Home About Us Our ServicesTraining and Events Special Projects News & Press Releases Contact Us

Environmental News: Local authorties accuse government of ignoring their concerns about 'eco-towns'

Some local authorities have accused the government of ignoring their concerns in the selection of 15 locations for Britain’s first eco-towns and will build on land previously deemed unsuitable for development..

Councils are concerned that under plans for carbon neutral towns locally agreed planning policies could be ignored. Moreover, they are worried that councils will have to pick up the tab for schools, shops, parks and public transport and other services as these have not been integrated within the plans.

David Parsons, leader of Leicestershire county council, said the government’s support for Pennbury, the proposed eco-town in its area, was very disappointing.

"The council has presented evidence that demonstrates the damaging effect of this proposal on transport, environment and regeneration in the area which it appears the government has ignored,” he said.

Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the LGA, said it would be “totally unacceptable” if the final planning decisions were taken away from local councils and local people:

“It’s no use building carbon neutral, environmentally-friendly houses if they are in the middle of nowhere with no facilities, so that people have to drive miles to buy a loaf of bread or take their kids to school. This proposed change in the planning process will allow developments to be built in isolated areas without any regard to the essential facilities needed by people in their everyday lives,” he said.

The new towns, of between 5,000 and 20,000 homes, will be the first to be built since the 1960s. The 10 sites for the eco-towns will be finalised later this year with ministers aiming to build the first five by 2016 and the other half by 2020.

The full shortlist is:

• Pennbury, Leicestershire
• Manby and Strubby, Lincolnshire
• Curborough, Staffordshire
• Middle Quinton, Warwickshire
• Bordon-Whitehill, Hampshire
• Weston Otmoor, Oxfordshire
• Ford, West Sussex
• Imerys China Clay community, Cornwall
• Rossington, South Yorkshire
• Coltishall, Norfolk
• Hanley Grange, Cambridgeshire
• Marston Vale and New Marston, Bedfordshire
• Elsenham, Essex
• Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire
• Leeds city region, Yorkshire