LGA warns on 'eco-slums'

Michael Donnelly, PlanningResource, 26 June 2008

It says many councils are dismayed at the way local democracy and planning processes are being by-passed to impose the schemes on the public.
 
The report,  "Eco-Towns, back to the future?", argues that the government has failed to learn lessons from the past by falling back on discredited "new town" powers to impose the initiative on the public.
 
Eco-towns will have unelected management bodies to help develop and manage them, effectively neutering the role of local government, it says.
 
And by pursuing an eco-town policy that enables the by-passing of decision-making by democratically elected councils, the government risks being both judge and jury.
 
Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the LGA, said: "Councils are determined to fight their corner because they know only too well that by-passing the planning process will allow developments to be built in isolated areas without the essential facilities needed by people in their everyday lives.
 
"These schemes are set to include up to 50% social housing, but could become eco-slums of the future if they are built without regard to where residents can get to jobs or training.
 
"And if they become dormitory towns with poor public transport connections, any carbon reduction achieved by the design of home and community facilities will be more than offset by people driving miles to buy a loaf of bread or take their children to school.
 
"Added to that, developers are concerned that the highest criteria for zero-carbon homes could add £30,000 to building costs. Caroline Flint has admitted that the new homes could be built at a much lower standard, little different to those set for all new development.
 
"Without local councils being involved in their development, the future looks bleak for eco-towns and for those who will have to live in them."

Responding to the report shadow housing minister Grant Shapps, said: "We are witnessing the slow death of eco-towns even before they have been built. Day by day the eco-town story changes. First Labour said they were going to build ten eco-towns now they say they hope to build up to ten towns.
 
"The real travesty of eco-towns is that despite local opposition in many cases the voice of the public has been silenced. Caroline Flint insists on bulldozing ahead with these developments despite widespread recognition that eco-towns won't meet their twin objectives of tackling the housing shortage and being environmentally friendly.