As one of 3 actual ‘new’ towns on the list, Adlington has the opportunity to be an exemplary New Town, delivering up to 20,000 homes (40% affordable), jobs, and inclusive growth. However, as a greenfield site, some of it greenbelt, the opposition was always going to be fierce. Under NDA from the government, Belport needed to work behind closed doors to develop a coherent narrative and set of materials to engage MHCLG and the New Towns Task Force and very limited number of early stakeholders

We needed to make the case for Adlington while being as sensitive as possible in order not inflame opposition or provide undue opportunity to be challenged. It required a careful balance with much consideration given to tone and expression. With very few proof points we needed to be clear on the ‘why’ while also giving a sense of the town’s unique character and what sort of place it would be. The scheme has many strengths and aligns very closely with the NTT’s requirements. What’s more, it has the natural and historic assets to be meaningful and authentic for new communities. Working with CBRE and consultants, we had to weave these together with an economic argument, balancing national need with local impact, to create a brand that could carry the scheme through the masterplan process and community engagement.