New Towns Act 1981

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New Towns Act 1981[a]
Act of Parliament
coat of arms
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to new towns and connected matters, being (except for section 43 of the New Towns Act 1965 and sections 126 and 127 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and certain related provisions) enactments which apply only to England and Wales.
Citation1981 c. 64
Territorial extent 
[b]
Dates
Royal assent30 October 1981
Commencement30 November 1981[c]
Other legislation
AmendsSee § Repealed enactments
Repeals/revokesSee § Repealed enactments
Amended by
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the New Towns Act 1981 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The New Towns Act 1981 (c. 64) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated enactments relating to new towns in England and Wales.[1]

Provisions

Repealed enactments

Section 81(b) of the act repealed 24 enactments, listed in schedule 13 to the act.[2]

Citation Short title Extent of repeal
7 & 8 Eliz. 2. c. 62 New Towns Act 1959 The whole act.
1965 c. 59 New Towns Act 1965 The whole act.
1966 c. 44 New Towns Act 1966 The whole act.
1968 c. 13 National Loans Act 1968 In Schedule 1, the entry so far as it relates to sections 44(1) and (3) and sections 45 and 46(5) of the New Towns Act 1965.
1969 c. 48 Post Office Act 1969 In Schedule 4, paragraph 78.
1971 c. 78 Town and Country Planning Act 1971 In Part II of Schedule 23, the entry relating to the New Towns Act 1965.
1972 c. 11 Superannuation Act 1972 In Schedule 6, paragraph 53.
1972 c. 47 Housing Finance Act 1972 Section 14.
1972 c. 70 Local Government Act 1972 In Part II of Schedule 16, paragraph 56.
In Part II of Schedule 29, paragraph 29.
1973 c. 26 Land Compensation Act 1973 Section 72(6).
1973 c. 37 Water Act 1973 In Schedule 8, paragraphs 88 and 89.
1974 c. 8 Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Act 1974 In Schedule 3, Part I.
1975 c. 42 New Towns Act 1975 The whole act.
1975 c. 76 Local Land Charges Act 1975 In Schedule 1, the entry relating to the New Towns Act 1965.
1976 c. 68 New Towns (Amendment) Act 1976 The whole act.
1976 c. 75 Development of Rural Wales Act 1976 In Schedule 7, paragraphs 4 and 17.
1976 c. 80 Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 In Schedule 8, paragraph 12.
1977 c. 23 New Towns Act 1977 The whole act.
1977 c. 42 Rent Act 1977 In Schedule 23, paragraph 39.
1978 c. 44 Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 In Schedule 16, paragraph 24.
1980 c. 36 New Towns Act 1980 The whole act.
1980 c. 65 Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 Sections 126 to 130.
In section 133(1) the words—
"'development corporation' has (in the application of this Part to Scotland) the same meaning as in the 1968 Act", and
"'the 1965 Act' means the New Towns Act 1965".
In section 133(2) the words "the 1965 Act".
Section 133(3).
In Schedule 25, Part I.
1980 c. 66 Highways Act 1980 In Schedule 24, paragraph 15.
1981 c. 38 British Telecommunications Act 1981 In Part II of Schedule 3, paragraphs 11(2)(b) and 43.

Subsequent developments

The act has been amended by a number of subsequent statutes. The New Towns and Urban Development Corporations Act 1985 repealed certain provisions, including words in section 1(5). Further amendments were made by the Housing and Planning Act 2016, the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.

Notes

  1. Section 82(1).
  2. Section 82(2)–(3).
  3. Section 82(4).

References

  1. "New Towns Act 1981 | LexisNexis". www.lexisnexis.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  2. "New Towns Act 1981", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1981 c. 64