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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| High Court bid to block eco-towns | High Court bid to block eco-towns |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The High Court is expected to rule later on a legal challenge to the government's flagship eco-towns scheme. | The High Court is expected to rule later on a legal challenge to the government's flagship eco-towns scheme. |
| Last week, campaigners from Warwickshire and Oxfordshire applied for a judicial review of the scheme, arguing it was legally flawed. | |
| They urged the court to stop the scheme until there had been a "proper and full consultation process". | They urged the court to stop the scheme until there had been a "proper and full consultation process". |
| Twelve sites in England are on the shortlist to be eco-towns - the first new English towns since the 1960s. | Twelve sites in England are on the shortlist to be eco-towns - the first new English towns since the 1960s. |
| The government plans to build up to 10 low-energy, carbon-neutral developments from recycled materials over the next decade, as part of government plans to build three million new homes by 2020. | The government plans to build up to 10 low-energy, carbon-neutral developments from recycled materials over the next decade, as part of government plans to build three million new homes by 2020. |
| But they have proved controversial in some areas where campaigners say the idea is a way to evade planning controls. | But they have proved controversial in some areas where campaigners say the idea is a way to evade planning controls. |
| Claim defended | Claim defended |
| The legal challenge has brought by the Better Accessible Responsible Development (Bard) campaign, which is opposed to 6,000 new homes being built near Long Marston, Warwickshire. | The legal challenge has brought by the Better Accessible Responsible Development (Bard) campaign, which is opposed to 6,000 new homes being built near Long Marston, Warwickshire. |
| It is backed by the Weston Front Protest Group, which opposes plans for 15,000 new homes at the Weston Otmoor site, near Bicester in Oxfordshire. | It is backed by the Weston Front Protest Group, which opposes plans for 15,000 new homes at the Weston Otmoor site, near Bicester in Oxfordshire. |
| Eco-towns, expected to sustain between 5,000 and 20,000 homes, will be required to go through the same planning processes as other major developments, says the government. | Eco-towns, expected to sustain between 5,000 and 20,000 homes, will be required to go through the same planning processes as other major developments, says the government. |
| They would be expected to achieve "zero carbon status" across all buildings and 40% of the area would be expected to be green space. | They would be expected to achieve "zero carbon status" across all buildings and 40% of the area would be expected to be green space. |
| The government says it has "acted properly throughout this process and will defend this claim vigorously". | The government says it has "acted properly throughout this process and will defend this claim vigorously". |
| Last November, it emerged only one of the 12 sites identified as having development potential - Rackheath near Norwich - was regarded as "generally suitable". | Last November, it emerged only one of the 12 sites identified as having development potential - Rackheath near Norwich - was regarded as "generally suitable". |
| The others all had question marks over them and the Weston Otmoor site was deemed least likely to proceed. | The others all had question marks over them and the Weston Otmoor site was deemed least likely to proceed. |