Planned eco-towns creating thousands of new homes in the West Midlands have been slammed as a “back-of-the-envelope idea”.
Conservatives claimed the proposed new settlements were set to be built in the wrong place and would do little to help the environment, in a House of Commons debate.
Peter Luff (Con Mid Worcestershire) called instead for the creation of “eco-suburbs”, expanding existing towns and cities, instead of new settlements such as the planned eco-town at Long Marston, between Evesham, in his constituency, and Stratford-upon-Avon, Worcestershire.
Housing Minister Caroline Flint said she would visit the proposed sites over the sumer to listen to the views of local people.
He accused the Tories of ignoring the voices of people who were “in desperate need of affordable housing”.
The Government considering 15 eco-town proposals across the UK, which it says will provide environmentally-friendly new low-cost housing.
As well as the Long Marston scheme, Ministers are considering proposals for a Curborough, on the outskirts of Lichfield. Both schemes have aroused intense local opposition.
Mr Luff told MPs: “This is a back-of-the-envelope idea that has not been properly thought through ... should not eco-towns be eco-suburbs? Vauban is right, but the Government’s eco-town proposals are wrong.”
Ms Flint said: “The point is that we have not built enough homes for the past 15 years or more. Given this country’s present population, we need to build more homes, including homes that are suitable for older people.
“Let us also recognise the hidden numbers of people who are not necessarily on housing waiting lists but who are living in overcrowded or unsuitable accommodation. Many young men and women, for example, have to live at home with their parents for longer because they cannot afford to get a foot on the property ladder.
“Let us talk about this in a reasonable manner and recognise that there is a need to supply more homes of various shapes and sizes.”
Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps claimed the project would only deliver a tiny fraction of the homes needed to meet the national shortage, and the dwellings would be built to lower environmental standards than other developments.
He said more properties would be built working with local communities rather than through a “Soviet-style” Whitehall project.
Labour’s David Taylor (North West Leicestershire) said there was “suspicion” that the project was an “underhand way of building new towns in quick time, to the detriment of the local environment and to the profit of property developers”.
