1st Oct 2008
Wide-ranging new coalition backs eco-towns
A coalition of organisations working in environment and social justice is now fighting in support of eco-towns and highlighting the benefits the settlements could bring.
The coalition is issuing a rallying statement, saying it believes eco-towns provide the opportunity to build homes and places of the highest design and environmental standards, providing blueprints that can be used to influence future developments.
Read the rest of the article about the new coalition’s support for the eco-towns.
Watchdog reviews eco-town proposal
A watchdog has been launched in Leicestershire to meet with developers over a controversial eco-town plan. “Pennbury” is one of 15 earmarked sites to make a Government shortlist, of which 10 will be given the go-ahead. But the proposed 15,000-home development, for land near Stoughton, has sparked fierce protests from residents who say it would put too much strain on local roads and services.
Read the rest of the article on the eco-towns watchdog.
Eco town dwellers may be monitored for green habits
Residents of the planned eco towns in England could face strict monitoring of their travel habits, home insulation and even wasted food, to ensure they are truly living a “green” lifestyle. Experts advising the government on its plans to build up to 10 eco towns by 2020, yesterday called for ministers to toughen environmental standards for the developments with monitoring to ensure their carbon footprint is three times smaller than the British average.
Read the rest of the article on the monitoring of the eco-town home owners.
1st Oct 2008
Dozens of ‘eco-town’ plans lodged
More than 70 plans for new “eco-towns” have been lodged with the Scottish Government. The huge response is part of an initiative to create new green communities that will be exemplars for developers to follow. Environment groups have reacted positively but have emphasised that the projects must go beyond zero-carbon buildings to be sustainable in their entirety, and include strong public transport links to limit emissions from cars.
Read the rest of the article on thescotsman.com about the plans for the Scottish eco-towns
Would the proposals for eco-towns be beneficial for Scotland?
A year ago, the Scottish Government issued a challenge to local authorities, builders and planners to increase the rate of new housing supply to at least 35,000 new homes a year by the middle of the next decade.
Cue environmentalists expressing outrage at the loss of green belt to unchecked urban sprawl? Well, no actually. The reason, I think, had something to do with government beginning to get serious about making at least some of these new communities sustainable.
Read the rest of the article on thescotsman.com about the Scottish eco-towns
10th Jul 2008
It’s been the big issue for ages and it doesn’t seem to want to stop. The eco-town argument rolls on and on, but this week it has received a major boost when the Queen and Prince Charles got involved. Whilst Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has given the green light for the Ashford site and one developer hits back at MP’s criticisms.
The Queen and the Prince of Wales have joined the race to be part of the government’s controversial eco-town scheme, with the crown estate acting as partner in a consortium that hopes to built a town of 5,000 houses near Nottingham. Prince Charles’s Foundation for the Built Environment has been asked to advise on the scheme’s design and to try to ensure community involvement from the outset for the project.
Read the rest of the article on the Prince Charles ‘eco-town’
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has given the green light to the first of the government’s hugely controversial eco-towns. According to the developer, the scheme will achieve Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, with its energy and water consumption reaching the highest Level 6.
Read the rest of the article on Blears eco-town announcement
The companies proposing to construct the controversial eco-town near Mickleton have hit back at criticism of the project by the Cotswolds’ MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. The St Modwen and Bird Group companies retaliated when Mr Clifton-Brown wrote a letter to the Government’s housing and planning minister, Caroline Flint, detailing his opposition to the controversial eco-town that would be called Middle Quinton and be built at Long Marston, Warwickshire.
Read the rest of the article on the developers retaliation
9th Jul 2008
This week Housing Minister Caroline Flint has announced that her decision could have been delayed by months. However the plans for a 5,000-home eco-town in Lichfield have been withdrawn by it’s developers.
Ms Flint, the government’s housing minister, said the announced deadline of October for the sites to be selected would be slipping until December or even next January.
She also stressed it had never been stated by her there would be exactly ten sites finally selected.
Read the rest of the article on Ms Flint’s Eco Town announcement
The Curborough Consortium has withdrawn its bid following talks with the Department for Communities and Local Government last week.
However, the Consortium said it remained committed to the principles behind the Government’s controversial eco-town agenda and still wants to develop the Fradley Airfield site near Lichfield in Staffordshire.
Read the rest of the article on the withdrawl of the West Midlands Eco Town
24th Jun 2008
An official report says plans for a Cornish new-town have a long way to go before they are viable. Fifteen sustainable communities have been proposed across Britain. The Eco-Towns Challenge Panel report says the sustainable aspects of the Imerys China Clay Community scheme “need further work”.
read the article on the Challenge Panel’s critisms on BBC.co.uk
Housing Minister Caroline Flint today met local councillors, residents, developers and the local MP to discuss the proposed eco-town at the former RAF Coltishall site in Norfolk. As part of her fact-finding mission to discover more about the suggested site for an eco-town, she grilled developers about their plans and talked to local councillors about their concerns for the programme.
read the article on the Housing Minister’s comments on 24dash.com
4th Jun 2008
Councillor Ed Turner - Deputy Leader Labour - Oxford City Council has tried to put forward the ‘pro-eco-town’ argument in the Oxford Mail. However his statements have provoked a quick response from the readers and these are represented on the website article.
read the article on the councillor’s comments
3rd Jun 2008
Prospective residents of the proposed eco-town at Long Marston, should the site make it into the government’s shortlist, could pay less than £100 per year in domestic heating bills according to a leading authority on energy conservation.
Ian Ward, one of the directors said “I would go as far as saying that it will be possible to heat a family home for less than £100 per year, perhaps as low as £50 in the best circumstances.”
read the article on the Long Marston site
27th May 2008
The first plans for one of Gordon Brown’s flagship eco-town sites have been submitted – but without the environmentally friendly features the Government has promised.
Planning documents seen by The Sunday Telegraph reveal that the proposed 5,000 homes development near Lichfield, Staffordshire, does not include some special measures required to reduce its impact on the environment.
read the article on the Lichfield eco-town here
23rd May 2008
The eco-town issue is really hotting up, this week in an article on thisisexeter.co.uk we see that the Government is putting up more than £6.5m to support the development of a “prototype eco-town” near Exeter, a minister has announced.
Housing Minister Caroline Flint: “We are obviously working with the local authorities and partners in the Cranbrook area to support the delivery of the housing and of the necessary infrastructure.“To support that, we have provided £1m in 2007-08 and £5.5m for 2008 to 2011.”
read the article on the eco towns article on this is exeter.co.uk
14th May 2008
In an article on www.building.co.uk eco town supporter Wayne Hemingway and eco-town protester Myles Pollock go head-to-head over everything, from the definition of an eco town to what the 12 panelists should be looking at in each bid and, um, where to find Dartford on a map.
read the eco town article
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