Eco-town drive faces legal challenge

Protests like these are driving up opposition

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The embattled eco-town programme faces a legal challenge from the Local Government Association, unless ministers back down over bypassing the planning process.

Specialist planning barristers John Steel QC and James Strachan, instructed by the LGA, this week concluded that there were "sound grounds" for a High Court challenge.

The duo wrote: "There… does not appear to be any compelling justification or rationale for seeking to promote eco-towns outside the existing statutory plan-led system, other than the government's wish to avoid the system due to the need for proper scrutiny, which takes time."

LGA chairman Sir Simon Milton (Con) called on ministers to talk to council leaders about developing new housing with the infrastructure required to "create places where people would want to live" and without "bypassing planning processes".

Only one local authority, East Hampshire DC, now backs plans for an eco-town in its borders (LGC, 3 July).

A Department for Communities & Local Government spokesman said: "We absolutely disagree with the LGA's claims and believe this legal advice can only have been obtained on the basis of a misrepresentation of our policy."