Eco-towns shortlist revealed by government

The government has revealed its shortlist of 15 sites to become eco-towns, bringing the controversial scheme one step closer to reality.

Sites identified for the zero-carbon new towns are:

• Pennbury, Leicestershire: 12-15,000 homes on a development incorporating brownfield, greenfield and surplus public sector land
• Manby and Strubby, Lincolnshire: 5,000 homes on land including a former RAF base
• Curborough, Staffordshire: 5,000 homes on the site of the former Fradley airfield
• Middle Quinton, Warwickshire: 6,000 homes on a former Royal Engineers depot
• Bordon-Whitehill, Hampshire: 5-8,000 homes on a site owned by the Ministry of Defence
• Weston Otmoor, Oxfordshire: 10-15,000 homes on a site adjoining the M40 and the Oxford-Bicester railway
• Ford, West Sussex: 5,000 homes on a site, the former Ford airfield
• Imerys China Clay Community, Cornwall: 5,000 homes on former china clay workings, industrial land and disused mining
• Rossington, South Yorkshire: up to 15,000 homes regenerating the former colliery village of Rossington
• Coltishall, Norfolk: 5,000 homes on a former RAF airfield
• Hanley Grange, Cambridgeshire: 8,000 homes on land adjacent to the A11
• Marston Vale and New Marston, Bedfordshire: up to 15,400
• Elsenham, Essex: A minimum of 5,000 homes north east of Elsenham village
• Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire
• Leeds City Region, Yorkshire

Housing Minister Caroline Flint said consultation with the public, local authorities and wider stakeholders would now begin on the shortlisted towns and bidders would be required to further improve their proposals.

Bidders will also have to complete a detailed sustainability appraisal, which will assess the merits and challenges of each one.

A final shortlist of locations will be published later this year, after which each potential eco-town will need to submit a planning application.

Flint said she had rejected more than 40 proposals for the zero-carbon eco-towns.

The scheme plans to develop five new towns of up to 20,000 homes each by 2016, with up to another five to be completed by 2020.