ESSEX County Council has welcomed an apparent U-turn in the government s plans to build an eco-town near Elsenham in Essex and says more effort should now be made to improve the eco-friendliness of all homes. The government confirmed yesterday (Thursday

ESSEX County Council has welcomed an apparent U-turn in the government's plans to build an 'eco-town' near Elsenham in Essex and says more effort should now be made to improve the eco-friendliness of all homes.

The government confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that it would not be forwarding North Elsenham as a 'green' town development in its planning policy statement, although it left the door open for more to be spent on developing the proposal saying that �5million will be made available for a 'second wave' of towns - including Elsenham.

In its original response to the proposals Essex County Council found the eco town concept to be "flawed technically and democratically" and argued that the Elsenham proposal especially was "not sustainable."

Lord Hanningfield, Leader of Essex County Council, said: "We believed right from the start that the North Elsenham eco-town plans were an unwanted distraction in the green debate, and we have been proved right.

"Regrettably, valuable time and millions of pounds has been lost on ill-thought out eco-town developments, when we know far more desperately needs doing to make our all our residents' lives more sustainable.

"We hope that in the remaining months it has left, the government can catch up with the environmental thinking of authorities like Essex."

What do you think? Get in touch by using the various links on this website or write to us at 54 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1EE.