Eco-towns welcomed
16 July 2009
Shelter has welcomed the announcement that four new 'eco-towns' have been given the go-ahead. The schemes are all proposed or broadly supported by local authorities, the government has said.
The locations of the four developments are:
- Rackheath, Norfolk
- North-west Bicester, Oxfordshire
- Whitehill Bordon, East Hants
- China Clay Community near St Austell, Cornwall
The zero-carbon developments - including 4,000 homes on the disused airfield at Rackheath, near Norwich, and 5,000 in the Cornwall town - must still go through the planning process, with construction due to begin in 2016.
Kay Boycott, Director of Communications, Policy and Campaigns for Shelter said:
'Eco-towns provide a genuine opportunity to deliver much-needed new affordable homes that are environmentally sustainable, so we are pleased to see four key eco-towns have been given the green light.
'The lessons learnt from these pilot towns will not only help shape any further eco-towns, but all future housing development and could help change the way we build new homes and communities.
'It is now vital that these homes are delivered by building on existing engagement and support of the local community to ensure the right infrastructure is in place and that these new towns genuinely integrate into the wider community.'
