In its initial 11-point Built Environment committee report, the peers said an ‘infrastructure-first’ approach should be adopted to avoid ‘huge public opposition’ to the dozen proposed towns. AdvertisementIn preliminary findings as part of its inquiry into the programme, the cross-party committee also said the towns must act as ‘exemplars for contemporary urban design’. The peers’ inquiry has been looking into the government’s plans for a fresh generation of new towns, with each proposed to feature at least 10,000 homes. But he added: ‘As it stands, the government’s programme lacks a clear, engaging vision that provides a rationale for these new towns. The peers also flagged that development of the towns would only be possible with ‘significant amounts of private investment’.