Eco-town could eat up county’s homes quota

The freestanding settlement could see up to 10,000 new environmentally friendly homes built in the south of the county.

It is just one of a number of options being considered.

The settlement would be roughly the same size as Evesham and the homes would be built on an undecided location of land using sustainable methods, materials, energy, heating and water conservation techniques.

We previously reported the Government wants to build up to 32,200 new homes in south Worcestershire by 2026 as a part of its Regional Spatial Strategy - a blueprint for how the county should look in 20 years time.

The proposal for a new eco-town is contained within a new consultation document that will go out to the public at the beginning of November.

Worcester City councillor Robert Rowden, who is chairman of the Worcestershire Joint Advisory Panel, said it is just one option that must be looked at as a part of the consultation process.

He said: "I know it's a headline grabber and one or two people have said it should be done but the question is where? A lot of people say it because they don't want any development near them. If you have that number of new houses the important thing is infrastructure and if you haven't got infrastructure it just won't happen, it's not on. I think this eco-town idea could be overstated and wouldn't necessarily enhance the very nice area in which we live."

The issues and options paper has been created by officers from Worcester City Council, Malvern Hills District Council and Wychavon District Council who have all been working together as a part of the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy.

The aim of the consultation paper, which was approved by Worcester City Council and Malvern Hills District Council at meetings on Wednesday, while Wychavon will discuss the document tonight (20) before making a decision on Tuesday, is to find solutions to the Government's demands.

Malvern Hills District Council portfolio holder for planning and transportation, councillor Roger Hall-Jones, said the document had to include all options available to local authorities but it does not mean they will be chosen.

"We have got to include other options even if they are politically difficult or otherwise," he said. "This is not the stage to throw them out. I cannot imagine a new town will be built to be quite honest. The infrastructure to put in such a thing well, it beggars belief really."

The consultation paper also poses questions about where housing growth and employment land should be focused, how to improve transportation and reduce traffic congestion with turning the southern link road into a duel carrigeway and creating a Worcestershire Parkway railway station at Norton on the agenda.

There are also questions about how the county will be able to cope with the extra people moving to the area in terms of schools and hopsitals.

HOW MANY HOMES COULD BE BUILT NEAR YOU?

Worcestershire: Option 1, 31,100 Option 2, 36,400 Option 3, 62,300 South Worcesershire Option 1, 13,200 Option 2, 24,500 Option 3, 32,000 Malvern Hills Option 1, 2,200 Option 2, 4,900 Option 3, 4,900 Worcester Option 1, 5,900 Option 2, 10,500 Option 3, 15,500 Wychavon Option 1, 5,100 Option 2, 9,100 Option 3, 11,600.

The table above shows the three revised options for all the districts in the south of the county after the West Midlands Regional Assembly (WMRA) published phase two of its regional spatial strategy in January. The figures are projections between 2006 and 2026. Option one is based on current house building rates. Option two shows figures county council officials believe appropriate for each area. Option three shows the number of new homes the Government wants to build.

What are the options available?

THE idea to build a new town is just one option on how to cope with the number of new homes the Government wants to build in Worcestershire.

However, the issues and options consultation document has listed other options on where up to 32,200 new homes could be built in the south of the county. The alternative options are explained here: ON THE EDGE OF WORCESTER The Regional Spatial Strategy identifies Worcester as a sub-regional focus which makes it a priority for growth.

We previously reported how the Highways Agency had identified just 10 suitable sites within the city's boundaries which could only accommodate a total of 7,440 new homes. They are: l Firs Farm/Bevere, off Ombersley Road and Green Lane Claines.

l Land south of St Peter's, off Broomhall Way l Land off Whittington Road and Crookbarrow Way, off the A44 and A4440 junction.

l Land off Whittington Road and Swinesherd Way.

l Eastbury Manor - north of Martley Road.

l Land north and west of Dines Green.

l Green Belt land north of Bevere Lane.

l Land west of A4440, north of Swinesherd Way.

l Land north of A422, off Nunnery Way.

l Land south of Warndon Wood, off Trotshill Way beside the M5.

Another option is to develop on land to the east of the M5 but the Agency has already expressed its opposition to the site on the grounds of additional traffic through junction 6, Worcester north.

There are also options to develop inside or outside Green Belt land to the north of the city, near Claines, or focus development south of the city but only east of the River Severn - around the Kempsey area.

Even if the sites above were developed, land near Worcester, which actually falls within Wychavon and Malvern Hills districts, would still be required if the city was to fufil its full quota of new homes.

ON THE EDGE OF TOWNS AND LARGE VILLAGES Growth could be focused in Droitwich, Evesham and Malvern and distributed equally among all three.

Another option is to focus the development in those three towns but with Pershore, Tenbury Wells, Upton-upon-Severn and large villages such as Kempsey, Powick, Hallow and Pinvin also taking its fair share of the demand.

However, growth could also be directed towards smaller villages like Fernhill Heath, Callow End, Holt Heath and Drakes Broughton, as well as Severn Stoke, Hanbury and Grimley.

ON GREEN BELT LAND The West Midlands Green Belt covers 9,180 hectares between Worcester and Droitwich towards Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Redditch.

It is thought the Green Belt boundaries will have to be reviewed in order to accommodate the extra homes and such a review will determine whether land should be removed from the Green Belt to allow development or whether additional areas should be included within the Green Belt.

IN SOME OTHER WAY Quite simply, if anybody has a better idea on how the county can accommodate extra homes they should say so.

Members of the public are being encouraged to take an active and informed role in the six-week consultation period starting Monday, November 5.

People will be able to get copies of the issues and options document and questionnaire and will be able to make their opinions known in as much length and detail as they want.

Have your say on the plans for our region Join the debate and have your say on how many homes you think should be built in Worcestershire and where. The period for public consultation starts on Monday, November 5 and runs for six weeks.

Comments and views should be submitted using the document and questionnaire by Friday, December 14. To obtain your copy of the document and questionnaire call 01905 722233, email contact@swjcs.org or visit the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy (SWJCS) website at www.swjcs.org Also look out for events in your area throughout November. Details will be posted in local libraries and on the SWJCS website.

TIMETABLE November Publication of the Issues and Options document. A statutory six-week period of public consultation.

December Report to the Government January Preferred option selected.

April Authorities to approve Joint Core Strategy preferred option for consultation.

June/July Consultation on preferred option to be developed.

January 2009 Final Joint Core Strategy draft to be submitted to Government July 2009 Public examination January 2010 Final version to be adopted