Leicestershire county council has voted to object to plans for the proposed 15,000-home Pennbury eco-town. The authority met on Tuesday and decided to object to the plans on the ground it has major concerns about transport and the economy. The councils said it believed Pennbury was in the ‘wrong location’ – thought to be too
An eco-village in South Gloucestershire, which has been billed as England’s first large scale zero carbon development, has been given full planning permission. Hanham Hall, a development between Barratt Developments and the Homes and Communities Agency will have 195 zero-carbon homes built to the highest level 6 standards, and will be run day to day
The Conservatives have called for the eco-town programme to be scrapped saying that developers are running scared from the plans. Shadow housing minister Grant Schapps said the ‘small print’ of the draft legislation published last week reveal that plans for the eco-towns had now been pushed back to 2020, but John Healey said he would
A leading planning lawyer has attacked the failure of the government to push forward plans for eco-towns. Richard Ford from Pinsent Masons said the ‘perpetual delaysâ were frustrating and it was essential for the government to make its mind.
Local residents will be given more time to respond to the government’s second eco-town consultation, after housing minister Margaret Beckett extended the deadline for responses. She said: ‘Eco-towns present a superb opportunity to provide more affordable housing… But it is vital we identify the right locations for [them] and I will not support any proposal
Locals of a village near the proposed eco-town site of Pennbury have voted overwhelmingly against the 15,000 home site. The poll found that 99 per cent of respondents voted against the plan, adding to voices of four other nearby villages who have already rejected the proposals. However, a spokesperson from the developers said the plans
A new report has suggested that the European Commission could be asked to help deliver eco-towns in England. The report recognises that eco-towns in Europe have benefited from strong local authorities, who are ‘deeply committed to the sustainable development agenda’ over a long period, and the current credit crunch will add to delivery and implementation
Campaigners against the eco-town proposal of Weston Otmoor have won a protective costs order to take part in the High Court proceedings. This allows the campaign group to be considered an official ‘interested party’ that can participate in the proceedings taking place in January. The ruling judge granted the protective costs order because the issues
A recent decision by Rushcliffe borough council to refuse planning permission for a 1,200 home development on green belt land has been overturned by communities secretary John Denham. The local authority had thrown out the scheme on the grounds that it would have created traffic and resulted in a loss of green belt land, however,
No eco-town will make the government’s shortlist unless they meet the highest standards, Margaret Beckett has insisted. She said that they still all need work to meet the green standards set by the government. She added she was hopeful that 10 schemes would make the mark but that if they do not they would not