http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dqp0p
So what did the Beeb make of the Aldingbourne Three? A few days left to watch!
Thursday, 25 September 2008
What makes an Eco-Town?
The report, What makes an eco-town?, produced jointly by the BioRegional Development Group and CABE, defines an eco-town as a place designed to make it easy for residents to reduce their ecological footprint by two thirds and their carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent below 1990 levels.
The report proposes features of places designed for living within ecological limits. These include generous space to grow food; ample tree canopy cover; attractive alternatives to shopping as the default leisure activity; and substantial reduction in car dependency. It provides clear criteria and practical guidance on how the sustainability of settlements can be monitored and tested.
Click here for more info and to download...
The report proposes features of places designed for living within ecological limits. These include generous space to grow food; ample tree canopy cover; attractive alternatives to shopping as the default leisure activity; and substantial reduction in car dependency. It provides clear criteria and practical guidance on how the sustainability of settlements can be monitored and tested.
Click here for more info and to download...
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Eco-town protesters light beacon
Final signatures for a petition against plans to build a West Sussex eco-town are being collected, as protesters prepare to light a community beacon. The government has named the former Ford airfield, near Arundel, and surrounding farmland as a possible site for 5,000 homes. Ford is one of 15 sites in England originally shortlisted for the 10 new eco-towns. Two have since dropped out. Click here for more...
Meanwhile an environmental pressure group has called for plans for an eco-town to be reconsidered. Click here...
Meanwhile an environmental pressure group has called for plans for an eco-town to be reconsidered. Click here...
No mention of Eco-Towns this year..?
Gordon Brown presented his Labour Party Conference speech yesterday, which consisted of 6,703 words. You can read it here in full on the BBC website. I did a quick count of how many times Eco-Towns were mentioned. Zero, zilch, not a sausage, bugger all! What does this mean for his flawed Eco-Town scheme?
Here is a reminder of what he had to say on September 24th 2007 - "And for the first time in nearly half a century we will show the imagination to build new towns - eco-towns with low and zero carbon homes. And today because of the response we have received we are announcing that instead of just 5 new eco towns, we will now aim for ten eco towns - building thousands of new homes in every region of the country."
Here is a reminder of what he had to say on September 24th 2007 - "And for the first time in nearly half a century we will show the imagination to build new towns - eco-towns with low and zero carbon homes. And today because of the response we have received we are announcing that instead of just 5 new eco towns, we will now aim for ten eco towns - building thousands of new homes in every region of the country."
Monday, 22 September 2008
So where will the power come from now!
http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/content/your-council/news-room/press-releases/2008/2008-09/turning-rubbish-into-a-resource--west-sussex-to-use-the-latest-technology.en
WSCC have decided to locate their Material Resource Centre at Warnham, near Horsham. Thus WSCC now have no plans for an "incinerator" at Ford.
The Centre at Warnham will deal with all the West Sussex waste that currently goes to landfill. It is actually also where the current landfill waste goes, so the traffic patterns in the future will be exactly the same as now.
One of the "outputs" from the new plant will be "waste derived fuel (WDF)", which will then need to be sold to produce energy or otherwise disposed-of. Biffa, the contractors, currently have 2 potential customers for energy-from-waste in the Horsham area - one a housing development, and the other an industrial park. Also, the WDF will become available with effect from 2011, so by the time that a Ford Eco-Town energy-from-waste plant could come on-stream, Biffa and WSCC should have long-established constomers already on board.
The result of all this is that FAVG will not have access to the WSCC waste stream, and it will not in any case be coming to Ford. Also, if FAVG want WDF then they will need to "import" it (with all the obvious unsustainable transport implications), and the output from the Biffa plant will not necessarily be available to them.
WSCC have decided to locate their Material Resource Centre at Warnham, near Horsham. Thus WSCC now have no plans for an "incinerator" at Ford.
The Centre at Warnham will deal with all the West Sussex waste that currently goes to landfill. It is actually also where the current landfill waste goes, so the traffic patterns in the future will be exactly the same as now.
One of the "outputs" from the new plant will be "waste derived fuel (WDF)", which will then need to be sold to produce energy or otherwise disposed-of. Biffa, the contractors, currently have 2 potential customers for energy-from-waste in the Horsham area - one a housing development, and the other an industrial park. Also, the WDF will become available with effect from 2011, so by the time that a Ford Eco-Town energy-from-waste plant could come on-stream, Biffa and WSCC should have long-established constomers already on board.
The result of all this is that FAVG will not have access to the WSCC waste stream, and it will not in any case be coming to Ford. Also, if FAVG want WDF then they will need to "import" it (with all the obvious unsustainable transport implications), and the output from the Biffa plant will not necessarily be available to them.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
CAFÉ’s BEACON NIGHT
JOIN CAFÉ PROTEST AGAINST FORD ECO-TOWN
• VENUE: YAPTON GREEN, YAPTON
• DATE: WEDNESDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER
• TIME: 7.00 PM START
• LIGHTING UP TIME: 8.00PM
Hot dogs, donuts and soft drinks will be available
NATIONAL NO ECO-TOWN BEACON NIGHT
• VENUE: YAPTON GREEN, YAPTON
• DATE: WEDNESDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER
• TIME: 7.00 PM START
• LIGHTING UP TIME: 8.00PM
Hot dogs, donuts and soft drinks will be available
NATIONAL NO ECO-TOWN BEACON NIGHT
Friday, 19 September 2008
ASA Bans Eco-Town ads
The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a press campaign for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) consultation because it is misleading. Click for more...
Click here for the full ASA Adjudication.
Click here for the full ASA Adjudication.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
CAFÉ~AID!
SATURDAY 20th SEPTEMBER 8pm - Live music at the LAMB PUB, Bilsham Lane, Yapton.www.monochromemuseum.co.uk
David Francis, acoustic guitarist from New York, often likened to Neil Young and early McCartney has donated his time and talent for the night along with local girl Jo Macaffety who writes her own songs and has played alongside several well known artists.
The lamb will be donating a POUND to CAFE for every meal sold. So come along and enjoy good homemade food and international music. Food ranges from potato skins to real ale pie or simply fish and chips.
David Francis, acoustic guitarist from New York, often likened to Neil Young and early McCartney has donated his time and talent for the night along with local girl Jo Macaffety who writes her own songs and has played alongside several well known artists.
The lamb will be donating a POUND to CAFE for every meal sold. So come along and enjoy good homemade food and international music. Food ranges from potato skins to real ale pie or simply fish and chips.
The political pressure is building up!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7622324.stm
The pressure on Mr Brown does seem to me to reflect some of our concerns about this Eco Town policy being 'foisted' onto local communities. Like this piece from the BBC:
"Mr Milburn said he welcomed Mr Brown's commitment to put more power into the hands of people, but that a "splurge of Whitehall initiatives" seemed to point in the opposite direction.
"Public disengagement is a symptom of disempowerment. Too often we shut people out when we should be letting them in," he said.
Mr Milburn added: "This half-in, half-out approach won't work. Uncertainty has to make way for clarity."
So it'll be all eyes on the Labour Party conference to see what Gordon's commitment about putting power back into local communities actually means!
The pressure on Mr Brown does seem to me to reflect some of our concerns about this Eco Town policy being 'foisted' onto local communities. Like this piece from the BBC:
"Mr Milburn said he welcomed Mr Brown's commitment to put more power into the hands of people, but that a "splurge of Whitehall initiatives" seemed to point in the opposite direction.
"Public disengagement is a symptom of disempowerment. Too often we shut people out when we should be letting them in," he said.
Mr Milburn added: "This half-in, half-out approach won't work. Uncertainty has to make way for clarity."
So it'll be all eyes on the Labour Party conference to see what Gordon's commitment about putting power back into local communities actually means!
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Lib Dems in eco-town motion
The Liberal Democrats have adopted a motion opposing the government's eco town plans. The party said at its annual conference that the Labour administration is "misleading" the public by attaching a green label to a scheme that only requires "moderate" standards of environmental friendliness. Click here fore more... And here...
Sunday, 14 September 2008
Fight, fight, fight!
Lots of talk about Labour leadership challenges over the last few days. This is a good thing and the opportunity to boot Gordon Brown (trousers) out of Downing Street is long overdue! It will also prove that Labour are on a sinking ship. John McDonnell - who has long been urging a leadership election - described current Labour infighting as "like watching the crew having a punch up on the deck of the Titanic". Haha!
If Gordon Brown (trousers) goes - hopefully his stupid grand Eco-Town scheme will go with him. I'm looking forward to a good old political fight! Bring it on!
If Gordon Brown (trousers) goes - hopefully his stupid grand Eco-Town scheme will go with him. I'm looking forward to a good old political fight! Bring it on!
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Judicial review threat to Eco-Towns
The future of Gordon Brown's eco-town policy has been brought under threat after a judge ruled that part of the project should be subject to judicial review. Click for more...
Friday, 12 September 2008
Dear Mr Adam Sampson,
I am absolutely appalled that SHELTER has been given government funding, which effectively comes out of my pocket, and that of other tax-payers, to enable you to act as a stooge for a highly political manoeuvre involving stuffing thousands of people into, in some cases, an entirely unsuitable location, miles from where they live or come from.
I am as much in favour as anyone, of providing suitable homes to people who cannot afford them - although there is an issue about unreasonable levels of expectation too, in our current leaderless and “I want it all” society – but forcing a size ten foot into a size four shoe is not the answer. The current housing figures are also highly dubious, given that there is no method of de-conflicting figures for applications from one area to another, leading to inflation of figures by as much as 300%
You should be aware that, in quoting statistics of those needing homes in the Ford location in West Sussex, the official figure of 4,000 is highly misleading. 2,000 of these are based on Bognor Regis, which has an adequate infrastructure and is currently undergoing a regeneration programme costing several million pounds; and another 1,700 are based in Littlehampton (ditto). Although we have asked local people if they wish to move away from Bognor and Littlehampton, with possible loss of job, friends and family (and assuming they have transport to get round a rural area), we have had no response This leaves only 200 people, from the District, who might or might not want to live at Ford.
Conversely we have signatures of over 10,000 people in 4 months, who think the Ford scheme is a bad idea.
As someone involved in another charity, I am disgusted that you allow yourself and your charity to be used in this way. Further I am pleased that this misuse of taxpayers money has been legally challenged. I shall be writing to your Trustees.
Terry Knott MC FRSM
Chairman CAFÉ
www.nofordecotown.com
www.arun.gov.uk/ecotown
I am as much in favour as anyone, of providing suitable homes to people who cannot afford them - although there is an issue about unreasonable levels of expectation too, in our current leaderless and “I want it all” society – but forcing a size ten foot into a size four shoe is not the answer. The current housing figures are also highly dubious, given that there is no method of de-conflicting figures for applications from one area to another, leading to inflation of figures by as much as 300%
You should be aware that, in quoting statistics of those needing homes in the Ford location in West Sussex, the official figure of 4,000 is highly misleading. 2,000 of these are based on Bognor Regis, which has an adequate infrastructure and is currently undergoing a regeneration programme costing several million pounds; and another 1,700 are based in Littlehampton (ditto). Although we have asked local people if they wish to move away from Bognor and Littlehampton, with possible loss of job, friends and family (and assuming they have transport to get round a rural area), we have had no response This leaves only 200 people, from the District, who might or might not want to live at Ford.
Conversely we have signatures of over 10,000 people in 4 months, who think the Ford scheme is a bad idea.
As someone involved in another charity, I am disgusted that you allow yourself and your charity to be used in this way. Further I am pleased that this misuse of taxpayers money has been legally challenged. I shall be writing to your Trustees.
Terry Knott MC FRSM
Chairman CAFÉ
www.nofordecotown.com
www.arun.gov.uk/ecotown
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Government faces eco-town judicial review
The government’s eco-town policy will be subject to a judicial review after a campaign group won a ruling in the High Court today.
The Better Accessible Regional Development campaign (BARD) applied for a judicial review in June this year, challenging the government’s eco-town consultation processes.
Now the case will be subject to a full hearing at the High Court before the end of the year. Click here for more...
The Better Accessible Regional Development campaign (BARD) applied for a judicial review in June this year, challenging the government’s eco-town consultation processes.
Now the case will be subject to a full hearing at the High Court before the end of the year. Click here for more...
Sunday, 7 September 2008
What does lord Rogers think about Eco-Towns?
On Sunday 07 September Andrew Marr interviewed Lord Rogers and the question about Eco-Towns popped up! And guess what - he doesn't think they are a good idea either!
Click to see it here - (about 20 minutes into the show)
Link will be online until Sunday September 14th
Click to read it here...
Click to see it here - (about 20 minutes into the show)
Link will be online until Sunday September 14th
Click to read it here...
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