Eco-towns: fears grow over withdrawn schemes

Fears are growing that the Government is scaling back its eco-town building programme.

The scheme has been rocked by a series of withdrawals and delays and a Government spokesman confirmed to CJ that "decisions will be taken on the basis of quality, not quantity".

Officials at the Department of Communities and Local Government are currently poring over eco-town plans, with the aim of drawing-up a shortlist for sites later this year.

The original plan was to compile a shortlist of 10 schemes. But the 'long list' under consideration has now shrunk to just 11 after a string of developers pulled out.

The deadline for public comments on schemes has also been extended from February until 30 April.

A CLG spokesman insisted the initiative was still on track. He said: "Eco-towns give us a unique opportunity to tackle two of the greatest challenges facing the country - the pressing need to confront climate change, and to deliver more affordable housing.

"Now is not the time to go back on our long-term ambitions. Our growing and ageing population means there will continue to be high demand for housing over the long term, which is not going to go away despite the difficult climate."

Proposals from O&H Properties for an eco-town in Bedfordshire were the latest to be withdrawn earlier this month when the developers dumped plans for 15,400 green homes at Marston Vale.

The move followed Tesco's decision to drop plans to develop 8,000 homes on land adjacent to the A11, at Hanley Grange in Cambridgeshire, while backers of other eco-town proposals at Curborough in Staffordshire and Manby and Strubby in Lincolnshire pulled out of the programme.