News that the Government has delayed, by three months, the naming of the ten eco-towns from its original shortlist of 15 is worrying (only 13 remain as two have already dropped out). The Department for Communities and Local Government has said that the announcement of the final selection is later than planned because of a second consultation stage that will not finish until December 2008. Following completion of the selection procedure, the chosen eco-town schemes will still have to go through the usual procedure for obtaining local authority planning approval.
As previously reported on whatgreenhome.com the path to planning approval is far from running smoothly. Indeed, on 15 August, The Guardian published a letter written by 14 former presidents of the Royal Town Planning Institute which welcomes the concept of eco-towns but which voices strong reservations about “the way in which sites for these developments have been promoted [and that some of the proposed eco-towns] represent an undermining of planning policy at both regional and local level.”
In response the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) wrote to The Guardian stating we should “be bolder in our planning and recognise that smaller communities, including those using ‘greenfield’ sites, can be very sustainable places to live and work and should be allowed where appropriate”. The letter, by TCPA Chair Gideon Amos, published on 20 August, concluded: “Eco-towns should face rigorous planning assessment, but if the nimbys triumph, the causes of responding to climate change and providing good affordable family homes will both have been done a disservice.”
What should we make of the dissent and delay? We feel that the delay is potentially more damaging than the dissent, which is a democratic process of the airing of views. The delay, on the other hand, is a greater cause for concern given the current economic slowdown. Sources close to English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, have expressed concerns to whatgreenhome.com that several high profile eco-homes projects are in jeopardy because housebuilders are getting ‘cold feet’. For all our sakes the Government can’t be allowed to prevaricate or back down on the eco-towns programme.
