A report on the role of faith groups in planning and designing new towns and housing developments states that their contribution is crucial to building community and social cohesion. Housing with Values: faith and belief perspectives on housing and community planning was discussed in this Religion Media Centre briefing, which heard that “housing is about more than bricks and mortar – it is about the kind of society we want to build”.
The report is a response to the government’s proposal to build 1.5 million homes in 12 new towns over the next five years. It suggests that a New Towns Faith Taskforce is set up to enable conversations between faith representatives, developers and local councils, offering insight into how faith groups can contribute to the social infrastructure necessary for towns to thrive.
Ruth Peacock hosted with guests: Phil Champain and Prof Christopher Baker, co-founders of the Faith and Belief Collective, which produced the report, and another co-author, Dr Iona Hines.
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