Published: 20/07/2008 00:00 - Updated: 20/02/2009 01:41

Marston Vale 'eco-town' would be a ghost town

Eco-towns have now got the thumbs down from the quango tasked with ensuring the region's development.

The East of England Regional Assembly (Eera) has described Government plans for a 20,000-house eco-town in Marston Vale as 'unacceptable'.

Eera believes that the planning system is being bypassed by the Government-driven scheme, which aims to build several such eco-towns in the eastern region, totalling some 50,000 new dwellings..

Eera believes that because the proposed development is not well linked to jobs and public transport, the proposed eco-town of 'New Marston' would become a dormitory town with high levels of commuting by car.

Last week, developers Gallagher pulled out of the eco-town bidding process, citing uncertainty over the Government's strategy and vision.

The company's withdrawal was greeted with a cautious welcome by protestors and local councillors, as a second and larger bid by O&H Properties remains active.

Eera is a body created by the Government and is not directly elected, with members being co-opted from other bodies such as county councils.

Eera itself is to be axed in 2010 after the Government conceded that its plans for English devolution had failed. Eera is behind the proposed Wixams new town near Elstow which was dreamed up to address forecast demands on housing stock, as part of the East of England Plan which is the regional development schedule looking as far ahead as 2021.

Cllr Derrick Ashley, chairman of Eera's planning panel said: "The Government should halt this dash for eco-towns before more money and effort is wasted.

"The public want high environmental standards for all new housing not speculative development in unsuitable locations.

"Proposals for new settlements in the region should be decided through the Assembly by local councils and other stakeholders to ensure sustainable growth in appropriate locations."

A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: "Eco-towns are a unique opportunity to both provide more affordable homes in areas where thousands of families are on the waiting list for affordable housing and to develop more sustainable communities that will help to combat climate change.

"Later this month we will publish the high standards for employment, sustainability and transport that developers must meet if they are to make it through to the next stage.

"Those schemes that make our final shortlist of up to ten sites will have to submit a planning application, giving everyone the opportunity to have their say"