ECO-TOWN PROPOSALS LACK AMBITION AND COMMITMENT - ÖPIK

10.36.59am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 4th Apr 2008

Following yesterday's announcement on eco-towns, the Liberal Democrats criticised Government proposals to ensure that just 7% of new homes planned for 2020 will be eco-friendly.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Lembit Öpik said:

"Yet again, Labour's lack of commitment is holding back the green agenda.

"Brown's eco-towns are just a smokescreen for the Government's poverty of ambition. Why should just 7% of the new homes planned by this Government be sustainable?

"We have to work harder to make every town eco-friendly, because three quarters of the homes we'll be living in by 2050 have already been built.

"We need to drastically improve the energy efficiency of existing homes and build all new homes to high standards - this is our real challenge. Making a mere handful of developments eco-friendly is simply not good enough. It will take a lot more than this to make a serious impact on climate change."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. If all ten eco-towns were built to the maximum expected size of 20,000 homes each, they will make up just 7% of the total planned new housing by 2020.

2. The Code for Sustainable Homes requires that all new homes are rated but will not require that homes are built to the higher standards until building regulations are gradually improved in 2010 and 2013