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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Development Corporations in England: new town, urban and mayoral models including locally led variants; establishment, powers, planning functions, compulsory purchase, infrastructure, climate and design duties, guidance for planning lawyers

Practice notes
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This Practice Note outlines the principal statutory models of development corporation used in England, their purposes, how they are brought into being, and the key powers and planning matters for practitioners advising promoters, landowners, local authorities and other stakeholders.

What is a development corporation?

A development corporation is a statutory body corporate established to deliver development, regeneration or a new settlement within a defined area, using a suite of powers that commonly includes land assembly, undertaking development, delivering infrastructure and, for some models, planning functions. Development corporations are constituted under different statutory routes. In England, the main models are provided by the New Towns Act 1981 (NTA 1981), Part 16 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (LGPLA 1980), and Part 8 of the Localism Act 2011 (LA 2011).

The selected route determines:

  • who designates the area and establishes the corporation; and
  • which powers and duties exist and how planning functions can be conferred.

Types of development corporation in England

New town development corporation

A new town development corporation is set up by the Secretary of State under NTA 1981 to develop a designated new town area. In England, a designation order can cover...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

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I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...

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