COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (036) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 26 February 2009
Local residents
are to be given more time to respond to the Government's
second eco-towns public consultation after Housing Minister
Margaret Beckett today extended the deadline for responses.
The consultation on the draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS) and
Sustainability Appraisal on eco-towns has now been extended to
Thursday 30 April, meaning it will run for more than five months.
There will be a further opportunity for the public to have a say
once planning applications are submitted for eco-towns.
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said:
"Eco-towns present a superb opportunity to provide more
affordable housing which is built to the UK's toughest ever
green standards, and we cannot afford to miss it. But it is vital
we identify the right locations for these eco-towns and I will not
support any proposal that our assessment and consultation
concludes is unsuitable.
"I know this is an issue that raises a lot of strong opinion
on all sides. I have extended the deadline to ensure that all
parties, irrespective of their views, are given the full
opportunity to have their say, and I urge everyone to respond to
this consultation."
The consultation extension has been announced following
yesterday's release of the full High Court written judgement
on the Judicial Review on eco-towns, which the Government has won
on all grounds.
A viability study on the proposals submitted by developers will
also be published shortly and will provide more information to
people looking to respond to the consultation. Ministers will
carefully consider all consultation responses before coming to
final decisions on the PPS.
Notes to editors
- This current round of eco-towns consultation on proposed
standards for eco-towns and prospective locations started on 4th
November 2008. Following January's Judicial Review into
eco-towns, which was dismissed on all grounds, we have agreed to
extend the consultation deadline to ensure all parties have
sufficient time to respond. To respond to the consultation, visit:
http://ecotownsyoursay.direct.gov.uk/. A new animated video of
what eco-towns might look like is also now available at: http://ecotownsyoursay.direct.gov.uk/what-is-an-eco-town/video/
- The consultation consists of the draft Planning Policy
Statement and supporting Impact Assessment and Sustainability
Appraisal. A viability study of the Eco-towns Programme prepared
by external advisers for Communities and Local Government will
also be published shortly for each proposed scheme.
- The standards for eco-towns proposed in the draft Planning
Policy Statement include:
* Achieving zero carbon status across all the town's
buildings, including commercial and public buildings as well as
homes - a significantly tougher threshold than any existing or
agreed targets
* Allocating 40 per cent of the area within the town to be green
space, at least half of which should be open to the public as
parks or recreation areas
* Requiring individual homes to reach the Building for Life
silver standard and also achieve 70per cent carbon savings above
current building regulations in terms of heating, hot water and lighting
* Providing a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing to
provide more homes for social rent and assist those struggling to
get on the housing ladder
* Creating more options for travel so that residents are able to
make the majority of their journeys without a car, such as by
public transport, walking and cycling
* Ensuring a minimum of one job per house can be reached by
walking, cycling or public transport to reduce dependence on the car
* Locating homes within 10 minutes' walk of frequent public
transport and everyday neighbourhood services
* Raising the threshold for individual homes so that they must
all achieve at least level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes,
which includes standards for household waste recycling,
construction waste, water efficiency measures and reduced pollution
The full Planning Policy Statement can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/ppsecotowns
- Following the end of this consultation, the Government will
announce a final shortlist of locations with the potential to site
an eco-town. Schemes in these locations will then need to apply
for planning permission and go through the local planning process.
Eco-towns should be considered in the same way as any other major
development proposal and the Government remains committed to the
plan-led system. The eco-town standards set out in the Planning
Policy Statement, and the assessment work on locations, will be a
material consideration for decision makers.
- There are currently eleven locations on the eco-towns
shortlist: - Rackheath, Greater Norwich; Middle Quinton,
Warwickshire; Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire; Ford, West Sussex;
Bordon-Whitehill, Hampshire; St Austell (China Clay Community),
Cornwall; Rossington, South Yorkshire; North East Elsenham, Essex;
Pennbury, Leicestershire; Weston Otmoor, Oxfordshire; - North West
Bicester (Cherwell) - an alternative to Weston Otmoor. The
developers promoting Marston Vale in Bedfordshire withdrew from
the eco-towns process earlier in February.
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