The Background To Eco Towns
Proposed eco-town, Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire
The Proposal: Supposed to be sustainable settlements with ground-breaking zero and low-carbon technology – recycling, good public transport, allotments and green spaces.
The Problem: The Government kept details of the proposed locations secret and the first mutterings of unease began – there were concerns that eco-towns would evade normal planning controls.
Once the twelve possible locations were announced it became apparent that not all the proposed sites were brownfield after all.
Then rumours emerged that five of the 15 bids from developers had come from businesses linked to Tesco and Asda, and fears grew that the Government was paving the way for a new generation of ‘Tescotowns’.
The Protests: High profile protest groups formed, supported by figures such as Dame Judy Dench and Tony Henman, Tim Henman’s father.
The Government has climbed down on the number of eco towns planned, and it looks more likely that five eco towns will go ahead instead of the planned ten.
The Professionals: We asked two professionals Robert Shaw of the Sustainable Development Group and Kate Gordon of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England to give their views on the issue.
For
Robert Shaw, Associate Director at sustainable development group Faber Maunsell, who provided advice for developers and land owners on the eco-towns says:
"I would say that the government have perhaps not been able to get the message across as well as they should have.
"Climate change presents such an enormous challenge that the opportunity to test new approaches and take low carbon technologies to the next level in terms of viability has to be a good thing.
"We’re still part way through a process, but people see it as process thrust upon them with little consultation, locations decided without consultation and before economic appropriate assessment has been carried out.
"But my personal view is that if you’re going to do something major you have to say, 'we’re going to do it', working with whoever we need to work with to find the best sites, taking account of all the criteria such as sustainability, cost, using new town powers necessary to make it happen.
"Big decisions need an approach fit for purpose. The new towns were incredibly controversial when they were built. It was the same with Letchworth.
"But we’re in an age where everything’s available for scrutiny. The opinions of people within the communities are valid, but there are limits to the extent that they can influence the process.
"People will be upset, they’ll be subject to significant upheaval, and their expectations around the process need to be managed with appropriate support, financial and otherwise.’
"We’re in the middle of a housing slump, but there is still a massive shortage of housing. When we come out of the other side we’ll be in the same boat and we will have missed an opportunity to do this while land values are depressed.
"Regarding use of greenfield sites, of course we want to make use of previously developed land, but only if it continues to be suitable.
"My view is that I would like to be pragmatic – just because it’s greenfield or brownfield it doesn’t mean it’s inherently good or bad.
"The location of previous developments wasn’t decided with sustainability as a driving factor. We need the best sites in terms of social, environmental and economic suitability."
Summary: The process may have been flawed, but the environmental challenge is too pressing to allow local communities to veto green schemes like these. New eco-settlements are back on the agenda, and that’s where they have to stay.
Against
Kate Gordon, Senior Planner at the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England:
"Right at the beginning we thought the principle was a very good one; we need more housing, and, from an environmental point of view, the standard of the usual developments is not good.
"But then we spent months trying to find out where those bids were, and nobody knew what was going on. A lot of people were worried about having them on their doorstep.
"It hasn’t been a very transparent process. They’ve made up the rules as they’ve gone along, and, in many cases they have rehashed previously failed proposals.
"Where communities have been asked their views on schemes there has been very little information available.
"We would have liked to see the sites selected through the plan-led system, where the community is consulted; sound planning, rather than random bids.
"A lot are the proposed sites are greenfield, high-grade agricultural land. From a landscape point of view alone it seems mad. And does it send a good message to build on land that can provide food?
"Additionally, our support is conditional on the transport implications.
"By definition, eco-towns should reduce, not increase car dependency, but there is a risk that because of their location, some schemes will end up completely dependent on cars.
"Should fuel become scarce or too expensive in future, residents face being stranded.
"We’re concerned that the government said that more than 50 per cent of the journeys from the eco-towns should be other than by car. We don’t think this is very ambitious.
"The government needs to ensure that they don’t become car-dependent commuter towns. People need an infrastructure, with jobs on their doorsteps, not just a school and a shop.
"And why do they have to be free-standing settlements? They could be in and around towns where infrastructure already exists, or can be easily provided.
"Since most new development will continue to be in and around existing towns, lessons learnt from this will be of limited value elsewhere.
"Rather than build a series of new towns, we’d like to see government focus on one eco town and do it properly. Then we can find ways to make eco neighbourhoods in existing towns."
Summary: The government needs to think again about the feasibility of rural locations and listen to locals or the opportunity to create a genuinely eco communities and learn lessons for future planning will be lost
More Info
Eco Towns: Have Your Say
Lidlington Action Group
Stop Hanley Grange
Nikki Sheehan
