GOVERNMENT DELIVERS FUNDING BOOST TO ECO SETTLEMENT PLANS (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

GOVERNMENT DELIVERS FUNDING BOOST TO ECO SETTLEMENT PLANS

March 9, 2010 12:00 AM

The Department for Communities and Local Government has today announced that York will receive £275,00 from the Government's Eco Development Fund to build demonstration eco homes on the former British Sugar Site.

York will also receive a share of £750,000 which has been allocated to fund the planning of the Urban Eco Settlement.

The funding is part of £1.2m which has been allocated to the Leeds City Region to support the Urban Eco Settlement proposals and will enable additional work on the LDF and master planning to be undertaken, including detailed studies on energy, environmental infrastructure and transport.

An education and information show home at York North west will also provide a base for training in sustainable construction techniques with links to the University of York's academy, helping to secure York's status as a centre of excellence for low carbon construction.

Liberal Democrat Leader of City of York Council, Councillor Andrew Waller is Chair of the Leeds City Region Housing Panel and has been working to secure the government funding.

Councillor Waller welcomed the announcement saying, "Once again things are moving in York and this key project is about setting York out as a centre of excellence for a low carbon future."

"It is great news that the Council's programme of eco housing through the city region is going to get Government funding for planning. I will now be working with the Homes and Communities Agency and British Sugar to get the investment needed to build the homes on this brown field site."

"The Urban Eco Settlements proposal which has been developed by Leeds City Region is far better than the Government's Eco Towns proposal and I am glad that the Government have recognised that this is the best way to deliver low carbon homes."