Government releases toughest-ever planning policy statement for eco-towns

Eco-towns will be forced to meet tough environmental targets for new developments, the government has announced. The long-awaited planning policy statement (PPS) for eco-towns was published by housing minister Margaret Beckett today, alongside sustainability appraisals for the 12 remaining shortlisted schemes. Under the new PPS, successful schemes must achieve zero-carbon status across all types of property, including commercial, residential and public buildings. Developments must include a minimum of 30% affordable housing, and allocate as green space 40% of the area within the town, of which 50% must be open to the public. Homes must achieve 70% carbon savings above current building regulations in terms of heating, hot water and lighting, and reach level 4 of the code for sustainable homes, which includes standards for household waste recycling, construction waste, water-efficiency measures and reduced pollution. Homes must also be within a 10-minute walk of public transport, and within walking distance of at least one job per house. Beckett said: “I do not expect all of these locations to go forward – the eco-town standards are tough and I think that some of these shortlisted schemes could struggle to meet them.” However, she defended the high environmental standards, insisting that they “represent an opportunity to trial the kind of green technology that I hope will become commonplace in all new development”. All 12 schemes were graded A-C on suitability but the 3,400-home Rackheath scheme in greater Norwich, was the only one considered to be “’generally suitable for an eco-town location”. The local authority-backed scheme is being led by Barratt Homes, regional property development company Building Partnerships and the University of East Anglia. Ten of the schemes were B graded, denoting that they “might be a suitable location subject to meeting specific planning and design objectives”. Parkridge’s Weston Otmoor scheme in Oxfordshire was the only C graded scheme. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said that this would be suitable as an eco-town only with “substantial and exceptional innovation”. The DCLG is now consulting on the standards and proposed locations for eco-towns until 19 February.