Wildlife Trusts give warning over ‘eco-towns’
Filed Under Country Curtain | Posted on February 15, 2008
Related ItemsSelby rejects eco town plans Debate needed for eco-townsMany of the Governments proposals for a series of %26quot;eco-towns%26quot; could destroy local wildlife and the environment, the Wildlife Trusts have warned.
Later this month, the Government will unveil a short list of potential developments in England, which aim to provide zero-carbon homes as well as businesses and schools.
The Wildlife Trusts believe the Government%26#39;s shortlist should only include eco-town proposals, which:
%26bull; are located sensitively so they don%26#39;t destroy existing wildlife habitat areas
%26bull; are planned to include wildlife-rich areas, such as ponds, as part of sustainable urban drainage schemes (SUDS)*, throughout the development
%26bull; are assessed on their true ecological impact, not just carbon footprint
%26bull; use the Government%26#39;s new Community Infrastructure Levy to fund high-quality green infrastructure, such as parks, for wildlife and people.
%26bull; ensure the eco-town has access to environmentally-sustainable transport, such as cycle ways and footpaths
Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive for The Wildlife Trusts, said: %26quot;The Government%26#39;s current proposals make a mockery of the term %26#39;eco-town%26#39;. What we need to see is the planning system being used to avoid insensitive development and restore and create new wildlife habitats.
%26quot;The Wildlife Trusts welcome the idea of eco-towns but, to be truly sustainable, they need to be about much more than simply building zero-carbon homes.
We also need to build in the right places. Many of the current proposals will destroy important wildlife sites and fragment our towns and countryside at a time when we should be creating Living Landscapes: areas through which wildlife can move.%26quot;
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