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Norfolk eco town funding
decision 'imminent'
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Paul
Knowles, promoter of the Rackheath eco-town,
at
the site of some of the proposed housing.
Photo: EDP
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by Tara Greaves, Eastern
Daily Press, 11 January 2010
A decision on a multi-million
pound bid to kick-start Norfolk's controversial eco-town
is “imminent”, according to officials.
Broadland Council asked the government for a £28.4m share of a £60m
pot to help fund a 4,150 home eco-community at Rackheath, near Norwich
- which could become the country's first eco-town.
The scheme was one of four chosen by the government to be taken forward
last year, which angered local residents who are concerned about over development,
transport problems and how green the houses will actually be.
A group called Stop Norwich Urbanisation (Snub) is actively opposing the
scheme, including considering fielding a candidate to run as MP in the
general election.
It is likely that a funding decision will be made within the next week
with a spokesman from the Communities and Local Government department,
which looks after the start up money, confirming: “An announcement
on the funding is imminent.”
Built by Barratt Homes, but with the involvement of organisations such
as the Low Carbon Innovation Centre at the University of East Anglia, Building
Partnerships and LSI Architects, the development includes an “exemplar” phase
to showcase how a larger town would be built.
Simon Woodbridge, leader of Broadland Council, said: “Government
funding would be a boost to our economy and towards creating something
lasting and of great value today and for generations to come. There is
great housing need, but there is also a great need to plan for the future
so that we provide not only housing, but also communities for families
to live healthy lifestyles in. Affordable housing is not just about affording
the rent or the purchase price; we need to design out fuel poverty by creating
energy efficient homes, reducing fuel bills and reducing carbon emissions
to protect the environment.”
The £28.4m includes more than £5.3m for the exemplar phase, £5.1m
for bus service routes to employment centres and £1.3m for an eco
community education centre.
Paul Knowles, from Building Partnerships, a regional property development
company, said: “We are looking forward to receiving confirmation
from the government as to the amount of the eco town allocation that will
be provided to Rackheath.”
A planning application for the first 200 homes should be submitted by June,
with work due to start on the “exemplar” phase, at the southern
end of the development, in December.
The first home owners could move in by spring next year and a planning
application for outline permission for the whole site and associated infrastructure
should be in by December.
Information about the scheme and a funding breakdown is available online
at www.broadland.gov.uk/future
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© 2009 Building Partnerships Ltd, Queen's House, Queen's Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3PL. Tel: 01603 664665. Fax: 01603 664668. |
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