The Next Generation of British New Towns

We’ll be discussing with two key figures from the RTPI the latest thinking on the next generation of British new towns, and what we can learn from the exemplar of Milton Keynes.

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has recently commissioned original research into how to futureproof the next generation of British new towns by learning from international experience. We’ll hear about the findings of that project from its lead researcher, Prof John Sturzaker, who has just joined the RTPI. We’ll also hear from his colleague Dr David Mountain on what we might learn from past experiences of new town development, presenting his doctoral research into the history of Milton Keynes as a radical experiment in town planning. As usual, we’ll have plenty of time for discussion. These seminars are designed to generate debate amongst planners and policymakers, researchers and students, activists and residents across London.

Speaker information 

Professor John Sturzaker was the inaugural holder of the Ebenezer Howard Chair in Planning at the University of Hertfordshire from 2021 to October 2025, when he joined the Royal Town Planning Institute as Director of Careers & Education. John has worked in local authorities and universities in his career to date, and looks forward to strengthening links between all sectors of planning in his new role. 

Dr David Mountain is Research Manager at the Royal Town Planning Institute. He commissions research to support the planning profession and policy development, administers competitive research grants, and oversees the annual RTPI Awards for Research Excellence. David is also an Honorary Research Fellow in planning at the University of Manchester, where he completed his ESRC-funded PhD on the end of the post-war British new towns programme and the rise of urban regeneration in planning practice.

This is a Hybrid Event.