Opposition mounting to 'eco-town'

8:54am Tuesday 1st July 2008

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CONTROVERSIAL plans for an ‘eco town’ at Elsenham are being opposed by Essex County Council.

A visit to the village by Housing Minister Caroline Flint on Thursday coincided with the publication of two major studies into the possibility of a 3,000-home ‘eco town’ on the edge of the village.

The county council says the whole ‘eco town’ concept is “flawed technically and democratically” and argues that the Elsenham proposal is “not sustainable” and fails to meet the Government’s own environmental objectives.

The council also warn that the construction of new town would be “highly likely” to prejudice the delivery of essential regeneration projects in other parts of the county.

County council localism and planning cabinet member John Jowers said: “The whole concept of eco towns is flawed technically and democratically. More sustainable housing is needed but there’s nothing environmentally-friendly about building a new town on one of the most unspoilt parts of our countryside.

“Caroline Flint must ensure that new houses come with the necessary infrastructure like roads, schools and hospitals. The Minister should listen to local people and take these plans back to the drawing board where they belong”.

Opposition to the Elsenham proposal has also come from the Local Government Association, which represents more than 400 councils in England and Wales.

LGA chairman Sir Simon Milton said: “By-passing the planning process will allow developments to be built in isolated areas without the essential facilities needed by people in their everyday lives. Any carbon reduction achieved by the design of home and community facilities will be more than offset by people driving miles to buy a loaf of bread or take their children to school.”

The report comes just days after the Government’s own advisory panel on eco towns said some proposals looked “like a typical commercial scheme” and warned the Government there was “still a lot of work to do”.