Protesters against an eco-town at Weston Otmoir, Oxon with placards outside the Houses of Parliament at eco-town lobby
Eco-towns, zero-carbon brown-field housing developments using recycled materials with full local facilities and each acting as an an exemplar in at least one area of environmental technology were proposed by the Government in 2007. In May 2008, 15 sites were identified, almost none of which met the original requirements, which had been greatly relaxed under pressure from developers etc. Environmental groups which had welcomed the original idea are now largely against what seems like to be produced. Local protest groups have been set up in most of the possible locations proposed for the 10 eco-towns, and representatives from most of these came to lobby Parliament on the final day of the consultation period. Many stressed that the site in their area was productive agricultural land, and said that the eco-town proposal was being used as a way to bypass normal planning procedures which would have prevented development. The were met by local MPs from most areas and the Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, Grant Shapps, who was also to chair a meeting in the Houses of Parliament with protesters in the afternoon.
Size: 3347px × 5040px
Location: Old Palace Yard, Westminster, London, England, UK
Photo credit: © Peter Marshall / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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