Yahoo News 16 Jul 09;
LONDON (AFP) – The government gave the green light Thursday to four so-called "eco towns," claiming it is playing a leading role globally in promoting carbon neutral communities.
The green towns are designed as the first of 10 such projects Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government wants to set up by 2020, despite criticism and local opposition in some cases.
"The revolutionary concept of eco towns is a unique opportunity for us to confront two of the most urgent priorities" facing Britain, namely providing more cheaper housing and fighting climate change.
Housing Minister John Healey added: "We are leading the way on the world stage with these developments by radically rethinking how we design, plan and build our homes."
The towns chosen are in Whitehill-Bordon in Hampshire; Rackheath in Norfolk; Bicester in Oxfordshire, and a development near St. Austell in Cornwall.
The "first wave" communities will notably be able to apply for a share of 60 million pounds in funds to develop low-carbon infrastructure).
Charging points for electric cars, solar and wind power infrastructure, and so-called smart meters to track energy use will all be built in, while 40 percent of their area will be devoted to parks, playgrounds and gardens.
The main opposition Conservatives, which hopes to oust Brown's Labour government next year, have slammed the projects.
"Underneath the thick layers of greenwash, many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them... irrespective of local opinion," said Conservative housing spokesman Grant Shapps.
"All the low-flush toilets in the world can't make dumping a housing estate on green fields somehow eco-friendly," he added.
Healey countered: "I recognise that the proposals can raise strong opinions, but climate change threatens us all and... we are taking steps to meet this challenge and help build more affordable housing."
The four chosen projects will all now be subject to further local planning procedures.
Four ecotowns given the green light
Towns to tackle Britain's housing shortage while minimising damage to the environment by showcasing energy efficient homes and green transport
Alok Jha, guardian.co.uk 16 Jul 09;
The government today gave the go-ahead for the construction of four eco-towns, offering 10,000 homes overall, which, it hopes, will showcase environmentally friendly living in the UK.
The settlements, to be built by 2016, will include the latest in energy efficiency measures, streets with charging points for electric cars and numerous cycle routes as well as easy access to public transport.
The locations are Whitehill Borden in Hampshire, the China Clay Community at St Austell, Cornwall, Rackheath in Norfolk and north-west Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Each site will be allocated a share of £60m for their "green" infrastructure.
The towns are designed to tackle Britain's housing shortage while minimising damage to the environment – more than a quarter of the UK's CO2 emissions come from energy use in houses.
Launching the initiative Gordon Brown said earlier today: "Eco-towns will help to relieve the shortage of affordable homes to rent and buy, and minimise the effects of climate change on a major scale. They will provide modern homes with lower energy bills, energy efficient offices and brand-new schools, community centres and services."
But eco-towns have been criticised ever since Brown announced his plan to build up to 100,000 homes in five green towns, soon after succeeding Tony Blair as prime minister in 2007.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England wanted the government to scale back the programme to one or two showcase towns, arguing that officials should concentrate on refurbishing existing properties and redeveloping derelict brownfield sites as well as bring 800,000 empty homes in England back to use.
The eco-towns will still require planning permission and could face opposition from residents anxious about the impact on rural areas.
The housing minister John Healey said: "I recognise that the proposals can raise strong opinions, but climate change threatens us all and with our commitment to the eco-towns we are taking steps to meet this challenge and help build more affordable housing."
He said Britain was leading the world in designing zero-carbon buildings. "One in three of Britain's homes in 2050 will be built between now and then, so we have to set clear, green, standards for the future. I am confirming that all new homes from 2016 will have to meet a tough zero-carbon standard, so they are cleaner, greener and cheaper to run."
In addition to the four eco-towns, a further two, Rossington, in South Yorkshire and North-East Elsenham, Essex, are on the cards for the scheme's second wave. The government wants up to 10 eco-towns completed or under way by 2020.
Friends of the Earth's executive director, Andy Atkins, welcomed the plans. But he said: "The bigger challenge is to ensure that all new housing is built to the highest environmental standards. Ministers must ensure that all the two million homes that they plan to build across the country are truly green and help meet UK targets for tackling climate change."
Grant Shapps, the Tories' housing spokesperson and MP for Welwyn Hatfield, dismissed eco-towns as a gimmick. "Underneath the thick layers of greenwash many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them from Whitehall irrespective of local opinion."
John Alker, of the UK Green Building Council, said that although eco-towns had had a rough ride, the idea behind them was sound. "The current economic climate is very challenging for new house building in the short-term, but zero carbon homes, sustainable transport, a robust local economy and access to green space are all vital ingredients of new places fit for the 21st century.
He added: "The eco-towns brand has taken a battering, but if these developments go through the interrogation of a proper planning process, are linked to existing communities, have local support and are built to the very highest environmental standards, then it can only be a good thing. Building green homes on a large scale … will also reduce the green cost premium and help provide a blueprint for the homes of the future."
Inside an eco town...
• Community-scale heat sources, possibly using combined heat and power plants
• Charging points for electric cars
• All homes within 10 minutes walk of frequent public transport and everyday services
• Parks, playgrounds and gardens to make up 40% of towns
• Individual homes must achieve 70% carbon savings above current building regulations in terms of heating, hot water and lighting
• Zero-carbon buildings including shops, restaurants and schools
• Ensuring a minimum of one job per house can be reached by walking, cycling or public transport to reduce dependence on the car
• Car journeys to make up less than half of all journeys
• Locating homes within ten minutes walk of frequent public transport and everyday neighbourhood services
• Homes fitted with smart meters and solar and wind generation. Residents will be able to control the heat and ventilation of their homes at the touch of a button and sell their surplus energy into the grid
Go-ahead for eco-towns in England
The Government has announced the go-ahead for four eco-towns - in Rackheath, Whitehill Bordon, north west Bicester and the China Clay Community in Cornwall.
Christopher Hope, The Telegraph 16 Jul 09;
The successful bids, which will still have to go through the planning process, were named as Rackheath in Norfolk, Whitehill Bordon in East Hampshire, north west Bicester and the China Clay Community scheme near St Austell, Cornwall.
The eco-town project was intended to meet housing needs and tackle climate change, with as many as 10 environmentally-friendly settlements built by 2020, but has been dogged by controversy and opposition from local communities.
The four successful bids are all supported or proposed by local authorities and meet the standards for "eco-towns" laid down by the Government, officials said.
In addition to the four locations given the go-ahead today, a further two - Rossington in South Yorkshire and North-East Elsenham in Essex - still have potential to be eco-towns but need more work to address certain issues with the bids.
It is also hoped more eco-towns will come through regional and local plans in the future.
The four "first-wave" settlements given the green light today will be able to bid for a share of £60 million in Government support for local infrastructure.
John Healey, the housing minister, said he wanted to see at least six "second-wave" developments and up to £5 million was being made available for councils to conduct further planning work on proposals.
Gordon Brown, who expanded the eco-town scheme from the original five towns to up to 10 when he first became Prime Minister, said the environmentally-friendly settlements were "a unique opportunity" to address housing and climate change.
"Eco-towns will help to relieve the shortage of affordable homes to rent and buy and to minimise the effects of climate change on a major scale.
"They will provide modern homes with lower energy bills, energy efficient offices and brand new schools, community centres and services," he said.
Mr Healey said: "We are leading the way on the world stage with these developments, by radically rethinking how we design, plan and build our homes we can create zero carbon developments, which combine affordable housing with new green infrastructures and a higher quality of life.
"I recognise that the proposals can raise strong opinions, but climate change threatens us all and with our commitment to the eco-towns we are taking steps to meet this challenge and help build more affordable housing."
But the Conservatives accused the Government of presiding over an "eco-con" which was mired in controversy.
Grant Shapps, the shadow housing minister, said: "Underneath the thick layers of greenwash, many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them from Whitehall irrespective of local opinion.
"All the low-flush toilets in the world can't make dumping a housing estate on green fields somehow eco-friendly.
"At best, this scheme is a distraction from the more important task of reducing carbon emissions from our existing housing stock.
"At worst, it's a discredited gimmick from a discredited Government that's run out of ideas and run out of steam."
From 15 down to four: eco-towns get go-ahead
Michael McCarthy, The Independent 17 Jul 09;
Four new eco-towns, designed to meet housing needs while using the highest green standards, were given the go-ahead by the Government today after a two-year selection process which has been mired in controversy and opposition.
The four locations have been whittled down from an original list of fifteen, many of which were deeply unpopular with local residents and also with environmental campaign groups who accused the Government of using the idea to get round the planning process and build on greenfield countryside.
The four proposed new settlements announced yesterday, which will have up to 20,000 homes each and will be the first new towns built in Britain for more than 40 years, were among the least controversial on the list as they do not represent egregious examples of countryside destruction.
They are Whitehill Bordon in Hampshire, north west Bicester in Oxfordshire, Rackheath in Norfolk and the China Clay Community scheme near St Austell in Cornwall. All are supported by their local authorities, who will now be able to bid for a share of £60 million in Government support for their local infrastructure. They will have to go through the planning process.
"From a list of deeply worrying and unsustainable locations, the Government has chosen to go with the least damaging, which is encouraging," said Kate Gordon, Senior Planning Officer for The Campaign to Protect Rural England.
The new eco-towns will be built to meet the highest standards of sustainability, with low and zero carbon technologies, state-of-the-art recycling and water systems, and good public transport, and they will also have to consist of between 30 and 50 per cent social housing, as part of the Government's drive to tackle the housing crisis.
The whole eco-towns idea has been strongly associated with Gordon Brown personally: the Prime Minister announced the scheme in one of his first speeches after taking office in 2007 and personally expanded its scope, and yesterday Mr Brown gave the announcement by the Housing Minister, John Healey, his own welcome, saying the new settlements represented "a unique opportunity" to address housing and climate change.
"Eco-towns will help to relieve the shortage of affordable homes to rent and buy and to minimise the effects of climate change on a major scale," Mr Brown said. "They will provide modern homes with lower energy bills, energy efficient offices and brand new schools, community centres and services."
However, it was evident that the cross-party consensus on climate change does not extend to eco-towns, as the proposal was strongly attacked by both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats. "All the low-flush toilets in the world can't make dumping a housing estate on green fields somehow environmentally friendly," said the Conservative shadow housing minister Grant Shapps, who called it an "eco-con". He said: "Underneath the thick layers of greenwash, many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them from Whitehall irrespective of local opinion."
The Liberal Democrats housing spokeswoman Sarah Teather echoed the criticism and said the scheme was doomed to failure because central Government had imposed the eco-towns on local communities. "Local areas should be given the power to plan and build the homes they need, and every new home should be built to meet the highest environmental standards," she said.
In addition to the four locations given the go-ahead yesterday, a further two - Rossington in South Yorkshire and North-East Elsenham in Essex - still have potential to be eco-towns, the Government said, but need more work to address certain issues with the bids.
Some of the proposals in the list of 15 put forward in April last year were so deeply unpopular that the Government would have faced major protest campaigns had they gone ahead: they included the greenfield sites at Weston Otmoor in Oxfordshire and Long Marston, near Stratford on Avon, the latter attracting the ire of Stratford luvvies from Dame Judy Dench down.
