eco towns

July 12, 2010 - Funding for the first four of Gordon Brown's eco-towns has been slashed by 50 per cent, while plans for a further six developments have also been dropped. News of the funding cuts was broken to the local authorities overseeing the four eco-towns in an email from housing minister Grant Shapps last week. more >

April 6, 2010 - Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has confirmed that a partnership of councils in Essex have expressed an interest using world-leading eco-town standards. The funding will also go towards studies in how to improve existing transport links, including options such as rapid routes for buses with real-time travel information, green travel hubs and facilities for electric cars and bikes. ... more >

March 9, 2010 - Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has announced a triple boost for councils tackling climate change by updating planning rules, granting nearly £10million to improve green skills and backing further progress by the 'second wave' of eco-towns. more >

February 11, 2010 - Housing Minister John Healey has backed the country's biggest ever green home building programme, with four areas sharing £60m cash to build over 600 new homes to the toughest ever environmental standards. The cash is a major boost for councils driving forward innovative blueprints for the main eco-towns in their 'masterplans', before seeking public approval and planning permission... more >

January 31, 2010 - The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has published new guidance, sponsored by Government, entitled Developing energy efficient and zero carbon strategies for eco-towns. more >

December 7, 2009 - Potential sites for a second wave of eco-towns were announced this week, with local authorities receiving £10m to design the low-carbon developments. Nine authorities or groups of councils are involved in the latest bids, including some whose plans were rejected when the first four eco-towns were announced in July. more >

November 12, 2009 - CABE has announced today (10 November 2009) that a special design review panel has been set up to provide expert advice on the quality of designs for the government’s proposed eco-towns. CABE and BioRegional produced joint guidance in September last year. What makes an eco-town?was inspired by the Challenge Panel and sets out the principles for the agencies involved in developing proposals. more >

August 19, 2009 - A consultation paper has been published, setting out proposals on how the £60m announced to support four 'first wave' of eco town locations will be allocated. These are locations with the potential to have an eco-town included in the Planning Policy Statement: eco-towns (PPS), published on 16 July 2009. more >