Nick Clegg: we need to build more cities like Milton Kenyes Nick Clegg will claim it is time to "think big" and establish new cities to prevent "haphazard urban sprawl" ruining the countryside. More than 30 years after the last major new settlement was built, Mr Clegg will say it is unacceptable that young families are "condemned" to live in the smallest homes in western Europe. The Chancellor's forthcoming Autumn Statement will include a pledge of £225 million to underwrite housing developments providing almost 50,000 new homes. In a speech to developers, the Deputy Prime Minister will say that this is a "first step" to encouraging a new generation of "garden cities and suburbs." He will warn that more than 230,000 new households will be created in Britain every year over the next decade, but there is only enough housing planned to accommodate half that number. "We can either condemn ourselves to haphazard urban sprawl - the surest way to damage the countryside - we can cram ever more people into existing settlements, concreting over gardens and parks... or we can build places people want to live," Mr Clegg will say.