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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Proposal for eco-town abandoned | Proposal for eco-town abandoned |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Proposals for an 8,000-home eco-town at a greenfield site in Cambridgeshire have been abandoned after supermarket giant Tesco pulled out. | Proposals for an 8,000-home eco-town at a greenfield site in Cambridgeshire have been abandoned after supermarket giant Tesco pulled out. |
| The controversial development at Hanley Grange, near the A11 and Duxford, was one of 15 carbon neutral towns picked by the government earlier this year. | |
| The scheme's other main landowner, the charity Wellcome Trust, pulled out in July. | The scheme's other main landowner, the charity Wellcome Trust, pulled out in July. |
| Tesco said it had not ruled out future development of the land. | Tesco said it had not ruled out future development of the land. |
| 'Blot on landscape' | 'Blot on landscape' |
| Campaigners against the plans, who formed the Stop Hanley Grange (SHG) group, welcomed Tesco's decision. | Campaigners against the plans, who formed the Stop Hanley Grange (SHG) group, welcomed Tesco's decision. |
| Local councillor Julie Redfern, chairman of SHG, said: "We are delighted that Tesco has seen sense and this is a victory for local democracy. | Local councillor Julie Redfern, chairman of SHG, said: "We are delighted that Tesco has seen sense and this is a victory for local democracy. |
| "Although Tesco now talks about the possibility of going through the proper planning channels, let's not forget that a proposal for a new town at Hinxton was made a few years ago and never made it through the planning process because the location is completely inappropriate." | "Although Tesco now talks about the possibility of going through the proper planning channels, let's not forget that a proposal for a new town at Hinxton was made a few years ago and never made it through the planning process because the location is completely inappropriate." |
| A Tesco spokesman said the firm put forward a "strong proposal for an environmentally-leading mixed-use development at Hanley Grange". | A Tesco spokesman said the firm put forward a "strong proposal for an environmentally-leading mixed-use development at Hanley Grange". |
| "We think the proposal had very good prospects of succeeding under the government's Eco Town initiative. | "We think the proposal had very good prospects of succeeding under the government's Eco Town initiative. |
| 'Serious housing shortage' | |
| "Although a settlement at Hanley Grange has been discussed previously, no planning decision was ever made either way," he added. | "Although a settlement at Hanley Grange has been discussed previously, no planning decision was ever made either way," he added. |
| But Tesco said the firm was now dropping the eco-town plan and would look at some form of housing development through the ordinary planning process. | But Tesco said the firm was now dropping the eco-town plan and would look at some form of housing development through the ordinary planning process. |
| A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: "The whole point of developing a long list of potential locations was to get down to a shorter final list, and we remain committed to announcing this final shortlist of up to 10 potential locations early in the New Year. | |
| "There remains a serious shortage of housing in the Cambridge area with almost 10,000 families on the waiting list for affordable housing, and this is an issue that must be resolved." |