Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the project would be part of Labour’s effort to modernize the nation’s infrastructure and create communities designed around technology and ageing populations. Speaking to The Sun, Reed explained that future “garden cities” could feature roads, shops, and even care homes that run on automation.
Reed said the AI-town vision is part of Labour’s wider housing and infrastructure platform, which aims to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029. He admitted the target would be “a push” but said the country needs those homes “because people up and down this country need those homes to live in.”
"People who want a council home are sometimes stuck on the list for 10 or 20 years," Reed said. "We need to start cutting those waiting lists down and give some people a place, a decent home where they know they're going to be secure for years to come and where they can afford to live."
The plan also comes as mayors across England are being urged to submit ambitious housing bids under a new £7 billion ($9.1B USD) regional funding initiative. Local councils will be able to outline what types of homes they need most, and which sites should be prioritized for development.
The £7 billion investment is part of a larger 10-year affordable housing program worth £39 billion ($51B USD). Under current allocations, Greater Manchester is expected to receive around £1.8 billion, West Midlands £1.7 billion, the North East £1.1 billion, West Yorkshire £1 billion, and both Liverpool City and South Yorkshire are likely to get about £700 million each.
Reed urged local leaders to embrace the opportunity, saying councils should “go big, go bold, and go build.” The announcement is one of Labour’s first for housing since taking office last year.
