Fresh doubts were cast on Tuesday over the faltering eco-town initiative as ministers admitted that just one potential site for the 10 towns promised was “generally suitable” for such a development.
The questions over the planning viability of the 12 remaining sites shortlisted adds to difficulties facing ministers as they press ahead with a big housebuilding programme while developers are staring at the worst housing collapse in decades. Click here for more...
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Most ecotown sites 'unsuitable', say experts
Just one of the 12 sites competing to become one of Gordon Brown's ecotowns is currently considered suitable by the government's green consultants.
Experts say 10 more might make the grade with further work, but appear to have ruled out one of the most controversial contenders, Weston Otmoor in Oxfordshire. The consultants said the site would need "substantial and exceptional innovation" to make it work. Click here for more...
Experts say 10 more might make the grade with further work, but appear to have ruled out one of the most controversial contenders, Weston Otmoor in Oxfordshire. The consultants said the site would need "substantial and exceptional innovation" to make it work. Click here for more...
Eco-towns – a grand idea, or maybe a bit too grand?
When is an eco-town not an eco-town? Will Godfrey, chief executive of East Hampshire District Council, is commit ted to securing the brand for his Whitehill Bordon scheme. But when it comes to the crunch, Godfrey is more pragmatist than purist: "We’re not going to create a 21st century folly. It’s got to be a community, not an environmental experiment." Click here for more...
Only one eco-town is viable, Government finally admits
Government documents published at the start of a consultation into the plans also showed that tens of thousands of new eco-homes planned for the developments will be environmentally out of date by 2016. Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced last year plans for up to 10 eco-towns, each containing between 5,000 and 20,000 environmentally-friendly homes. Click here for more...
A good day to bury bad news!
BBC Report
Good quote from Grant Shapps:
"Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps, said: "It is no wonder that the government has published the long-awaited small print on eco-towns on the day of the US elections. "
Good quote from Grant Shapps:
"Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps, said: "It is no wonder that the government has published the long-awaited small print on eco-towns on the day of the US elections. "
Link to the draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/ppsecotowns.pdf
This link will take you to the draft PPS - for some light reading!
Nothing on the specific sites in there yet - there will be further publications including Sustainability Assessments which will give more specific information.
A quick read through shows that Ford fails on the aspect on which I have been concentrating; employment. The PPS says that the eco-towns should provide at least one job per household. Even the Ford Airfield Vision Groups unjustifiably optimistic target is only 4,000 jobs. So that's a fail then is it? Let's wait for the FAVG Public Mis-revelations Department to magic up another 1,000 jobs in Father Christmas' grotto!
This link will take you to the draft PPS - for some light reading!
Nothing on the specific sites in there yet - there will be further publications including Sustainability Assessments which will give more specific information.
A quick read through shows that Ford fails on the aspect on which I have been concentrating; employment. The PPS says that the eco-towns should provide at least one job per household. Even the Ford Airfield Vision Groups unjustifiably optimistic target is only 4,000 jobs. So that's a fail then is it? Let's wait for the FAVG Public Mis-revelations Department to magic up another 1,000 jobs in Father Christmas' grotto!
Beckett concedes eco-town problems
Margaret Beckett has admitted that some of sites shortlisted by the government for potential eco-towns will 'struggle' to win planning approval.
The housing minister, announcing the draft planning policy statement (PPS) for the eco-towns, said she did not expect all of the dozen shortlisted locations to go forward. Click here for more...
The housing minister, announcing the draft planning policy statement (PPS) for the eco-towns, said she did not expect all of the dozen shortlisted locations to go forward. Click here for more...
Have your say... Or not?
On the Directgov - ecotowns webpage we are now given the opportunity to have our say... Except they have have posted up the wrong link, which sends you to the same page over and over again... duh! [EDIT] link is fixed now... Strange how all the comments made so far have come from charities..?
Public consultation opens on toughest ever green standards for eco-towns
Local communities will get their next chance to have their say on the eco-town proposals as Housing Minister Margaret Beckett today launches the Government's second round of formal consultation on the proposed locations and standards for eco-towns. The draft Eco-towns Planning Policy Statement (PPS) published today for consultation sets out the UK's toughest ever green standards for new development, including achieving zero carbon status across all the buildings in the eco-town and allocating 40 per cent of the area within the town to be green space. The PPS also pledges that individual eco-towns will need to submit planning applications in the same way as any other major development proposal. Click here for more...
New question marks over eco-towns
Nearly all the locations earmarked for new eco-towns have question marks about them, ministers have acknowledged.
Of the 12 sites identified as having development potential, one is currently regarded as "generally suitable". Click here...
Of the 12 sites identified as having development potential, one is currently regarded as "generally suitable". Click here...
CLG finds only one eco-town site is 'suitable'
Another blow for the 'eco-town' project, in a report today only one of the 12 shortlisted bids to build eco-towns is ‘generally suitable’ for the flagship government programme, according to the Communities and Local Government department. A CLG appraisal published today rates 10 of the proposed sites as ‘grade B’. These are locations which ‘might be’ suitable for an eco-town ‘subject to meeting specific planning and design objectives’. Only the proposed site in Rackheath, in greater Norwich, was rated ‘grade A’, or ‘generally suitable for an eco-town’. Click here...
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
The Paul Foot Awards 2008
I was delighted to read in Private Eye that Jim Oldfield of Rossington Community Newsletter, South Yorks Newspapers, has been nominated for the Paul Foot Award 2008. This is an annual award for campaigning journalists.
Here is some of the explanation of why he was nominated:
Before Britain had ever heard of eco-towns, Rossington Community Newsletter was featuring the activities of a group of landowners and speculators to plant one in the village of Rossington - apparently against the wishes of 13,000 odd residents. In month by month reporting the Community Newsletter:
- "Outed' one local councillor for helping frame this and other developments while not declaring his interest as a significant landowner, in partnership with former Metro Centre developer and Newcastle United Chairman, Sir John Hall
- Ran a village poll which showed the residents to be overwhelming against development in their village
- Exposed the government's short-listing of the Rossington bid as having a huge number of houses planned for green belt land. After the resultant national newspaper publicity, the government u-turned and said that no green belt land would be used for eco-towns... and the Rossington bid was cut from 15,000 to 5,000
Here is some of the explanation of why he was nominated:
Before Britain had ever heard of eco-towns, Rossington Community Newsletter was featuring the activities of a group of landowners and speculators to plant one in the village of Rossington - apparently against the wishes of 13,000 odd residents. In month by month reporting the Community Newsletter:
- "Outed' one local councillor for helping frame this and other developments while not declaring his interest as a significant landowner, in partnership with former Metro Centre developer and Newcastle United Chairman, Sir John Hall
- Ran a village poll which showed the residents to be overwhelming against development in their village
- Exposed the government's short-listing of the Rossington bid as having a huge number of houses planned for green belt land. After the resultant national newspaper publicity, the government u-turned and said that no green belt land would be used for eco-towns... and the Rossington bid was cut from 15,000 to 5,000
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Beckett softens approach...?
Planning Resource website
Government plans to build ten eco towns by 2020 is now a "hope" rather than a target, new housing minister Margaret Beckett has told a Commons Select Committee.
Beckett also called the government’s target of building three million homes by 2020 an “ambition”.
It is markedly different language from the defiant line taken by former housing minister Caroline Flint.
Beckett was first responding to Sunday newspaper reports that the DCLG has concluded only “one or two” of the 15 short listed projects are genuinely viable.
“We are only at the first stage of consultation. We have had a substantial response and we are continuing with the hope that we will be able to identify ten (sites) at a later stage,” she said.
When asked if government is sticking to its pledge to increase house building to 240,000 homes a year by 2016, she replied: “I think the most challenging of the targets was the three million, but that was an ambition actually, rather than a target.
“The target was the figure for 2016 and that is something we will have to see how we can address.”
The incoming minister said there were no plans “at the present time” to scrap the target.
Government plans to build ten eco towns by 2020 is now a "hope" rather than a target, new housing minister Margaret Beckett has told a Commons Select Committee.
Beckett also called the government’s target of building three million homes by 2020 an “ambition”.
It is markedly different language from the defiant line taken by former housing minister Caroline Flint.
Beckett was first responding to Sunday newspaper reports that the DCLG has concluded only “one or two” of the 15 short listed projects are genuinely viable.
“We are only at the first stage of consultation. We have had a substantial response and we are continuing with the hope that we will be able to identify ten (sites) at a later stage,” she said.
When asked if government is sticking to its pledge to increase house building to 240,000 homes a year by 2016, she replied: “I think the most challenging of the targets was the three million, but that was an ambition actually, rather than a target.
“The target was the figure for 2016 and that is something we will have to see how we can address.”
The incoming minister said there were no plans “at the present time” to scrap the target.
Neither green, nor towns!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/10/28/dl2802.xml
The Telegraph focusing back on Eco-Towns today!
The Telegraph focusing back on Eco-Towns today!
What does this mean...?
Just had an email to say:
"In case you missed it, the 7.00am South Today news slot confirmed that the Government South East Plan has included the Eco-Town development at Whitehill and Bordon. "
No mention of Ford - hopefully something will become clear later...?
"In case you missed it, the 7.00am South Today news slot confirmed that the Government South East Plan has included the Eco-Town development at Whitehill and Bordon. "
No mention of Ford - hopefully something will become clear later...?
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