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Massive eco-town scheme for Selby

3:16pm Wednesday 16th January 2008

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DEVELOPERS have unveiled plans for an enormous eco-town in Selby district.

Politicians have welcomed the proposed scheme, which would see up to 15,000 homes built on a 1,500-acre site near the villages of Eggborough and Kellington.

GMI Property Company yesterday confirmed it had submitted plans to create one of the Government's ten planned UK eco-towns to the south of Selby.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in July he intended to press ahead with the scheme to meet the country's environmental and housing needs.

GMI has dubbed their proposed eco-town Willow Green. As well as homes, the settlement would include more than a dozen schools, many recreation and leisure areas and several economic and business zones.

GMI chairman Peter Gilman said the development would help address the pressing need for extra houses in the Leeds city region.

"We are delighted to be involved in one of the Government's visionary programmes.

"We believe that our expertise, track record of successful public sector partnerships and commitment to environmental best practice will ensure that Willow Green will be a model for the new towns of the 21st century."

Selby MP John Grogan welcomed the proposal. He said: "Plans for an eco-town in Selby district are at an early stage. I myself will be backing the idea. I think having a green town of the future in the old historic Osgoldcross area of Selby district would not only provide much needed affordable housing, but would improve services available to well established local villages.

"With careful planning I think the village character of Eggborough, Kellington and Whitley Bridge can be preserved just as for example Heslington has retained its identity even though it is adjacent to the University of York."

He said the Government would announce a list of proposed eco-towns in February and then a special planning and consultation process would begin.

Proposals for the eco-towns are still at the bidding stage. The Government has said the Leeds city region, including Selby and York, will have one eco-town. A York bid for a town immediately north of the ring road at Clifton Moor is being compiled by developers Hallam.

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akuma, York says...
3:21pm Wed 16 Jan 08

What exactly goes in an eco town?

Do you recon when you buy a house you sign a contract agreeing to be eco-friendly?

What happens if you break said contract?

Who enforces it?

Is it even legal?

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Elizabeth, york says...
3:25pm Wed 16 Jan 08

akuma wrote:
What exactly goes in an eco town? Do you recon when you buy a house you sign a contract agreeing to be eco-friendly? What happens if you break said contract? Who enforces it? Is it even legal?
the houses would be low carbon or carbon neutral.

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Human No.****, Earth says...
3:31pm Wed 16 Jan 08

15,000 houses will mean around 15,000 more cars spewing out poisons. Hardly 'eco'.

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Elizabeth, york says...
3:35pm Wed 16 Jan 08

Human No.**** wrote:
15,000 houses will mean around 15,000 more cars spewing out poisons. Hardly 'eco'.
True but car plus carbon neutral house is more eco friendly than car plus non-carbon neutral house.

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York Angry Man, York says...
3:35pm Wed 16 Jan 08

But what will the people who live in the 15,000 house do?

It's not exactly a hot-bed of industry or employment oppotunities.

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Human No.****, Earth says...
3:56pm Wed 16 Jan 08

So every house will be solar-powered? I don't think so. And where will the sewage go, in a compost heap?
It's just another way for developers to manipulate public opinion and make a big profit.

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dragonian, york says...
4:08pm Wed 16 Jan 08

To call it an "Eco village" is totally patronising and misleading. The use of this misnomer is merely to encourage blinkered government departments to allow such applications to pass through the system under the mistaken belief that they do not harm the environment. What utter TOSH! Eco-village = environmental destruction - simple as that!

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oli4uk, York says...
4:29pm Wed 16 Jan 08

The fact remains that there is a housing shortage in the UK, though it seems to be caused more by inflationa and low wages rather than lack of property.

And I have to admit I have my doubts as to how eco friendly this town will be.

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Stephen, York says...
5:02pm Wed 16 Jan 08

York Angry Man wrote:
But what will the people who live in the 15,000 house do? It's not exactly a hot-bed of industry or employment oppotunities.
Work in Leeds and York as usual. The new mono rail transport system 50ft up in the air being friendly to bunnies and with the central station slap bang in the middle of Eggborough, Kellington and Whitley Bridge all being turned into parking spaces for the new mono rail users.

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Pleb, York says...
6:51pm Wed 16 Jan 08

Any new town must be near a normal railway line or have a rail line built to keep road traffic to a minimum. The Leeds/Goole line already passes close to Eggborough and Whitley Bridge and could be improved for more trains.

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Mullarkian, York says...
7:52pm Wed 16 Jan 08

With luck they'll build it on the flood plain cos that's all there is round there.

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A user, Selby says...
8:53pm Wed 16 Jan 08

GMI has dubbed their proposed eco-town Willow Green. As well as homes, the settlement would include more than a dozen schools,

Seems a lot of schools for that number of houses or are they kids only houses. That would be eco friendly as they can not drive and therefore no carbon problem.

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magicman!, says...
9:15pm Wed 16 Jan 08

Soon..... the NIMBYs will come out in force.

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Louise, York says...
9:47pm Wed 16 Jan 08

Lets hope they build another secondary school too then, the catchment area's currently under Sherburn from what I gather and they don't have much room to spare for all these kids.

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rnr321, burn says...
10:56pm Wed 16 Jan 08

I think its a really bad idea, for the reasons below

1. most houses now have 2 cars thats an extra 30000 cars on the main roads Q. can the A19 take that , I dont think so.

2. how can that be more enviromentally friendly than building and eco town in the city suburbs when public transport is available . from where they are proposing to build where bth parties work both cars will have to be used.

3. do you know any body who wants t buy a house
on a flood plain? after recent events?

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yoda, selby says...
8:46am Thu 17 Jan 08

does this mean that there will be more organic goods available in kellingtons corner shop ,because at the moment it is pretty ropey !

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mb, Eggborough says...
11:33am Mon 21 Jan 08

people moved to eggborough from surrounding dumps to get away from anti social behaviour etc is there going to be land set aside as a nature walk etc for horseriding dog walking etc as these villages have an animal loving nature. and what about present house prices are they set to plummet due to these plans

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mb, Eggborough says...
11:53am Mon 21 Jan 08

a better site for this would be between whitley and askern

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applemac, eggborough says...
2:08pm Tue 22 Jan 08

These houses are supposed to enable first time buyers to get on the property ladder,but I have heard that york property investors are expecting to buy alot of these properties for rental purposes and make huge returns as rented property is drying up in york.

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Stu M, Knaresborough says...
3:37pm Thu 3 Apr 08

Fair play to JG for sticking his neck out on this one. I used to live in Selby, and the area could do with a shot in the arm. At the minute it's just under a 'critical' population to make the town sufficiently important to be recognised, and this could be a good solution. Ultimately, for every 'whinger' on this site, there will be one person looking for a house. By creating supply, it will help this situation. We're all going to have to stop being a nation of NIMBYs if we want to start resolving many of the issues we've got - it's like folk who demonstrate against phone masts, but use a mobile themselves. Take responsibility and learn that we all have to make some sacrifices if we want to make things better.

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