Possible Sites for ‘Eco-Towns’ Named
LAST MONTH the Government named a number of sites for the new
‘eco-towns’ that are planned in England.
The Department for Communities and Local Government unveiled its
shortlist of 15 potential schemes for low-carbon, environmentally
friendly towns, which will be whittled down to up to 10 successful
bids over the next six months.
Housing Minister Caroline Flint said the eco-town schemes would
help tackle the twin challenges of climate change and affordable
housing, with the successful proposals having to supply between 30
percent and 50 percent affordable homes.
The settlements of between 5,000 and 20,000 homes, none of which
are to be sited on green belt land, will have to be zero-carbon as a
whole and be an “exemplar” in at least one area of environmental
sustainability.
But many of the areas which have made it on to the shortlist have
attracted protests over the damage they could do to existing
communities or destruction of greenfield land and natural areas.
The sites which have sparked controversy include plans for a
15,000 home eco-town in Weston-on-the-Green, near Oxford, where Tim
Henman’s parents have lived for 40 years and where he grew up.
Other controversial sites which have angered local communities
have made it on to the shortlist, including Pennbury in
Lincolnshire; Middle Quinton, near Stratford, Warwickshire and
Marston Vale and New Marston, Bedfordshire.
But other proposals which sparked protests, including one planned
for Grovewood, Derbyshire, are among more than 40 rejected by the
DCLG in drawing up the shortlist.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced at the Labour Party
conference last year he was doubling the maximum number of eco-towns
from five to 10 following a positive reaction to the project. But
since then, conservation groups and residents have grown
increasingly vocal about their fears over the towns as details of
potential sites emerged.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said while one or
two of the proposed sites could win its support if developed
properly, overall it was “disappointed” with the shortlist. CPRE
planning officer Kate Gordon said: “There are a number of locations
that involve the loss of greenfield land, a loss of agricultural
land and would damage attractive landscapes.” |
