The government today announced which of the candidate eco-towns is to be short-listed for development.
The news came through that Pennbury has been approved for the next round of consultation.
"Pennbury" is the working name given to the plans by the Co-operative Group for the development of land between Oadby, Stoughton, Houghton and Great Glen, including the site of Leicester Airport.
There are fifteen eco-town proposals on the shortlist and a new round of planning consultations now begins. It's expected that between five and ten of these will get the final go ahead for construction.
On the BBC website, the Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, said the new towns would help to tackle climate change, as well as providing affordable new housing. She said, "Eco-towns can be 'green' settlements which recognise that climate change is destroying our planet - this is an opportunity we simply cannot afford to miss. Bidders will have to meet the highest standards for sustainability, affordability and creativity. This expert panel will challenge developers to the limits."
The Pennbury proposals have provoked a lot of opposition locally and it's likely that this announcement will generate a lot more. There are serious local concerns about what will be lost, including a large area of green land on the edge of Leicester. And there are substantial worries about the impact on the already-busy A6. But the real issues will be in the detail. It may be possible that much-needed affordable homes can be built in a sustainable way, without some of the feared congestion on the county's roads. We shall have to see what these plans contain before rushing to judgement.
The Christian tradition is certainly aware of the importance of "quality of life issues" and of conservation of the environment. At this stage it may seem that any proposal to build threatens these. But when we consider the quality of life of those who are unable to find a home, and the potential for imaginative ecologically-sensitive neighbourhoods, it is conceivable that Pennbury could be a positive benefit.
We should also remember that many of those who live in Oadby, including myself, live in homes built on green fields in the last forty years. We should be careful not to live by one standard ourselves and to ask others to live by another.
The next stage of consultation provides an opportunity for all residents and the churches and other community organisations, to examine the plans in detail and to make comment.
More information here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7327717.stm
