Leicestershire Parish Councils

This is pure eco-tosh! Habitat creation being used as a sop to cover the fact good agricultural land, established hedgerows and woodland, etc. will be irretrievably lost? Let's not lose sight of the fact that the Co-Op is selling some of the family silver. A lot of public money has been recently invested in this Co-Op owned land in the form of Land Stewardship Schemes (ca. £0.5M?).

Globally, we are facing ever-mounting pressures from the 'Peak Oil' crisis and we simply cannot afford to be profligate with valuable food-producing land. Peak Oil effects will have dramatic adverse effects on everyone's lives in the next few years, including the Co-Op's aspirations, which may well evaporate, along with other eco-town projects.

In 1973 we experienced a 3% cut-back in oil production from the Gulf and Arabian States. Once Global oil production peaks (thought to be around 2012-12) it is estimated that there will be an initial cut-back in supply of 2% per annum. Doesn't sound much but think back to 1973 when the Arab oil producing States quadrupled the price of oil... power cuts, three-day week, etc. We are going to have to be a lot smarter than we are now to maintain a standard of living and the Quality of Life we expect.

Ecotowns aren't the answer. Three or four decades from now, something like 75-80% of the houses standing are the ones we have today. I have stated before that these ecotowns are merely a guise for a sloppy way to deliver on a political promise to deliver three million new homes. If we really wish to make a 'green' impact I can only repeat what others have said: "it's the existing housing stock, Stupid!" Ecotowns are little more than a builders' charter - and I dare say supermarkets will be rubbing their hands too - including the Co-Op and its bid for Somerfield!

Graham Stocks,
Leics. CPRE.

Leicestershire Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
Registered Charity Number 258151
PO Box 7986
Loughborough
LE12 8XT
www.cpreleics.org
http://www.cpreleics.org/local-campaigns/pennbury-eco-town.shtml