scale of development risks overloading already stretched services and eroding local character. The Adlington debate illustrates the tension at the heart of modern housing policy: how to balance the urgency of supply with the realities of green-belt protection, infrastructure capacity, and community consent.

As the world continues to watch how major economies address housing affordability and urban growth, the United Kingdom’s approach to planning, green space preservation, and affordable housing within large-scale development projects remains a focal point for policymakers and residents alike. The outcome of the spring decision will influence not only regional housing strategies but also the broader political calculations surrounding Angela Rayner’s legacy and the future of housing policy in the United Kingdom.