A centrepiece of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s environmental policy is the active building and promotion of so-called Eco-towns, specially designated areas of land upon which specially designed zero carbon footprint ecologically smart homes, schools and retail establishments will rest. Green projects have attracted enormous investor interest but the six-month long collapse of the home mortgage market coupled with double digit losses in property values means uncertain times ahead for any development project.
These eco-towns also have become lightning rods of controversy because of their exclusive nature, speculation involved driving up prices, disruption to more established towns and villages and a growing worry about the impact of a huge influx of people to their already crowded area.
So of course the Tory opposition leader David Cameron opposes them unless further study is done to ensure there are no objections. A deeper look by Britain’s newspapers The Telegraph and The Guardian each reported disturbing new trends. It seems there is interest on the part of Prince Charles and Royal family in development investment and 1/3 of these are on or near land controlled and/or owned by developers with close links to one or more of the giant UK supermarket chains.
That’s rather convenient.
Imagine Tesco or Asda and their combined near monopoly being able to build an entire community at its service. The Telegraph wrote: “that fifteen towns have been short-listed for development and this list will be whittled down to 10.
But at least five of the proposals for planned communities come from companies with a track record of developing land and selling it to Tesco and Asda.
It was disclosed in April that Tesco is a secret bidder behind the potential development in Hanley Grange in Cambridgeshire and the Pennbury ecotown south of Leicester is planned for land owned by Co-op.
However, firms which have developed sites for Tesco are also involved in several other potential ecotowns, including Marston near Bedford, Curborough near Lichfield in Staffordshire and Middle Quinton in Warwickshire.”
Tesco has been under fire for its business practises and land development strategies. This is under serious study and protest as the tescopoly grows.
But the Royals involvement is even more interesting. They are teaming with the Ministry of Defense to build an eco-town near a Nottingham RAF base. Of course with £7 billion pounds of real estate in Her Majesty’s estate this is a shrewd and popular investment allowing Charles to show his design ad eco bona fides and meet any monopoly head on.
It will be interesting to watch as the Tories say the wheels are falling off the track and this is just another reason to vote them in 2 years.
I dunno, in the early handicapping I’d give the advantage to the Royals on this one. Even though Tesco earn £1 million pounds a minute, never bet against Charles and his Mum. It’s like your old auntie who could elicit a guilty confession with that look. Sir Terry wouldn’t stand a chance.
A refreshing assemblage of information Denis. We at the Weston Front believe that the eco-towns are fundamentally flawed because of the transport demand created by their standalone locations. Far better, we argue, to build eco-burbs where there are existing jobs and transport.
Thanks for the comment John,
We live on the Glamorgan Heritge Coast which will soon “benefit” from the permanent armed forces training facility at RAF St. Athan. The problem is the Vale of Glamorgan governemnt is so stretched at present, an influx of 5,000 families will have a difficult effect. One huge project to build some 3,000 homes on the old Llandough Trading Estate was defeated for this reason. Clogged roads, not enough provision for schools and infrastrucutre, etc.
Hate for it to sound like NIMBY (not in my backyard) and when faced with the congestion what do we do? Everyone has a right to make a profit and there needs to be a recognition that projects will not get built unless there is a team approach to solving these issues. Developers want their money and will have to share some of the burden.
Best,
Denis