How sustainable are England Eco-towns from a planning perspective Essay

How sustainable are England Eco-towns from a planning perspective. Support your answers with appropriate examples - Essay Example The original goal was to create 50 such eco-towns in the hope of reducing carbon emissions in the country. This paper tries to assess the sustainability of eco-town proposals. It also hopes to discuss some of the key issues that led to the government’s abandonment of the plan, as well as how such a move has affected planning in the United Kingdom. Like the post war generation, we now need to set out a clear and radical programme to increase housing and to protect the environment as well†¦.As housing accounts for 27 per cent of carbon emissions, we need to substantially cut emissions from new homes and work towards zero carbon housing and development. (Department for Communities and Local Government 2007: 3) Through eco-towns, the UK can start anew, and this time, focus on the highest environmental standards while at the same time taking advantage of a site’s economic potential. This move, the government believes, would bring about a new form of development and ensure sustainable growth. To ensure participation from the communities and the local government, the DCLG enjoined them to submit their proposals for eco-towns. The Ecotowns Prospectus outline the various criteria by which the submissions were judged. To considered an eco-town, proposals must meet five essential requirements: (1) They must be new settlements, separate and distinct from the existing towns but well linked to them. They have to provide at least 5,000 new homes; (2) Each plan must minimize carbon emission and meet exemplar performance in at least one area of environmental sustainability; (3) Proposals must provide for a wide range of social services and facilities within easy reach; (4) 30 to 40% of the homes must be affordable, with emphasis on larger family homes; (5) Plans must set out a management body which will help develop the town and provide assistance to people and businesses wishing to