Quotes from Grant Shapps over the last two years on the subject of Gordon Brown's proposed eco-towns :
"The public have been duped. It is fair to say that eco-towns will now never see the light of day."
“It’s time for ministers to admit that you can’t create sustainable communities by riding roughshod over local people.”
Grant Shapps, branded the scheme an "eco-con" and a "gimmick".
"Many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them from Whitehall irrespective of local opinion."
"All the low-flush toilets in world can't make dumping a housing estate on green fields somehow eco-friendly."
"Rather than trust people, local democracy has been consigned to the scrapheap and the voice of local residents will be ignored, just to satisfy Gordon Brown's arbitrary targets to build these new towns."
Mr Shapps said many eco-town homes would only be built at level three on the Government's sustainability code. But after 2016, all homes, wherever they are built, must comply with level six, meaning they are zero carbon.
He said allowing the so-called green homes to be built at level three was the 'greatest farce'. 'When that happens, these eco-towns will be built at a lower environmental level than the houses that will in any case be built at the same time in 2016. The entire project is now looking rather shabby to say the least.' Mr Shapps said there was 'very little chance' of the projects proceeding through to being built and said it was 'logistically impossible' to build the scale of homes laid down by the Government. He said the plan was 'falling apart' and ministers should scrap it. His opposition to plans for eco-towns was mirrored on the Tory backbenches, with one MP saying green fields would be concreted over because of 'diktats' from Whitehall.
Grant Shapps confirmed the tories would not support the programme should they take office at the next election, and claimed the project would do more harm to the environment than good. Mr Shapps said: “Gordon Brown’s eco-town programme is in a shambles, with developers abandoning the process, a series of judicial reviews, the timetable being extended and extended, and local opposition growing to these unsustainable and environmentally damaging proposals. “The Conservatives will not support a programme that has been exposed as a green sham, and which will not help build genuinely eco-friendly homes.”
And the latest: "We will back new eco-developments with broad-based local support that are genuinely sustainable. We will not impose eco-town developments on communities that do not want them."
This gives Broadland councillors a perfect excuse for dropping this disastrous proposal. They can blame the new government policy and walk away with their honour intact. Lets see how they react.
ReplyDeleteIf this is correct why are Broadland spending £43.000 of our money on yet another Ecotown officer. The whole thing now begins to smell.
ReplyDeleteWhen will our Broadland District Council stop to listen to the outside world. They are totally out of touch with their electors who pay their overblown salaries and lavish expenses. The madness of the unwanted Ecotown MUST STOP NOW before any more of our hard earned money is wasted
ReplyDeleteSurely this madness must stop now before Broadland wastes any more of our money. When will they wake up to the real world.
ReplyDeleteWatch Broadland pass the Dakenham Barns plan, despite the very dangerous access, residents opposition, space still available on the main Rackheath Industrial Estate, and buildings and Wind Turbines on the approach to main runway at Norwich Airport. Is the site not going to be the office for the Ecotown Developer ? You would not believe it would you.
ReplyDeleteShould we not reduce all the salaries and expenses at Broadland DC by 50% as they are NOT
ReplyDeleterepresenting us. If I did not represent my company I would be sacked......