Panel of experts assembled to drive forward eco-towns » Housing » 24dash.com

TV presenters, environmentalists and planning experts are on a panel signed up by the Government to develop the new "eco-towns" initiative, it was announced today.

Plans for the panel of experts were announced last week by housing minister Caroline Flint as she unveiled the shortlist of 15 potential sites for the first new towns since the 1960s.

The eco-towns initiative aims to build up to 10 zero-carbon communities of 5,000 to 20,000 homes by 2020, which are "exemplars" in areas of environmental sustainability and provide affordable housing.

While their potential to boost low-carbon living has been welcomed in some quarters, the announcement of shortlisted locations was met with dismay by local campaigners last week.

There are fears the eco-towns could damage existing communities and areas of countryside and over-stretch facilities.

The Eco-towns Challenge panel will be chaired by John Walker, former chief executive of the British Urban Regeneration Association, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said.

TV presenters Kris Murrin and Joanna Yarrow are among those on the panel which was formed to work with developers to improve their plans for green homes, communities, energy, transport and planning.

They will be joined by designer Wayne Hemingway, Stephen Hale, director of Green Alliance, Liz Goodwin, chief executive of Waste and Resources Action Programme, and Sir Peter Hall, president of the Town and Country Planning Association.

Also on the panel are Stephen Joseph, executive director of the Campaign for Better Transport, Nick Mabey, chief executive of E3G, Sunand Prasad, president-elect of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Liz Reason, director of the Reasons to Be Cheerful consultancy, and Sue Riddlestone, director of the BioRegional Development Group.

DCLG said the panel, which will advise bidders on issues such as encouraging public transport and design of houses, would be paid a small remuneration for their work.