eco-towns

Eco-towns will be new towns which are exemplar green developments of up to 20,000 homes. They will be designed to meet the highest standards of sustainability, including low and zero carbon technologies and good public transport.

News

The consultation on the draft Eco-towns Planning Policy Statement ended on 30 April 2009. In relation to Middle Quinton, a decision will not be made until Communities and Local Government has received the report of the Panel on the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy.

When in due course a decision is taken on Middle Quinton we will take account of all the responses we have had to the eco-towns consultation as well as the outcome of the panel report on the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy. We will also take into account any further representations on any new or additional matters which may arise in relation to Middle Quinton before a decision is taken. People wishing to make such representations should email or post them to the Eco-towns team:

Email: ecotowns@communities.gsi.gov.uk

By post:

Eco-towns Team
Communities and Local Government
Zone 2/H9
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU

Please see Frequently asked questions about eco-towns section for more details.

We are now considering the responses to the consultation and will publish the final Eco-towns Planning Policy Statement and list of locations with potential to be an eco-town later in the year.

Other ways of getting involved

View general topics being discussed on the Directgov eco-towns - 'have your say' website (external link).
Register for the eco-towns newsletter.

How eco-towns policy has developed

On 24 July 2008 former Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP set out proposals for the UK's toughest ever green standards for new housing in a progress report on eco-towns. Further details can found in Eco-towns: Living a greener future - progress report and in News release: Eco-towns set to face toughest ever green standards - 24 July 2008.

A panel of leading figures from the worlds of design, the environment, transport and sustainability - selected by the Housing Minister - signed up to provide expert advice and support to bidders and to inject new thinking on how eco-towns could best be delivered in each of the 15 short-listed potential locations. The first round of meetings were held on 19 and 20 May and 3 June 2008. Further information can be found in:

The Eco-towns Prospectus, launched on 23 July 2007, set out the vision and outline criteria for eco-towns. They will be expected to deliver outcomes against the following criteria:

zero carbon and environmental standards
sustainable transport
design quality
community involvement
employment
health
use of land.

The launch of the Prospectus was accompanied by an invitation for local authorities and other stakeholders to respond with their views on potential sites.

On 4 November 2008, Housing Minister Margaret Beckett MP launched the second stage of the eco-town consultation programme (See News release: Public consultation on toughest ever green standards - 4 November 2008 ) with the publication of a number of key documents aimed at making sure that eco-towns are well designed and built to the highest possible environmental standards (Please note: this consultation is now closed).

Draft Planning Policy Statement: Eco-towns - Consultation and online response form
Eco-towns: Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Draft Eco-towns Planning Policy Statement (including locational chapters)
Impact Assessment - Planning Policy Statement (PPS): Eco-towns - Consultation
Eco-towns: living a greener future - Summary of consultation responses (updated 3 March 2009 to include revised list of respondents)

The consultation closed on 30 April 2009.

A Financial viability study of the eco-towns programme prepared with input from external advisors for Communities and Local Government was published on 5 March 2009.