Mass demo against eco-town

Eco-town protesters came out in force.

They wanted to make their point after the Government had suggested Marston Moretaine could be the preferred location for a new eco-town, partly because the local people did not seem to be protesting too much.

MP for Mid Bedfordshire, Nadine Dorries, joined the marchers, which numbered more than 700.

Police halted traffic on the A421 for the march, which set off from Marston Vale at 10am.

Marston Moretaine is one of 13 sites in the UK shortlisted for a Government project to build carbon-neutral 'green' communities.

Final approval for Marston would see over 15,000 new houses being built on greenfield and brownfield land.

Previous plans to build a second new eco-town in the same area, called New Marston, have been dropped.

Nadine Dorries said: "This is an amazing turnout of more than 700 people, which really does demonstrate the strength of feeling against the eco-town proposal.

"The Government has tried to railroad this through and local people are showing that they ar e just not having it ."