1

'Eco - Town' Andy Robinson East Area Have your Say

2

The County Council's Position

• Concerns about the process

• Concerns about development in the area

• Process from now on

• Involvement of the Public

3

The Process

4

How it should work

• Regional Plan, LDFs, Planning Applications

• Plan led, Local Authority led and with full public involvement

• Select the most sustainable locations

• Consider planning applications against the Plan

5

How eco- towns is working

• Separate process– Allows locations already assessed and rejected to come forward– Allows sites to be selected without comparison with others– By passes plan led approach– Minimises local democratic input

• Government role– Shortlist eco towns

• Evaluation not made available

– Write eco towns national policy– Decide on the Regional Plan– Could call in a planning application – Would decide a planning application if refused or not determined– Landowner

6

Development to the East of Leicester

• Assessed as part of the Regional Planning process• Land north and west of Leicester, at Hinckley , Loughborough and Coalville

better• East Midlands Regional Assembly agreed

– LCC studies 'impressive'• Regional Plan Public Examination Panel agreed

– Co-op made representations - not supported– Panel recommended looking at Leicester - Burton corridor

• Reasons for being concerned about development in the area– Transport problems

• At least as great as elsewhere• Most difficult and expensive to resolve

– Employment• Limited opportunity without excellent road access to the M1

– Environment• Attractive area• Water issues

7

Development to the East of Leicester (2)

• Other reasons to be concerned – Regional Plan makes provision for

Leicestershire's needs• Co-op = 15k more houses = 40k more people• 96,000 homes 2001-26 (City + County)• 25,000 homes on ‘sustainable urban extensions’ –

greenfield but eco-town principles

– Costs to the taxpayer - £500k conservative estimate for LCC alone

8

However............

9

'Pennbury' has been short listed by Government

• Final shortlist by end of 2008

10

The County Council will act as community leader - needs to assess the pro and cons in

detail

11

Need to assess the impact in terms of

• Transport– Realistic - 'people will bike and walk' will not wash– What type of development

• offices or warehousing?• large houses or small houses?• food or non food shopping?

• Employment– Will employers be attracted?– How many will be new to the area– How many in offices - effect on the City Centre– Trip generation

12

Need to assess the impact in terms of (2)

• Housing– Effect on the sub regional and regional housing market

• Will other sites already in the system be held back?– Effect on the supply of affordable housing

• Eco costs– Impact on City Regeneration

• Environmental impact– Water supply, drainage and sewerage– Eco proposals - costs and benefits

• Public facilities– Health– Schools– Leisure– Recreation– Libraries

13

Need to assess the impact in terms of (3)

• Affordability– On site infrastructure– On site services– Off site infrastructure– Off site services– Eco costs – Enough value?

14

Advantages of working with the other LAs, CLG, Co-op.

• One set of studies

• More cost effective

15

But ......only if we have joint commissioning

16

and open and transparent process with full public

engagement