World's top architects invited to design Britian's eco-towns » Housing » 24dash.com

The world's top architects and designers were today invited to enter a competition to design Britain's ten new eco-towns.

The move was unveiled by Housing Minister Yvette Cooper during Labour's Bournemouth conference.

It follows the Prime Minister's doubling this week of the number of planned eco-towns from five to ten.

The first phase of the competition will focus on design principles, particularly ideas for low and zero-carbon living.

A second, led by the successful councils, will concentrate on the design of individual towns once sites have been determined.

Local residents will be involved in the process.

Ms Cooper said the towns would involve a range of architectural styles and buildings and be the "antithesis of the monolithic, identikit aesthetic which is too often associated with new housing".

She pointed to new housing developments in Scandinavia and the Netherlands as inspiration but stressed that each new eco-town should draw on local history and character.

"By 2020 I want to see us build over a million zero carbon homes," she said.

"And following the Prime Minister's announcement that we will have 10 eco-towns, I am pleased to announce today a competition for the best architects and designers in the world to develop plans for eco towns.

"Eco towns with zero carbon offices, zero carbon schools and zero carbon pubs."

In her keynote conference speech, Ms Cooper stressed the need for new housing and attacked Tory "nimbyism".

The Government also plans to increase new social housing from 30,000 this year, to 45,000 homes a year by 2010, with the aim of 50,000 after that.

Ms Cooper stressed the Government had also listened to demands from the Labour grassroots for new council housing, but warned it had to keep "within budgets" and would "not turn back the clock".

"It is time for councils to be able to build council homes too," she said.

"We are changing the rules to make it easier for councils to build more homes. And why shouldn't councils build homes for key workers on their land as well?

"We are giving councils more flexibility. We are working with councils across the country to help all of them deliver decent homes.

"And we are looking at new ways to move to a more level playing field.

"But we must keep within our budgets and we won't turn back the clock."

Conservative Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps said: “This is yet more empty rhetoric from the Government. Home ownership is now falling under Labour and the number of first time buyers is at its lowest rate since 1980.

"In the meantime Ministers are pressing ahead with plans for home information packs – against advice from experts, the industry and the public – gambling with the housing market when it is needed least.”

Two motions urging the Government to urgently back the so-called "fourth option" - direct investment in council housing - were referred back to the party's national policy forum for further consideration.

After the debate, Gail Cartmail of the UK's largest union, Unite, said: "As housing associations and private developers alone have failed to deliver the number of homes that are needed it's obvious that local authorities should be allowed to build new homes for people in desperate need.

"Now the Government has to deliver."

Alan Walter, of the Defend Council Housing pressure group, said: "Four years running delegates at Labour Party conference have banged the table and demanded the fourth option of direct investment in council housing.

"There's been plenty of warm words at this conference ... and everyone will now be looking to see whether Government delivers concrete measures."

Austin Mitchell, MP for Great Grimsby, said: "It is time that Government stopped ignoring council tenants.

"It is time ministers got around the table to settle this dispute and find formulas to enable all local authorities to improve their homes and estates, start building a new generation of first council housing and ensure that all council homes are maintained as first housing in years to come.

"We haven't fought this long and come this far to be fobbed off now."

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