WHAT IS AN ECO TOWN?

Read below to find out how the Government are categorising eco towns and what they will comprise of.

"Eco towns should be well designed, attractive places to live, with good services and facilities, and which connect well with the larger towns or cities close by."

(1) Eco towns must be new settlements, separate and distinct from existing towns but well linked to them. They need to be additional to existing plans, with a minimum target of 5,000 homes;

(2) The development as a whole should reach zero carbon standards, and each town should be an exemplar in at least one other area of environmental sustainability;

(3) Eco-town proposals should provide for a good range of facilities within the town - a secondary school, a medium scale retail centre, good quality business space and leisure facilities;

(4) Affordable housing should make up between 30 and 50 per cent of the total through a wide range and distribution of tenures in mixed communities, with a particular emphasis on larger family homes;

(5) A management body which will help develop the town, provide support for people moving to the new community, for businesses and to co-ordinate delivery of services and manage facilities.

- (Source: Department of Communities and Local Government 'Eco-towns: Living a greener future', London April 2008)

Click here to find out the official response from the DCLG