The government has set out standards foreco-towns that require all buildings in an eco-town to be zero-carbonand 40% of land to be designated as green space.Housingminister Caroline Flint said: “These would be the toughest standardsever set out for new development, and demonstrate that there will be nocompromise on quality with eco-towns. The standards require homes, commercial and public buildings ineco-towns to achieve zero-carbon status, and at least half of the landassigned for green space to be open to the public as parkland orrecreation areas.Thegovernment wants all eco-town housing to reach at least level four ofthe Code for Sustainable Homes. But all new UK homes must meet the morestringent code level six by 2016, the date by which the first eco-townsare to be built.Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps, who opposeseco-towns, said: ““Instead of handing out decrees and diktats, {thegovernment needs} to follow our lead and work with local people tocreate the truly sustainable communities of tomorrow.”
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