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Are we ready for Eco-Towns?

April 8th, 2008

The government plans to build 10 Eco-Towns across the UK and have announced the 15 towns in the running.

The Prime minister announced his plan for the first new towns to be built since the 1960s. He would like to see 5 new sustainable eco-towns by 2016 and a further 5 by 2020. Planners have been told that there should be an acre of parkland to every 100 houses, schools and shops within walking distance so that people don’t have to use cars to do school and shopping runs and good public transport links. I have read that the plan is to use cutting edge green technologies and brownfield land, like former MOD sites and disused industrial sites, rather than Green belt areas. Such schemes could do away with the need for car insurance but I’m not sure what the affect would be on home insurance prices.

From what I have read there are very mixed views on creating these eco-towns. Many people think that the mere fact that building work is going to take place is not good for the environment, not to mention the damage to existing communities and wildlife. Others feel that the idea of eco-towns is good in principle but can’t see how they can be 100% eco-friendly due to the location of the sites and the modern day need to use cars due to expensive and inefficient public transport.

Some celebrities have started to speak up about their concerns. Dame Jude Dench is concerned that the planned construction of an eco-town near to Shakespear’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon will put too much strain on the town. She says “I should stress that I am not against eco-towns per se – far from it. It is the location of the proposed site – so close to historic Stratford – that gives me cause for concern. The Better Accessible and Responsible Development campaign’s message is very clear: yes to eco towns, but not in a location that will devastate a town of such historical and cultural importance.”

Personally I think that they are a great idea but I’m not convinced that they will be sustainable. I think that we all need to think more about what we do and if we can do more to help the environment but I’m not sure if we are ready for eco-towns yet. Are you?

Entry Filed under: green issues