Key concerns
The main issues raised about the proposed Forest City development.
Loss of countryside and farmland
The proposal covers 45,000 acres of largely grade 2 agricultural land—prime farmland needed for food security. Britain produces only about half its own food and cannot afford to sacrifice such land.
Pressure on infrastructure
Schools, water supply, sewage, and healthcare are already stretched. East Anglia is one of Britain's most water-stressed regions. Delivering infrastructure for 1 million people would be a colossal undertaking.
Water stress
East Anglia faces severe water stress. Critics question whether reservoirs and water infrastructure can realistically be delivered for a city of 1 million people.
Impact on villages and communities
The city would subsume ancient villages like Cowlinge, Great Thurlow, and Withersfield—erasing communities. Development corporation powers could bypass local democratic control.
Questions over affordability and jobs
Even at £350,000, homes may be beyond many families. The plan offers no binding job commitments from employers. The CLT model has been criticised as internally contradictory.
Democratic and planning concerns
The project relies on parliamentary legislation to grant development corporation powers that override normal planning and local democratic control—effectively a charter city.