Eco towns face more opposition

One of the proposed eco town sites on the government's shortlist of 15 is facing accusations that the land it is to be built on is mostly not brownfield.

The proposed site at the disused Ford Airfield in Sussex only consists of the former military land in part, with much of it on greenfield land, reports the Mid Sussex Times.

Arun district council chief executive Ian Sumnall stated that the majority of the proposed area is currently farmland and claimed the size of the town could be 10,000 homes rather than 5,000.

In all, only one-seventh of the proposed new town would be on brownfield land, he said.

Questions have also been raised about the proposed eco-town at Curborough near Lichfield in Staffordshire.

Commenting on the matter, the Birmingham Post noted that a proposed new village at the same site was turned down by the council years ago and suggests that the planning inspectorate may be invoked to overturn a new rejection decision.

If eco-town plans are blocked or delayed, this may potentially reduce the chances for some people of being able to live in one.

However, those wishing to live in an eco home could create their own through the self build method.


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