Eco town plans must not ignore local people - LGA

LGA press release - 3 April 2008

Council leaders today warned proposals to build new eco towns must have the support of local people, meet targets to cut carbon emissions and not bypass the normal planning procedures

The Government has announced 15 locations that will go forward to the next stage, and is also proposing a radical change in the planning application process that will mean the normal planning processes could be ignored. Councils would be unable to insist that vital services such as schools, shops, parks and public transport were integrated into plans for large new housing developments.

Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the LGA, said: “While we are in favour of tackling the housing crisis by building thousands of extra homes, imposing plans from Whitehall is not the right way to do it. It’s no use building carbon neutral, environmentally-friendly houses if they are in the middle of nowhere with no facilities so that people have to drive miles to buy a loaf of bread or take their kids to school.

“This proposed change in the planning process will allow developments to be built in isolated areas without any regard to the essential facilities needed by people in their everyday lives. Eco-towns should be vibrant places where people are able to walk or use public transport and car use is kept to a minimum.

“Eco-town settlements are set to include up to 50 per cent social housing, but these will become the eco-slums of the future if they are built without regard to where residents can get to jobs or training.

“Many of the proposed locations on the Government’s shortlist are supported by local authorities and have the potential to be successful developments. But it would be totally unacceptable if the proper planning processes were bypassed and the final decisions taken away from local councils and local people.

“Local people’s democratic representatives are best placed to decide where new housing developments should be built and what facilities are needed in order for them to become pleasant places to live. Any central diktat will ride roughshod over the wishes of local people who elect councils to put them first.”

Author: LGA Media Team
Contact: Matt Nicholls, Tel: 020 7664 3053