Transport demands on eco-town bidders

4:31pm Thursday 7th August 2008

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ECO-TOWN developers have been told to improve transport provision for possible sites by the independent Eco-Town Challenge panel, set up by Housing Minister Caroline Flint.

The panel, which is made up of experts in sustainability and urban development, found that many of the bidders for one of the 13 shortlisted eco-town sites around the country had responded positively to the first set of recommendations published last May.

However, the panel still wants to see further improvements to the transport and employment strategies for a number of the proposed eco-towns.

Ms Flint said: “The progress made over the past few weeks demonstrates the willingness of the promoters to react to the expert advice they have been given. But there are no done deals and only the best quality schemes with very high sustainability standards will qualify for eco-town status.”

The 13 sites still in the running for eco-town status are Pennbury in Leicestershire, Long Marston on the Worcestershire/Warwickshire border, Bordon-Whitehill in Hampshire, Weston Otmoor in Oxfordshire, Ford in West Sussex, St Austell China Clay Community in Cornwall, Rossington in South Yorkshire, Hanley Grange in Cambridgshire, Marston Vale in Bedfordshire, North East Elsenham in Essex, Coltishall or Rackheath in Greater Norwich, Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire, and the Leeds City region, in Yorkshire.

The panel has not been asked to select schemes or to recommend which schemes should or should not go forward, their role has been to encourage bidders to develop their proposals to fit well within their surroundings, and demonstrate innovative approaches to producing sustainable developments.

The full report of the panel’s findings can be found at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/ecotownschallenge.