Eco-towns must learn from mistakes of Milton Keynes

The government should take on board lessons learned when building Milton Keynes and Crawley before it builds eco-towns, MPs have warned.

In a report on the 22 new towns built between 1946 and 1970, MPs found the towns will fall into “social decay” and “physical dereliction” unless infrastructure is improved.

It warned lessons must be learned if the same mistakes are to be avoided in the government’s proposed eco-towns, according to the Financial Times.

The report by the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee found construction materials used in the towns were experimental, non-standard and sometimes poor quality.

It also said town centres were poorly designed and some buildings should be demolished.