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Supporting the Marston Vale Eco-Town Proposal

Supporting the Marston Vale Eco-Town Proposal
David Reeves - Tue Apr 15, 2008 @ 07:45AM
Comments: 3
Last Comment: Sat Apr 26, 2008 @ 10:23PM

The country's first eco-towns took a step closer to becoming reality last week with Housing Minister Caroline Flint announcing a shortlist of 15 potential locations, including Marston Vale and New Marston.

The next stage is a consultation with the public, local authorities and wider stakeholders.

In order to succeed proposals must reach zero carbon standards by promoting leading green technologies, provide high levels of affordable housing, demonstrate how they will deliver key infrastructure such as good public transport, schools and health facilities and safeguard local wildlife.

The Marston Vale and New Marston proposal involves building up to 15,400 homes on a series of sites, along the east-west rail line to Stewartby and Millbrook.

I believe the Labour government's eco-town concept is innovative and ambitious. The proposals make good use of brownfield land and would involve no house building on the greenbelt. It tackles the combined challenges of climate change, the need for more sustainable living and a real shortage of housing for families and first time buyers.

The Marston Vale and New Marston proposal has my full support.

Tags: Marston Vale, New Marston, Eco-Town, Greenbelt, housing
Comments: 3
Last Comment: Sat Apr 26, 2008 @ 10:23PM

Comments

1. Martyn Elmy - Mon Apr 21, 2008 @ 03:04PM

David, how do you square your support (xee below) for the lidlingTOWN and marsTOWN with your views on the green-belt, only some of the land is 'brown'.

I am deeply concerned about the proposals for potential housing development in Mid Beds. The council claims that only a small number of sites will need to be developed to meet Government targets to ensure quality affordable homes for future needs. If this is the case then why have 400 sites been submitted?

2. Lyn Roberts - Thu Apr 24, 2008 @ 03:05PM

I think its about time that people begin to realise that the only reason we are requiring more houses is because of the amount of ' single' parents entering the UK from abroad and being housed by the local authorities.
I don' t say this statement without any qualified experience on this issue.

Hence I think we should re think our policies on housing people from outside the UK and leave the villages to remain villages.

3. Tim Stafford - Sat Apr 26, 2008 @ 10:23PM

As far as I can see most of these `eco` houses are to be built on arable fields and areas of old brickworks turned over to leisure use . `Eco` housing seems to be labour spin for `we can build large housing projects any where we want ! This local area (marston vale to flitwick)will be a vast building site, with NIRAH, Centre parks and the proposed `eco towns,for the next 15 years,so much for the creation of the Marston vale forest. How `eco `freindly will these houses be with the loss of land and the carbon footprint created by the construction.

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