Government stands firm on eco-towns

Communities and Local Government (CLG) has backed its eco-town commitment and stressed its interest in exploring opportunities for other forms of eco-development.

This stance was spelled out in response to the department's 2008 Annual Report, produced by the Commons committee which scrutinises CLG's policies and performance.

The department told Parliament that no decisions on the locations of individual eco-town schemes have yet been taken by ministers.

It said: "Decisions will be informed by our consultation and further assessment work, and individual schemes will then need to submit planning applications which will be for local authorities to determine in the usual way on the merits of worked-up proposals."

The department emphasised that prospective projects would have to meet the UK's "toughest ever green standards for new development".

CLG told the all-party committee: "We recognise that in the current situation this is more challenging but this is a long-term policy with a phased approach.

"Our aim is to see the first phase of a number of exemplar projects starting in the next couple of years and up to ten eco-towns under development by 2020. Only those proposals which can demonstrate that they have the potential to meet the high standards set will be shortlisted."

CLG has promised to publish the final version of its proposed Planning Policy Statement on eco-towns with a shortlist of locations with the required potential for such development later this year.