The Malaysian-owned YTL Group is seeking to create the most sustainable new town in the UK with the brownfield development which will include 6,500 new homes, a 15-acre park, three new schools, and a 19,500-capacity state-of-the-art carbon neutral arena.

The YTL Brabazon New Town development will also include creative office spaces, laboratories, and advanced manufacturing facilities, delivering more than 30,000 jobs for the UK economy.

There are currently 300 homes already occupied on the site, with a further 240 under construction. The development has won a number of prestigious awards for design, build, and sustainability, YTL Group said in a statement.

Anwar, who is on a five-day working visit to the UK, said Malaysia was uniquely positioned to capitalise on its position as Asean chair this year to promote regional economic integration by using the YTL Brabazon New Town as a key example of Asean-UK collaboration.

“Investments by Malaysian businesses into the UK are not just about economic growth. They reflect our commitment to nurturing partnerships that drive innovation, foster prosperity, and contribute to a better world for all,” he said in the statement.

YTL Group executive chairman Francis Yeoh said the group had committed to invest an additional £2 billion in YTL’s UK businesses over the next five years.

Yeoh also said he was confident that the strengthened trade agreements and cooperation between Malaysia and the UK would catalyse new partnerships and spur increased investments between the two countries.

YTL, the largest Malaysian investor into the UK, made its first such investment in 2002. Since then, it has broadened its investments beyond the water and sewerage sector and ventured into hospitality and real estate.