Eco towns welcome but standards fall far short of what is needed

16 July 2009

Countryside campaigners, CPRE,welcomed Ministers' decision announced today (Thursday) to scale back the eco-towns programme but called for tougher standards in order for the dream of sustainable living to become a reality.

Kate Gordon, CPRE's Senior Planning Officer said:

'From a list of deeply worrying and unsustainable locations, the Government has chosen to go with the least damaging, which is encouraging. '

'We welcome the news that schemes such as Ford, West Sussex, Pennbury, Leicestershire and Weston Otmoor have been dropped.'

Ralph Smyth, CPRE's Senior Transport Campaigner, said:

'On average 65% of journeys across the country are made by car but many of these could be made by other means. So when the Government claims its aspirations for 50% of trips in eco-towns could be made other than by car is the 'toughest ever', it's actually restating business as usual. The Government needs to be more ambitious.'

'Similarly providing a bus service within ten minutes walk is already standard in new developments across the country.'

In the longer term, the Government is looking to develop a further six eco-towns. CPRE is urging Ministers not to revisit proposals on the shortlist, but to pursue alternatives, such as schemes already coming through the planning pipeline alongside measures to achieve high environmental standards in all development, including existing buildings.

Kate Gordon concluded:

'We will be examining proposals carefully as they come forward in the four areas announced today. It will be crucial that eco-towns are properly assessed through the normal development planning process and win the support of local communities before decisions are taken.

England has three quarters of a million empty homes and enough brownfield land to accommodate a million homes. The eco-towns programme should not distract from the urgent need to bring back into use empty homes, regenerate urban areas and apply high standards to all development, new and existing.'

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