Government reveals eco-town shortlist

The shortlist of locations for the Government’s eco-town project has been revealed.

None of the 15 sites chosen by the Government are on greenbelt land.

Proposed locations for the eco-towns include disused airfields and former Ministry of Defence sites.

The shortlist of sites will now move forward into the next stages of the application process, which includes public consultation and an in-depth analysis of the sustainability credentials of each location.

The Government will eventually choose a minimum of 10 eco-town sites, each to contain between 5,000 and 20,000 homes with a high percentage of affordable housing. The towns are to be completed by 2020.

Environmental experts will be invited to comment on developers plans for the towns. Issues likely to be raised include the use of cutting edge green technologies, the need for good public transport links, and the protection of local wildlife.

The wildlife trust, in particular, is concerned by the Government’s failure to put wildlife at the heart of its plans.

Meanwhile, many local councils and campaigners are unhappy with the proposed locations.

A member of Warwickshire county council has called the plans for 6,000 homes in Middle Quinton ‘utterly inappropriate’, adding that there is no need for more housing in the area, and that public transport links are insufficient to support any new residents.

The 15 locations on the shortlist are: