MP issues warning on Ford eco-town

Two rival schemes for the environmentally conscious town have been put forward by developers.

The government's eco-town scheme envisages 5,000-20,000 homes in each as a way of increasing its overall house building target to 3m by 2020.

The Department for Communities and Local Government is considering more than 50 submissions from around the country. It expects to announce early this year those which have been chosen as meeting its criteria of providing affordable homes in a sustainable setting.

But Mr Herbert, the MP for Arundel and South Downs, said such a large community on a site which Arun District Council had decided last August was unsuitable for development would be totally wrong.

He backed the council's determination, set to be agreed last night, to oppose the plans and see that the normal planning processes were followed.

"We certainly need more homes but this is not the way to provide them," he stated.

"Planning procedures are designed to examine issues properly and take account of local concerns. They should not be subverted in this way.

"We are in danger of having new towns imposed on West Sussex by ministerial fiat, regardless of the environmental, infrastructure and local concerns.

"I have grave concerns about building a new town on the Arun flood plain.

"I cannot see that such a huge development would be remotely eco-friendly."

He added that issues such as the A27, hospital and school provision and water shortages in dry summers had to be addressed before any large scale building work began.