Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) South Yorkshire
protecting the countryside - for the nation, for the future

CONCERN OVER SHORTLISTING OF SOUTH YORKSHIRE VILLAGE AS POSSIBLE NEW ECO TOWN

Countryside campaigners CPRE South Yorkshire say they are disappointed that a more sustainable site was not selected by the Government for the region’s potential new Eco Town following the announcement of the fifteen short-listed sites earlier today.

Fifteen thousand houses could be built around Rossington, close to the M18 motorway, if the village is selected as one of the final ten locations, but campaigners are concerned about the impacts of increased traffic and the loss of Green Belt countryside.

Potential sites around Rossington, including the former colliery, are nowhere near big enough to accommodate such a huge amount of houses and it seems likely that Green Belt land would have to be sacrificed to accommodate it, explains CPRE South Yorkshire’s Planning Officer John King. Clearly the Government is committed to building these new towns and CPRE applauds the commitment to ensure they have a low impact on the environment; however we are concerned however that the damage to local countryside has not been thoroughly considered.

CPRE and other local interest groups were not included in any consultation on the Eco Towns project as the decisions are being made directly by central Government outside the usual planning system.

Given the opportunity, CPRE would have recommended that the suggested Eco Town be sited on the much larger, brownfield site at Orgreave which could accommodate the amount of houses and already has good links to public transport and other public services.

Our other major concern, regarding the selection of Rossington as a new town, is that its proximity to the M18 motorway and the lack of public transport links will do little to reduce carbon emissions, continues John.

For more information about eco-towns across the country - visit CPRE National Office website