The locations of four new "eco-towns" have been announced as part of scaled-down government plans.  They are Rackheath, Norfolk; north-west Bicester, Oxfordshire; Whitehill Bordon, East Hants; and the China Clay Community near St Austell, Cornwall.  Schemes at the four confirmed sites are proposed or broadly supported by local authorities, the government said. However, the developments - including 4,000 homes on the disused airfield at Rackheath, near Norwich, and 5,000 in the Cornwall town - must still go through the planning process.

The towns would include smart meters to track energy use, community heat sources and charging points for electric cars. Parks, playgrounds and gardens would make up 40% of their area. Affordable homes would take their energy from the sun, wind and earth, with residents able to sell their surplus energy into the grid. Their development would be coupled with strict rules on public transport, with all homes located within 10 minutes' walk of bus, train or tram services. Construction would be under way by 2016, later than originally envisaged.


IHT Comment

“The Eco Towns announcement today is good news for the country as a whole as it gives the UK the opportunity to show that low carbon living is possible. The challenge facing the promoters of the developments will be to change people’s lifestyles without affecting their enjoyment. Although transport is a large part of carbon consumption in people’s lifestyles at approximately 27% of the per capita consumption, the designers and developers will have to ensure that all aspects of the carbon consumption cycle are considered and this will include waste disposal, water consumption, leisure and ecology as well as the obvious constructional aspects. The Eco Towns are all about low carbon living and represent the opportunity to show how this may be achieved and it is hoped that one of the spin offs from this government programme will be the chance to use the knowledge and experience gained to be brought to bear in other areas such as how to reduce traffic and transport usage in the UK as a whole.”

"The Rackheath proposal is located in an area where there are underused transport links that can be brought into beneficial use for all members of the community and it will be up to the promoters of the scheme to show how this may be achieved. There has been much said on both sides about the suitability of this site for an Eco Town but it is clear from the announcement made today that Rackheath as the other sites has many key strengths that include the support of local authorities, well placed to local employment areas, that can be reached in more sustainable modes and is not dependant upon other proposals. For example the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NNDR) which is currently being promoted, which not only is to improve transport and movement around Norwich but is also proposed to assist new housing and commercial development, is not a pre-requisite for the Eco Town. In fact the Location Decision Statement specifically says that Rackheath is not dependant upon the NDR and the ‘other means of improving road access to Rackheath are achievable’. Much information has been published by the government today in respect of the Eco Town Challenge which remains to be studied and acted upon by the promoters and it is inevitable that the transport community will follow the proposals as they emerge with interest, build on best practice and learn from the great benefits that the Government are keen to promote."

Supplied by IHT Transport Policy Board – July 2009