CPRE delight at eco-town decision

Thursday 16th July 2009

CPRE delight at eco-town decision

Countryside campaigners CPRE East Midlands [1] express satisfaction that the Government has not named Pennbury and Newton in the region as preferred eco-town locations.

CPRE has argued for over a year that the two proposed eco-towns in the East Midlands are not the most sustainable location for new housing in these areas, and that naming the sites undermined the planning system [2].

In addition, CPRE has recommended ten tests [3] that any eco-towns would be required to meet. Pennbury and Newton failed to meet a number of these, not least the requirement for the public and affected communities to be fully consulted on schemes - including the principle of whether or not to have an eco-town in their area.

Graham Stocks of CPRE Leicestershire said:
'We accept this decision with guarded caution, though we are naturally very pleased that a large extent of East Leicestershire's beautiful and agriculturally productive landscape is no longer under immediate threat of rampant development.

'However, we express caution since there is still the question of where to put tens of thousands of new homes (and accommodate additional employment land) in order to meet the needs of the recently published East Midlands Regional Plan. This growth will inevitably be concentrated around the Principal Urban Centres - in our case Leicester - as "Sustainable Urban Extensions".

'It is also proposed to add significant growth to main towns and those larger villages able to cope with additional school places, medical needs and basic retail requirements.'

Mr Stocks added:
'We are not out of the woods yet. The "Golden Triangle" formed by Leicester, Nottingham and Derby is being planned to grow spatially, much in the way that the West Midlands has. Regional planners see this triangle growing as a "Polycentric Region" - in other words, dense urban growth with planned green infrastructure.

'This is no time for resting on our laurels. CPRE has its work cut out for at least the next two decades.'

Carol Collins of CPRE Nottinghamshire said:
'We are delighted that common sense has prevailed and that Newton has not been short-listed for development as an eco-town.

'Having been horrified by the vagueness of both the proposal and the Government's Sustainability Appraisal of it, and by their lack of rigour in addressing the real problems of creating a major settlement on the site, this news comes as a welcome relief.

'We have no doubt that an eco-town at Newton would have been anything but eco-friendly, as residents took to the newly-dualled Fosse to commute to Leicester, Newark or beyond. Hopefully, a more modest and appropriate scheme can now be considered to make the best use of the existing buildings on the former airbase without despoiling huge areas of surrounding farmland.'

CPRE has always maintained that the high environmental standards proposed for eco-towns should be applied to all large new developments, regardless. The organisation will continue to lobby for this principle once the most sustainable location for new development has been established though the planning process.

END

For further details on Pennbury please contact Graham Stocks, CPRE Leicestershire tel: 01509-415186 or cpre@qorncpre.co.uk

For further details on Newton please contact Carol Collins, CPRE Nottinghamshire tel: 01949-81798 or carol.w.collins@talk21.com

For further details on CPRE's position on eco-towns please contact Lisa Hopkinson, CPRE East Midlands tel: 01246-239289

[1] CPRE exists to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. We promote positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside to ensure change values its natural and built environment. Our Patron is Her Majesty The Queen. We have 60,000 supporters, a branch in every county, nine regional groups, over 200 local groups and a national office in London. CPRE is a powerful combination of effective local action and strong national campaigning. Our President is Bill Bryson. CPRE in the East Midlands is comprised of 7 local branches.

[2] See CPRE East Midlands' submissions on the eco-towns at http://www.cpreeastmidlands.org.uk/housing-and-urban-policy/eco-towns.php

[3] CPRE's ten tests are:

The public and affected communities should be fully consulted on schemes, including the principle of whether or not to have an eco-town in their area;

Schemes should be tested through regional spatial strategies and local development framework reviews. These should ensure that decisions on eco-towns take full account of evidence on environmental effects, housing need and alternatives for meeting this;

Decisions on eco-towns should be accompanied by evidence that demonstrates a new settlement to be the most sustainable option for accommodating housing growth compared with other options, such as redeveloping an existing urban brownfield site or an urban extension;

Schemes should demonstrate efficient use of land, with densities capable of supporting public transport and a high priority given to recycling brownfield land and buildings;

They should be genuinely carbon neutral, taking into account potential emissions from transport (domestic, public and commercial) and buildings (in construction and use);

They should foster a strong sense of place and community, achieve CABE gold Building for Life Standards, with high quality public spaces, architecture and street layouts that give priority to pedestrians and non-motorised transport, including substantial car free areas;

They should be subject to an independent landscape character appraisal, be sympathetic to their setting and clearly enhance the local landscape, built and natural heritage, including through the designation of new Green Belt where appropriate;

They should include measures designed to conserve water and other natural resources, minimise soil, air, noise and light pollution and achieve zero-waste;

They should be complete communities with homes (with at least 50% affordable), schools, workplaces, shops, recreation, community and health facilities and open space within walking distance and foster active, sustainable lifestyles and civic participation;

They should be well connected to surroundings with high quality public transport providing good access to nearby settlements and local supply networks, with sourcing of local produce, such as food, fuel and replenishible building materials.

Fiona Cowan
16 July 2009