Eco Town Report

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Learning rom Europe on eco-towns

Eco-Town Report

Main menuClick on chapters below

Executive Summary

1 Introduction:Learning from Europe on eco-towns

2 The Context:The context eco-cities and eco-towns

The Challenges:The objectives for eco-towns

4 Case studies:The case studies and the key steps

5 Learning:Learning from the case studies

6 Skills:Developing new skills for

eco-communities

7 Conclusions:Investment, recommendations

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Executive SummaryLearning rom Europe on eco-towns

Eco Town Report: Learning from Europe on eco-towns

The British governments recent Eco-town

Programme represents a challenge in the

way we develop new housing and new

communities in the United Kingdom. The

programme seeks to address the principles o

sustainable development, build sustainable

communities and achieve sustainable living

through new urban developments and

expansions. It seeks to balance smarter

land use, housing construction, access topublic transport and local work; with social

integration and principles o social inclusion

and aordability. State-o-the-art green

building, energy and transport technologies

and materials are to be used in an urban

development context. The task is to ensure

zero-carbon housing and that energy

eiciencies are achieved through waste

reduction, energy conservation technologies

and use o more sustainable sources o

energy. Eco-towns are to be the communitieso the uture.

The search or a more sustainable way o

lie is not new but a new momentum o

interest is currently spreading across Europe.

The Bristol Accord (ODPM, 2005), agreed by

the European Union twenty-seven member

states in 2005, established the undamental

concepts o sustainable communities and

there has been an increasing interest and

commitment to a new European strategy,

as well as new national programmes. Eco-

towns are one example o sustainable

communities and in the United Kingdom, the

eco-town programme is as important as the

garden cities and new towns programmes.

An important starting point has to be the

need to avoid the same mistakes we made in

the rush to build ity years ago and to learn

rom the more successul examples in Europe

and elsewhere in the world.

In the United Kingdom, the criteria or eco-

towns, as set in the Eco-towns Prospectus

(DCLG, 2007a) are:

eco-towns must be new settlements,

separate and distinct rom existing towns

but well linked to them. They are additional

to existing plans, with a minimum target o

5,000 homes

the development as a whole should reach

zero-carbon standards, and each town is to

be an exemplar in at least one area o

environmental sustainability

eco-town proposals should provide or a

good range o acilities within the town

a secondary school, a medium-scale retail

centre, good quality business space and

leisure acilities

aordable housing should make up

between thirty and ity per cent o the

total housing stock through a wide rangeand distribution o tenures in mixed

communities, with a particular emphasis

on larger amily homes

a management body is to be created which

will help develop the town, provide support

or businesses and people moving to the

new community, co-ordinate delivery o

services and manage acilities.

2

> Executive Summary

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1.Intro 2.Context 3.Challenges 4.Case studies 5.Learning 6.Skills 7.Conclusions
http://www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/international/The-Bristol-Accordhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdfhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdfhttp://www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/international/The-Bristol-Accord


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This report examines the evidence rom

the most advanced eco-towns and cities in

the European Union and reports on much

larger developments in Asia at city level,

particularly Chinas ambitions. In Europe, the

report examines the challenges which have

arisen and the learning and skills issues which

need to be understood by eco-town builders

by using the our Cs ramework o the

Cambridge Quality Charter or Growth:Climate

Connectivity

Community

Character

Across each o the our Cs, perhaps the

most important ingredients relevant to the

success o eco-towns are partnership and

collaboration. I the new eco-towns can

make rapid progress on the our Cs, it will

greatly assist the skills challenge ahead.

Chapter 4 presents individual case studies

and lessons arising rom Europe and Asia:

Amersfoort, the Netherlands

Freiburg, Germany

Hammarby Sjstad, Sweden

Zaragoza, Spain

Dongtan, China

European eco-towns have beneited rom

strong local authorities, deeply committed

to the sustainable development agenda

over a long period. In Sweden, Germany

and the Netherlands, there is over twenty-

ive years o experience in developing eco-

living strategies, and stronger evidence o

achievement in environmental goals and

objectives. In Spain and China there is a

renewed commitment to eco-town and city

experiments. In Chapter 4 we examine in

detail case studies that are generally recognised

as leading examples o eco-towns or cities,

however, many communities and cities aroundthe world are already beginning to ollow in

the ootsteps o these pioneering places.

Chapter 5examines the lessons rom the case

studies and argues that there are seven steps

to successul eco-town developments which

need to be addressed in the period ahead:

Locating growth

Agreeing development rameworks

Drawing up master plansOrchestrating inrastructure

Selling plots to builders and corporations

Building to higher standards

Fostering new communities

The report presents the case or a European

learning programme and or all the potential

sites in England to participate in a learning

community which brings together public,

private and voluntary sector stakeholders.As part o the new dialogue that needs

to take place, the successul sites or new

eco-communities will, or example, all need

community inormation centres or eco-living,

Amersoort, the

Netherlands.

Zaragoza, Spain.Hammarby Sjstad,

Sweden.

Freiburg, Germany. Dongtan, China.

3

Executive SummaryLearning rom Europe on eco-towns> Executive Summary


http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-dongtan-china.html#overviewhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-dongtan-china.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overview


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like that o the Glasshouse in Hammarby

Sjstad in Sweden. They will need to

investigate the economics o green-building,

wind and solar energy and new carbon-

saving technologies.

Chapter 6 begins to address the new skills

that are required or building and sustaining

eco-towns and communities. The European

case studies bring out the main indingsrom these more advanced eco-towns and

highlight that skills are required in leadership,

entrepreneurship, building consensus,

negotiating, inancial management,

partnership working, conlict resolution,

breakthrough thinking as well as newer

green skills or applying the new green-

building and environmental technologies.

The report concludes in Chapter 7 that

a work programme is needed or the nextthree years which learns more rom this

earlier European experience, seeks to build

UK capacity, and brings together the public

and private stakeholders to harness a

successul eco-towns programme. Planners

and architects must be active co-ordinators

and negotiators who can work across many

sectors and boundaries particularly land,

transport, waste, energy, green-building

and construction, and green business

development.

The report recommends that national,

regional and local agencies and organisations

work together to develop an Eco-town

Learning Capacity Building Programme to

build the skills o those proessionals tasked

with delivering the UK eco-town programme.

The European Commission can be asked to

join the initiative and accelerate collaboration

across Europe.

The study o the European case studies

has yielded important lessons or the British

eco-town programme both in terms o the

process and methods ollowed to conceive,

implement and deliver successul eco-town

projects. The case studies also provide an

indication o the skills required o those

proessionals engaged in the challenge

o delivering these eco-towns.

The our Cs ramework o analysis has

identiied a irst set o conclusions on

engaging with the concept and delivery

o eco-towns, and this broadly ollows

our key themes:

building in the right places

working with and or the local community

implementing proven ways o saving

natural resources

creating comortable and appealing places.

The kinds o skills that are needed to build

a new generation o eco-towns mean that

there is no alternative to learning by doing.

Together with the technical skills required, a

number o generic skills have been broadly

identiied as being essential in the successul

delivery o British eco-towns. These are in

the areas o: breakthrough thinking, analysis

and decision making; partnership workingand conlict resolution; negotiating inance

and stakeholder management; green skills

and applying new green technologies; and

managing change, leadership and community

engagement. It should be possible to provide

the space needed or people to learn new

skills as well as enabling organisations

to proceed down the learning curve. In

learning to work better together and crossing

proessional and sectorial boundaries, a

number o actions are called or, particularly


4



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in the localities that are seeking to implement

eco-towns that go ar beyond standard practice.

An Eco-towns Learning Capacity Building

Programme needs to be developed to:

incentivise local authorities and city regions

to build learning capacity

support leadership development in localities

develop key sta and create a common

purpose in teams

build local project teams and develop team-

building expertise on a cross-boundary and

interdisciplinary basis

share experience and encourage

collaboration across Europe and globally

sharpen inancial and green business

development skills

create awareness o zero-carbon

and green technologies.

The report recommends that local learning

networks should be established to bring

stakeholders together and put them in touch

with others who are also at the leading edge

o innovation. Partnership unding could be

sought rom partnerships with universities,

regional development agencies and key

learning institutions to devise and und a

capacity building programme.

Key national agencies engaged in theeco-town agenda should:

promote more European exchanges

develop eco-town city management

programmes

support looking and learning workshops

develop key themes and projects and key

interpretation centres

build on European and international

best practice

bring those proessionals working within

eco-town localities together to share

experiences on a national scale.

Local authorities engaged in eco-town

development also have a role to:

promote more European exchanges

and apply European and international

best practice

actively engage with looking and learning

workshops by participation

develop eco-town city management

programmes

accelerate investment in the inrastructures

or environmentally sound local economies.


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1.1 IntroductionEco-cities, eco-towns and eco-communities1

are now a priority or the United Kingdom. On

4 November 2008, Housing Minister Margaret

Beckett MP launched the second stage o the

eco-town consultation programmewith the

publication o a number o key documents

aimed at making sure that eco-towns are well

designed and built to the highest possible

environmental standards. The search or a moresustainable way o living and the promotion o

the environment and sustainable development

has intensiied since the publication o the

Stern Review (Stern 2006), which stressed

that climate change will aect everyone. The

dilemma is balancing the dierent acets o

urban development including new housing,

transport, energy and social inrastructure with

the promotion o social cohesion and citizenship.

Sustaining the viability o cities and city centres

also has to be achieved whilst giving more

weight to environmental actors and the

saeguarding o natural resources, including our

urban and rural heritage. This means we have to

develop new models o urban living i we are to

promote more sustainable development. This is

increasingly recognised as a key priority, both in

the United Kingdom and in Europe. TheBristol

Accord (ODPM 2005) and the Sustainable

Communities Agenda (DEFRA 2006) ocused

attention on European ambitions or sustainablecommunities. The climate change agenda is

also promoting renewed interest in the need to

build new communities at neighbourhood, town

and city levels, which apply the most advanced

approaches to sustainable living.

In England, eco-towns are to be new small

towns o 5,000-20,000 houses that will be

built using the best techniques in design,

architecture and planning. This is in order to

exploit the potential or creating completely

new settlements that achieve zero carbon

development and allow or more sustainable

living. This process is spawning interest in the

concept throughout Europe and is also now

being adopted in the United States, the Middle

East, China and elsewhere in Asia. One should

be aware that the scale o the eco-cities being

proposed, in China or example, is ar abovethat o the UK examples.

This short report examines places in Europe

and the emerging examples in China that

are leading the way in applying eco-town

principles. It seeks to identiy the skills that

are required to turn eco-principles into best

practice and to transer good practice rom

places that are currently in the lead in Europe

to the UK. The report deals with the challenges

and responses, beore identiying how totackle the skills issues. The recommendations

will support HCA Academy to lead and

coordinate the activity o others in the sector

and set out learning that can inluence and

shape activity in the UK on eco-towns.

The report concludes with some simple

recommendations to help support the change

makers in a UK context.

It argues or much greater European exchange

and collaboration to drive the eco-town

development process in the UK over the

next three years.

1Terminology has not been clariied or the UK and in Europe a number o terminologies exist. In this report, we consolidateterminologies at three spatial levels: eco-cities reers to developments larger in size than the DCLG deinition o 5,000-15,000homes, and eco-community is a term used in this report to relect the lower tier in urban geography, namely that o aneighbourhood or a group o neighbourhoods.

Introduction:Learning rom Europe on eco-towns1> 1.1 Introduction



> 1.2 Methodology
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1030523http://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern.htmhttp://www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/international/The-Bristol-Accordhttp://www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/international/The-Bristol-Accordhttp://www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/international/The-Bristol-Accordhttp://www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/international/The-Bristol-Accordhttp://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern.htmhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1030523


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>1.2 Methodology

What is an eco-city?

A Green City, or eco-city, is an ecologicallyhealthy city. No such city presently exists.

We do, however, see hints o Green Cities

emerging in todays solar, wind and recycling

technologies, in green buildings and

green businesses, in urban environmental

restoration projects, urban gardening and

organic arming, and in individuals using oot,

bicycle and public modes o transportation

in preerence to the automobile. Car-ree

urban centres, mixed-use and balanced

development projects represent land use

and architectural changes moving in the right

direction, too.

But despite such positive signs and eorts,

the much larger trend around the world is

toward cars and sprawl. And now we areat a point o crisis in the way we live, which

is largely determined by the way we build.

This continuing trend is promoting global

warming, species extinction, loss o habitat

and agricultural land, serious public health

problems and even war.

The alternate approach calls or urban

diversity at close proximity, instead o

scattered uniormity. It calls or land uses,

architecture and a steadily and rapidly

growing inrastructure or pedestrians,

bicyclists and transit.

1.2 MethodologyIn Europe and globally, we begin to explore the

concept o UK eco-towns and eco-town issuesin relation to a set o chosen case studies o

successul and step change interventions. Our

irst challenge has been relating existing activity

outside the UK to the concept or the UK eco-

towns as deined in theEco-towns Prospectus.

Whilst there are many similarities between

activity proposed in the UK and existing

examples outside the UK, there are also many

dierences. For instance, the concepts o

sustainable communities and social inclusionare stronger in the Zaragoza and Amersfoort

contexts than in Hammarby Sjstad.

Aordability is important in theZaragoza

example, whilst generating uel and energy

rom waste is more advanced in Hammarby.

The case studies have thus been chosen in

relation to the ollowing criteria:

Replicability. The biggest emphasis was given

to relating successul European eco-towns to

the reality o towns and cities beyond the

proposed iteen sites. For example:

Freiburgcorresponds to a typical British

middle-sized university town;Hammarby is associated with a capital city

lagship development, which has links to

Zaragoza, Spain.



>1.1 Introduction
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdfhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdfhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/zaragosa/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1030523http://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Hammarby/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/zaragosa/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Hammarby/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Hammarby/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/zaragosa/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Hammarby/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1030523http://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/zaragosa/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdf


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>1.2 Methodology

sports (similar to Londons 2012 Olympiad

proposals);

Zaragoza, being a typical regional capital,

seeks to address issues o cohesion, social

integration and most importantly aordability

in its housing provision. This relates to UK cities

with strong cultural and industrial heritages,

such as Glasgow, Manchester or Leeds.

Reliability. It was seen as preerable or case

studies to have been lived in or tried and

tested, as this would provide the best set o

lessons or the UK perspective, particularly an

improved and more rounded understanding o

the skills needed.

Pioneering thinking. A balance was sought

between well known and more documented

examples o success within the latest thinking

on eco-town development. Oten, more

recent case studies presented the challenge o

having a less detailed account, as work is still

underway, and a good example o this is the

Dongtan eco-city in China.

Analysis has been based on the conceptual

ramework o the Cambridge Growth Chartersour Cs as this provides a practical model or

conveying the variety o issues associated with

each individual theme (climate, community,

connectivity and character). The narrative aims

to draw on debate to date and urther open

the dialogue that needs to take place in a UK

context in order to deliver successul eco-towns.



>1.1 Introduction
http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Dongtan/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/get_binary_doc_object.cgi?doc_id=275&fname=extra_pdf_6.pdfhttp://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/get_binary_doc_object.cgi?doc_id=275&fname=extra_pdf_6.pdfhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Dongtan/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overview


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The context:Eco-cities and eco-towns


9

2Main Findings

House building rates and environmental

standards in Europe have been much

higher than in the UK over the last

couple o decades.

This research draws on case studies

that are generally recognised as

leading examples and that, or themost part, have already been

documented by a range o

commentators.

Though the national context diers,

there are similarities in the approach

taken in Europe, and also in China, in

the way public, and in particular local

authorities, are leading the way.

What is unique to the UK is the

attempt to create large ree-standingsettlements, like the earlier New Town

programme; hence international

experience is relevant.

2.1 IntroductionERBEDU started with a European overview,

having reported on the progress o

sustainable communities or the European

Parliament (EP 2007), and URBED reviewed

experience o regeneration in dierent

European countries through a project unded

by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation ( JRF

2008). Researchers identiied the leading

edge examples o new communities throughstudy tours and European appraisal. ERBEDU

and URBED then selected a number o case

study localities that appeared to be at

the oreront o eorts to cut energy use,

develop zero carbon liestyles and build

eco-communities as urban extensions.

In the Netherlands, the study ocussed

on new settlements around the historic

town o Amersfoortin the Randstadt region

(equivalent to Greater London and its

surrounds), which was one o eighteen

localities to respond to the challenge o

the Dutch governments Vinex

Growth programme.

> 2.1 Introduction

Hammarby Sjstad, Sweden.



>2.2 Contextual differences and simlarities >2.3 Conclusion
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> 2.2 Contextual dierences and similarities

In Germany the urban extensions o Vauban

and Rieseleld in Freiburg in South West

Germany have been chosen. Though similar

projects can also be ound in other German

university cities like Tubingen, Freiburg isregarded as a pioneer in solar energy.

In Sweden, the case study o the major

development in HammarbySjstad,

Stockholm has been chosen. There are

similar projects in Sweden, like the Norra

Alvstraden (meaning Northern Riverside)

in Gothenberg and Malm.

In Spain the report has drawn on Zaragoza,

where Ecociudad Valdespartera is being

developed as a major eco-city. In2008-2009, Zaragoza will host the Expo

Zaragoza2008 with a water and sustainable

development theme.

In China the ocus is on recent developments

in Dongtan and the agreement with Arup to

build the irst o ive Chinese eco-cities.

Other Asian and Middle East examples are

developing these ideas, the latest o which is

the Masdar City scheme or Abu Dhabi and

one in the making or Pune, India. The task

here is applied to larger eco-cities rather than

the smaller UK eco-towns. Given the scale

and population o these world cities, energy

and environmental management are

becoming the key to achieving sustainable

development goals and demand a dierent

scale o new urban planning.

2.2 Contextual dierencesand similaritiesThe ive countries have very dierent

histories and ways o lie, but are similarin the way they are seeking to tackle the

building o sustainable communities, even

though their institutions and unding regimes

dier or example:

The Chinese example operates with a high

level o state control

Germany and Spain are ederal states and

regional government plays a key role

Sweden and the Netherlands both have

monarchies and are classiied as liberaldemocracies with high levels o tax

In all ive o the case studies, the local

authorities are playing a strong proactive

role in place-making.

In the United Kingdom, the more

individualistic and adversarial culture is still

much more inluenced by practice in the

USA (the evidence is set out in the literature

review inRegeneration in European Cities,JRF 2008). This ails to create the necessary

dynamism and integration o the key

proessions in the built environment and

doesnt bring together the wider layer o

stakeholders e.g. in energy, waste, transport

companies, agencies and community

development which are oten included rom

the start in the European case studies.

The European cases display a higher degree

o collaboration between the public and

corporate sectors. The beneits o greater

collaboration are that less time is spent in

abortive projects, the private sector can

invest with greater conidence and less risk,

and the dierent elements in a development

can be joined-up with greater synergy.

British experts who have made European

comparisons, such as Proessor Michael

Parkinson (Parkinson 2007), have noticedsimilarities or example, in the respect

paid to technical education and to positiveAmersoort, the Netherlands.



2.1 Introduction > 2.3 Conclusion
http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-dongtan-china.html#overviewhttp://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2177-regeneration-urban-environment.pdfhttp://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2177-regeneration-urban-environment.pdfhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-dongtan-china.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overview


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11

planning which helps to explain some

European cities economic success. Others

have suggested that, elsewhere in Europe,

government is not so centralised and regional

governments and local authorities have

more control over the destinies o the places

they administer, as in Germany and Spain.

In the European examples, localities also

have to deal with less industrial dereliction.

Geographic proximity in Northern Europe has

been reinorced by ast public transport links

and active participation in the European Union

and, or instance, eager participation in its

energy and environmental programmes.

The German and Dutch advances in transport

planning and inrastructure are now spreading

to other European countries such as Spain.

They have not tended to look to the USA

or inspiration, as in the UK, even though it

is common or their planners to be luent

in English. What is being suggested in this

report is that much greater attention needs

to be paid to the exchange o best practice

in Europe and in the EU27 (the European

Unions 27 Member States) something thathas been recognised by the HCA Academy

and the European Urban Knowledge Network

(EUKN) in 2008.

The search or European examples also led to

the examination o progress in Asia and the

USA. China has recently committed itsel to

the eco-city concept and there is also strong

interest in states like Caliornia in the USA

and in cities such as Seattle. In all o theselocalities, local and regional authorities are

seeking to lead the way in developing new

techniques and urban planning concepts to

apply to the eco-town approach. All have

lessons that need to be shared with eco-

town localities in the United Kingdom.

>2.3 Conclusion

2.3 ConclusionIn the UK, government ministers have

announced that all new UK homes will

be zero carbon by 2016 (DCLG 2008b).English Partnerships has a lagship zero-

carbon homes programme underway, and

plans or new eco-towns will be tested

through the new regional spatial strategies

which regional development agencies

(RDAs) have to bring orward rom 2009,

alongside local development rameworks

rom local authorities. These experiences

could help in reducing risks and speeding

up implementation.

Signiicantly, the governments strategy is

to create ree-standing new towns o at least

5,000 homes, which makes it diicult to ind

precedents. The aims are very ambitious

and the altering progress o some o the

Millennium Villages programme (DCLG 1999)

suggests an urgent need to ace up to the

obstacles and not be overconident about

what planning can deliver on its own.

Here, the eco-towns programmes will need

to examine the experience rom Europe and

internationally, and build missing skills in the

UK. This report provides a contribution to

that process.



>2.1 Introduction >2.2 Contextual differences and similarities
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3.1 Building capacityEco-towns are to pilot new thinking and

advanced technologies that will eventually

become standard i we are to build new

communities which will stand the test o time

and climate change. The Callcutt Review on

Housing Delivery (Callcutt, 2007) reers to

Britain leaprogging the rest o Europe and

this idea is already generating considerable

controversy, as inevitably it involves building

on some greenield sites and locations where

there is little inrastructure. The minister or

local government has called or Lietime

Neighbourhoods and there is a new stress

on changing resistant behaviour in both the

United Kingdom and Europe (see Caroline

Flints speech at Ecobuild 2008 conerence

London 27th Feb 2008)F.

Case studies o leading edge mixed

communities orEnglish Partnerships and the

Housing Corporation show that even the best

examples still suer rom operating problems(URBED, 2008). The rate o building in the UK

has been much slower than on the European

continent and has been too slow to make any

impact on aordability. Visitors to European

success stories have been impressed by the

way that investment in physical and social

inrastructures has preceded, not ollowed,

the new housing.

As well as the designated eco-towns,

many other communities and cities will beseeking to uture-proo developmentsand working to create communities thatare truly sustainable. In doing so, many

will be conused over where to turn or

inspiration and how to make sense o a

barrage o competing concepts, rom One

Planet Living and environmental ootprints

to carbon budgets and water cycles (Rudlin,

1999). In particular, politicians, planners and

developers need to know how to overcome

the scepticism that greets the suggestion

The challenges or eco-towns3

Main Findings

The complex objectives make it important

to have a simple, comprehensive

ramework which needs to cover both the

process looking separately at vision,

strategy, inance and management and

also the product in terms o the our Cs

(connectivity, climate, community and

character), into which the governmentsobjectives conveniently it.

The issues involved in climate-prooing

require changing consumer behaviour, as

well as the use o environmental

technologies such as Combined Heat and

Power (CHP) to save energy and

Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDs) to save

water, plus separation and recycling o

waste and strong public transport planning.

Connectivity requires good links with jobs

and services, as well as cycling and walking

being given primacy at the local level.

Community involves providing social capital

early in the process to enable mixed

communities to develop and succeed,particularly where higher densities are

involved. The social enterprise and third

sector role and participation need to grow.

Character involves creating distinctive

neighbourhoods that look like somewhere,

rather than anywhere, and which

contribute to a strong local identity.

12

>3.1 Building capacity



> 3.2 Climate > 3.3 Connectivity > 3.4 Community>3.5 Character > 3.6 Conclusion
http://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/ecobuild2008http://www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/ecobuild2008http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/http://www.oneplanetliving.org/index.htmlhttp://www.oneplanetliving.org/index.htmlhttp://www.oneplanetliving.org/index.htmlhttp://www.oneplanetliving.org/index.htmlhttp://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/http://www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/ecobuild2008http://www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/ecobuild2008http://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdf


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13


that during the 21st century behaviour and

liestyles have to change. There are plenty o

books and articles about the need or a step

change, but limited practical advice on how

to turn visions into reality.

The prospectus published by the Town and

Country Planning Association (TCPA), and the

subsequent worksheets begin to go some

way in elaborating on these concepts. The

prospectus discusses the need to understand

the lessons and assess their transerability

Figure 1: The concept o the

Four Cs and UK eco-towns

Climate

Connectivity Community

Character

UK ECO-TOWNSand the FOUR Cs

Energy (e.g. Combined Heat and Power;

solar & wind power; eicient systems)

Water (minimisation o use; recycling;

re-using)Environment (consideration o eects o

climate change: prevention and

adaptation e.g. drainage and looding)

Planning or a low-carbon ootprint

Low-environmental

Employment opportunities

Access to jobs

Technology as the driver or rethinkingaccess and liestyles related to

employment

Transport

Eective public transport and links

(including adequate subsidised services)

Changing attitudes e.g. minimising use

o the car through encouraging car-

sharing and use o bicycles

Services

Good access to services Quality o service provision

Social mix (30%-50% aordable

housing; proessionals and highly

skilled)

Embedding sustainable community

principles

Governance (local democracy; citizen

empowerment, participation and

accountability)

Delivery organisation (joined-up

management across business and

community interests, social enterprise

and third sector capability)

Place-making

New design and high design standards

Attractiveness and desirability

Investment

Locally-based facilities



> 3.2 Climate > 3.3 Connectivity > 3.4 Community

>3.5 Character > 3.6 Conclusion
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14

UK Eco-towns and the Four Cs

In England, eco-towns are to be new small towns o 5,000-20,000 houses that will bebuilt using the best techniques in design, architecture and planning. This is in order toexploit the potential or creating completely new settlements that achieve zero carbondevelopment and allow or more sustainable living.

The key eatures to achieve are:i. places with a separate and distinct identity but good links to surrounding towns andcities in terms o jobs, transport and services CONNECTIVITY / CHARACTER

ii.the development as a whole to be carbon-neutral and to be an exemplar in at leastone area o environment technology CLIMATE

iii. a good range o acilities within the town including a secondary school, shops,business space and leisure acilities COMMUNITY / CHARACTER

iv. between 30-50 % aordable housing with a good mix o tenure and size o homesin mixed communities COMMUNITY

v. a delivery organisation to manage the town and its development as well asproviding support or people, businesses and community services COMMUNITY

rom examples in the UK and overseas.

The initial worksheets highlight the need

to learn rom Europe in particular, with a

headline in Planning magazine Eco-towns

to shift transport paradigm, or example,

with regard to giving pedestrians and

cyclists priority (Planning, 2008). Further to

this, HCA Academy and the TCPA ran eight

regional seminars to generate awareness

and understanding o the governments

eco-towns initiative and the skills required

to deliver it. The seminars have begun to

generate the debate needed in the UK and

this report has drawn learning rom some o

these key seminars.

Because there are dozens o actors to

consider in assessing proposals, there is a

need or a simple ramework or organising

inormation and learning. Having considered

the main themes set out in the governments

eco-towns prospectus and the importance

o giving equal weight to social, economicand environmental considerations, we

have used a ramework or analysing case

studies that has already proven its worth in

Cambridgeshire, where one o the potential

demonstration projects, Northstowe, is

located. The ramework considers both the

process and the product. The process is

broken down into our main steps, which

emerged rom research into the renaissance

o twenty-our towns and cities in the

UK (DCLG, 2002). These are vision (and





1.Intro 2.Context 4.Case studies 5.Learning 6.Skills 7.Conclusions3.Challenges




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15

the closely related topic o community

engagement), strategy, inance, and the

management needed to maintain the

momentum which together enable the

public, private and voluntary sectors to work

in collaboration. Case studies in Chapter 4

highlight exemplary achievements o the

successul application o these main steps in

instances deemed to exceed the UK norm.

The product or outcomes need to

be considered in their context (both

geographical, historical, and including the size

and prosperity o the location). It can also beanalysed in terms o what we reer to as the

our Cs (connectivity, climate, community

and character), as used in the Cambridge

Growth Charter (which in turn draws

on inspiration rom the Charter for New

Urbanism in the USA and the New Zealand

Design Protocol). These terms tie in with

the themes in the Eco-towns Prospectus,

but orm convenient shorthand. Figure 1

illustrates some o these connections, with

examples across each o the our Cs.

Eco-towns will develop the

ollowing outcomes:

environmental technologies

high design standards

travel plans promoting public transport

community empowerment and

community assets

economic strategies based on local workhealthy and sustainable environments

green inrastructures.

3.2 ClimateThe basic concept o an eco-town involves

changing consumer behaviour (as mentioned

in statements by Henry Cleary, Head o the

Growth Areas Division, DCLG and Caroline

Flint MP). It requires reductions in theconsumption o energy, water and materials

rom non-renewable sources. In a home

built to current regulations, space heating

accounts or only 3% o carbon emissions,

compared with 13% or waste and 18% or

personal transport. Food produced ar away

is one o the worst oenders. As Pooran

Desai, Sustainability Director or developer

Bioregional Quintain Ltd, has commented:

We cannot think simply of building new

eco-homes. It wont in itself save much

carbon. Instead we must build places

where is it easy to lead an eco-friendly

lifestyle; places where it is easy to walk

and cycle; places that are far less car-dependent, where it is easy to recycle

and where we have ready access to local,

seasonal organic produce.(Desai, 2007).

While there have been considerable

technological advances in building green

homes, attempts to apply them in the UK

on any scale have not yet materialised

through inancial and technical diiculties:

or example, the introduction o Combined

Heat and Power (CHP) plants have experienced

some technical problems and have ailed

in certain areas because the process was

deemed uneconomic. In Germany, or

comparison, greater success appears to have

been achieved where the Feed-in Tari

provides incentives or local generation; solar

power produces twenty times the energy;

and, by 2020, it is planned that each unit o

GDP will require hal the energy consumed

in 1990.

Similarly, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems

(SUDS) have been implemented attractively in

a number o schemes in the UK, but in some

instances builders have ailed to get the levels

right resulting in ongoing problems with litter

cluttering up drainage ditches. Considerable

eorts have been made to promote the use

o local energy generation but there have

been reported disagreements over whether

their introduction will deter house-buildersrom paying the land values needed to make


> 3.2 Climate



> 3.3 Connectivity > 3.4 Community


> 3.1 Building capacity
http://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/get_binary_doc_object.cgi?doc_id=275&fname=extra_pdf_6.pdfhttp://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/get_binary_doc_object.cgi?doc_id=275&fname=extra_pdf_6.pdfhttp://www.cnu.org/charterhttp://www.cnu.org/charterhttp://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/urban/design-protocol/index.htmlhttp://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/urban/design-protocol/index.htmlhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdfhttp://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ecotowns.pdfhttp://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/urban/design-protocol/index.htmlhttp://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/urban/design-protocol/index.htmlhttp://www.cnu.org/charterhttp://www.cnu.org/charterhttp://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/get_binary_doc_object.cgi?doc_id=275&fname=extra_pdf_6.pdfhttp://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/get_binary_doc_object.cgi?doc_id=275&fname=extra_pdf_6.pdf


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16

development viable. Attempts to pioneer

new ways o living in the UK have produced

surprisingly ew true eco-homes to date.

Common problems to be overcome include:

making new technology inancially viable

and attractive to home buyers

persuading house-builders and developers

to invest in Modern Methods of Construction

securing support rom the utility companies

or co-generation and green energy schemes

achieving critical mass.

The eco-town programme will need tostudy the UK experience in light o European

achievements and experiences in this area.

HCA AcademyS demystiying climate change

tool is a good step orward in this area

3.3 ConnectivityHaving well-built homes would still not

achieve the aims o eco-towns i residents

used their cars as much as they currently do

in the UK. As high-quality public transportsystems are expensive to install and operate,

much depends on situating new communities

in locations that already have a good basic

inrastructure and that are close to sources o

jobs and services. We have seen some o the

diiculties or cities like Leeds in obtaining

national support or light rail transport

investments and the need or much greater

investment in light rail projects, or example.

Problems to be overcome include:

securing good public transport in advance o

residents moving in

securing inance or public transport and

encouraging public transport authorities and

private companies to work with the local

authorities at city-region level

dealing with parking and encouraging use o

public transport

encouraging walking and cycling or

shorter trips

setting targets or modal changes

access to local jobs

securing coordination with retail and leisure

investors plus employers who need to

develop transport plans.

3.4 CommunityThere is growing agreement that social

inrastructure and social capital are as

important as physical inrastructure in

enabling mixed communities to develop and

succeed. This is particularly important where

there are relatively high densities that depend

on sharing communal space. The Town

and Country Planning Association (TCPA)

and the Development Trust Association

(DTA) have produced clear guides to thesocial inrastructure that is required, but

there are major problems in securing the

necessary agreements in advance o a

community moving in. I service charges and

management arrangements are not resolved

at the time when development agreements

are drawn up the quality o lie will suer,

with conlicts arising between owner-

occupiers and those in rented accommodation

(URBED 2007 a/b). Also, subsequent

residents may object to what is being done i

the basic principles o the master plan are not

clearly communicated.


> 3.3 Connectivity > 3.4 Community

Freiburg, Germany.



> 3.2 Climate


http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/mmc.htmhttp://climatechange.ascskills.org.uk/http://www.tcpa.org.uk/http://www.tcpa.org.uk/http://www.dta.org.uk/http://www.dta.org.uk/http://www.tcpa.org.uk/http://www.tcpa.org.uk/http://climatechange.ascskills.org.uk/http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/mmc.htm


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17

Common problems include:

providing basic shops and services on time

delivering services or children and

young people

avoiding and dealing with anti-social

behaviour

providing well looked-ater public spaces

bringing communities together and tackling

social cohesion.

3.5 CharacterThe area that has received most attention,

in part due to the eorts o the Commission

or Architecture and the Built Environment

(CABE), is the design or appearance o new

communities. Eco-towns are intended to

have recognisable identities or their dierent

neighbourhoods. Complaints have been

made about the standard products that the

volume house-builders mostly build. The

greatest criticisms in the audits carried out

or CABE have been made o suburbandevelopments carried out by a consortium

o house-builders. In the UK, unlike the rest

o Europe, small builders ind it very hard to

obtain sites because house-builders make

most o their proits (and share value) rom

getting planning permission or their land

banks. Housing Associations oten innovate,

but cannot do so i they depend on buying

homes rom private house-builders. The

Callcutt Review (Callcutt 2007) recommended

that small builders should get more sites to

break the eective monopoly o the volume

house-builders that is resulting in the same

number o similarly designed homes being

built each year.

Common problems identiied by CABEand others include:

places that look like anywhere, with too

little sense o place

a public realm that looks stark and is

dominated by hard suraces or cars

layouts determined by Highways Engineers:

or example, roads wide enough or

municipal vehicles to pass, which appear

to be lacking in design integration

and inspiration.


> 3.5 Character

Amersoort, the Netherlands.




> 3.6 Conclusion

http://www.cabe.org.uk/http://www.cabe.org.uk/http://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.callcuttreview.co.uk/downloads/callcuttreview_221107.pdfhttp://www.cabe.org.uk/http://www.cabe.org.uk/


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18

3.6 ConclusionTo build a new generation o eco-townsrequires new ways o thinking. Eco-towns

require a high degree o partnership and

collaboration between public, private and

built-environment proessionals, energy,

waste and transport companies, and local

residents. In the UK we need to think through

what is required by the proessions and the

new teams which will bring together the

public, private and third sectors to work

on a holistic approach to the eco-towns

programme. The number o stakeholders is

vast. Time and eort has to be spent in team

building, public participation and citizens

involvement. Too oten we ail to develop

the necessary working arrangements and

opposition to new developments in the UK

show that even the most well-intentioned

plans can easily run into the ground.

I eco-towns are to succeed, dedicated

leadership is needed, bringing the relevantlocalities and stakeholders together to ocus

on the product, the outcomes and issues.

Private and public sector agencies will need

to look at the eort required to achieve a

more integrated common purpose. Individual

local authorities will need to assess their

resources and assemble multi-disciplinary

teams to generate the new thinking that

is required.


> 3.6 Conclusion

Freiburg, Germany.




>3.5 Character



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19


The case studies and the key steps4

Main Findings

In Amersfoort, the Dutch have used a

ten-year housing programme to develop

ninety new settlements and a million

new homes. The programme shows

how collaboration can be made to work

with targets being set to exceed national

standards or reducing emissions and

energy consumption.

Freiburg in Germany has led the way in

applying renewable sources o energy

and in achieving a modal shit towards

cycling and public transport. Housing is

designed to minimise energy consumption

and a signiicant amount o housing is

either passive or even plus energy

eicient. The national Feed-in Tari

scheme has also been instrumental in

allowing small producers and investors

in renewable sources to lourish locally.

Hammarby Sjostad in Sweden is a

prime example o local authority led

sustainable development. Innovative

methods o water treatment and waste

disposal have made Hammarby an

international example o best practice

in sustainable communities.

Zaragoza is an important eco-city

demonstration project or the whole o

Spain and ocuses in particular on

sustainable energy management

systems and social housing.

Dongtan in China is the irst o the

Chinese eco-cities. It is developing a

master plan or a new city o 500,000

people in Greater Shanghai. Lessons here

so ar relate to scale and measure o

ambition to develop sustainable housing.

4.1 IntroductionThere is potentially a lot to learn rom Europe.

European countries, particularly Sweden, the

Netherlands and Germany, have been putting

the principles o sustainable communities into

practice or many decades. More recently,

Spain has made a major commitment

to sustainable development principles.Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands

have prioritised promoting alternatives to the

car, such as improved public transport and

the bicycle, or decades. The Netherlands, in

particular, has consistently built new homes at

several times the United Kingdom (UK) rate.

Continental homes are also much larger and

better insulated than buildings in the UK. In

European cities there appears to be greater

equality and ewer inter-city, regional and

sub-regional disparities than are associatedAmersoort, the Netherlands.

>4.1 Introduction

with the UK (see Dorling 2007), combined

with a greater commitment to sustainable

development principles.


http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-dongtan-china.html#overviewhttp://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2019-poverty-wealth-place.pdfhttp://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2019-poverty-wealth-place.pdfhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-dongtan-china.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overview


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Main Findings

The selected case studies have made

the economics o development work

by building urban extensions in places

that oer a better quality o lie thanexisting cities, and applying proven

technology on a large scale.

The economics have been helped by

unding inrastructure out o the uplit

in land values, and by keeping the

proportion o social housing to below a

third, with the exception oZaragoza.

The seven key steps to successul

eco-towns are locating growth in

the right places, agreeing development

rameworks, drawing up master plans,

orchestrating inrastructure, selling

plots to small builders, building to

higher standards and ostering

communities.

5.1 Contextualising lessonsor British eco-towns.The UK Governments proposals or eco-towns

will make it clear that the development is

about ar more than simply building new kinds

o housing its about changing behaviour and

liestyles. The eco-towns will demonstrate

how to cut back on the consumption o

renewable resources so that we can live

within the planets means and ind more

sustainable ways to harness our economic

growth. To date, the British experience has

been on too small a scale to make a dierence.

There is still much concern about the scale

and location o the English eco-towns, andalso about how to cut back car usage and

reduce the consumption o energy and water

in cities. Its imperative to look to Europe,

where or well over a decade the more

advanced eco-principles have been applied in

a number o new settlements.

Though the countries examined in this report

are all very dierent, what marks them outrom the Asian experiments, such as the

plans or Dongtan, China, is a stress on:

building urban extensions rather than

ree-standing towns ar away rom major

urban centres

applying proven technologies rather than

going solely or new technological ixes

building neighbourhoods that oer a better

quality o lie than existing towns and cities

striving to improve on existing national

standards in design, transport, energy

conservation and generation, and in doing so

achieving higher sustainability and

environmental targets.

In the UK, a key issue or implementation

will be overcoming the sceptics, who doubt

whether there is the ability and demand to

support the extra investment needed. The

latest estimates rom URBED are that therequirement to eco-proo homes will add

another 30,000 to the cost o a home,

on top o the 30,000 required to cross-

subsidise social housing, while the Community

Inrastructure Levy may take a urther 10,000.

Thus even i the cost o new homes could be

reduced to 60,000 (as or example with the

Taylor Wimpey preabricated homes at Oxley

Wood, Milton Keynes), it is not surprising

i they end up selling or over 200,000,

which hardly makes them aordable in mostpeoples terms.

Learning rom the case studies5

20

> 5.1 Contextualising lessons or British eco-towns



> 5.2 A basis for economic achievement in successful European eco-towns

> 5.3 Processes> 5.3.1 Locating growth in the right places> 5.3.2 Agreeing development frameworks

> 5.3.5 Selling plots to small builders and cooperatives> 5.3.3 Drawing up master plans

> 5.3.6 Building to higher standards > 5.3.7 Fostering communities > 5.4 Conclusion

> 5.3.4 Orchestrating infrastructure
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The key question, thereore, will be how

to resolve the economic and social housing

issues involved in building eco-towns,

which includes:

aording a higher quality o inrastructure

to get people out o their cars

super-insulating new homes and generating

energy closer to home to cut losses

speeding up the rate o construction (and

sales) to improve the cash low and reducethe risks, which implies building eco-towns

in growth areas and inside some o our

existing cities.

5.2 A basis or economicachievement in successulEuropean eco-towns.The European case studies here, o Freiburg,

Amersfoort,Zaragoza, and Hammarby

Sjstad share eight common eatures whichhelp explain their success:

They are located in growing and prosperous

parts o the country, where there is an

assured demand or new homes and a

choice o good jobs

They are close to existing settlements and

hence oer easy access to jobs and services

rom the start

They are built on land owned by a public

agency, which also commissions the masterplan and installs the basic inrastructure to

enable plots to be sold to small builders and

cooperative groups

They include a signiicant proportion o social

housing (25-30%) but this does not

dominate (except in the Spanish case)

They und the inrastructure out o the land

value uplit (which in some cases, such as

Freiburg and Hammarby, required

decontamination irst)They secure a higher level o investment

> 5.2 A basis or economic achievement in successul European eco-towns> 5.3 Processes


21

in inrastructure through long-term contracts

with utilities, such as energy and water

companies

They involve a major commitment rom

entrepreneurial local authorities to

eco-town principles

Local universities and companies work

alongside the authority to assist the process.

In order to catch up with the rest o Europeand be prepared to deal with climate change,

we need to seek ways o applying these

lowest common denominator principles and

joining up the work o public agencies and

the private sector to promote eco-town

development.

5.3 ProcessesFrom the study o the European context

and case studies, and in particular rom the

in-depth analysis o the ive case studiespresented in Chapter 4, seven key actors

or success can be teased out which orm a

sequenced process o series o steps. The

seven steps to successul eco-towns are:

1.locating growth in the right places

2. agreeing development rameworks

3. drawing up master plans

4.orchestrating inrastructure

5.selling plots to small builders6. building to higher standards

7. ostering communities.

> 5.1 Contextualising lessons for British eco-towns

> 5.3.1 Locating growth in the right places> 5.3.2 Agreeing development frameworks


> 5.3.6 Building to higher standards > 5.3.7 Fostering communities > 5.4 Conclusion



http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overview


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> 5.3.1 Locating growth in the right places> 5.3.2 Agreeing development rameworks > 5.3.3 Drawing up master plans


22

5.3.1 Locating growth inthe right placesThe essential irst step is deciding where

housing growth should be concentrated.

A critical mass is needed to support new

inrastructure. This needs to be close enough

to a range o jobs and services i residents

are not to spend too much time travelling

(with its impact on congestion and pollution).

This is basically achieved by dierent levels

o government working together:

In the Netherlands, the ten-year housing

programmes set broad targets. VINEX

sought 455,000 new homes, o which nearly

two-thirds were to be in the Randstad

(equivalent to the area within the M25).

The main guidelines were that development

should be close to settlements o more than

100,000 population, relatively compact

(over 35 to the hectare), and with good

transport systems.In Sweden, the government adopted a

programme or A Million Homes, which led

to many peripheral high-rise suburbs, but

they were connected by high-quality public

transport links, such as trams, and inhabited

by socially diverse residents

In the United Kingdom, new Regional Spatial

Strategies will be critical in teasing out the

growth areas.

5.3.2 Agreeing developmentrameworksBeore plans are drawn up, broad principles

need to be agreed; or example, the numbers

o houses and inrastructure, as well

underlying design principles.

In the Netherlands, the government ormed

panels o local and regional politicians

and oicers or each area where VINEX

suburbs were to be built. They spent theirst hal o the 1990s drawing up contracts

or covenants in which the exact numberso homes and conditions or receiving

government money were detailed. By 1995

eighteen contracts had been agreed with

ninety new settlements

In Freiburg, six months o intensive

consultations with local groups were used

to draw up the competition bries or the

sites, irst or Vauban, which involved the

Vauban Forum, a local pressure group,

and then Rieseleld.

5.3.3 Drawing up master plansThe municipality leads the process in Europe,

with what in Sweden is called active

collaboration, and many teams o architects

and planners compete. The master plan

sets out the layout o the streets and where

dierent acilities are to be located, such

as parks or schools. The German system

requires that the job be given to one o the

three irms that are short-listed. When it

is approved by the local authority as the

BauPlan it sets out all the basic principles or

codes. In the case o Vauban, these were

produced on one large sheet o paper. As a

consequence there was relative clarity over

what was to be built and where, with less

room or conlicts:

The master plan or Hammarby Sjstad

involved some twenty dierent irms o

architects, but the basic vision was decidedby the City Council and its planners

The master plan or Vathorst involved

neighbourhoods with distinct images within

an overall theme o a world o dierence,

and with 75-80 homes being designed by a

single architect to secure variety

In Ecociudad Valdespartera, the urban

development plan encompassed the

application o eco-climatic criteria rom the

outset, ostering solar energy.

> 5.1 Contextualising lessons for British eco-towns> 5.2 A basis for economic achievement in successful European eco-towns> 5.3 Processes

> 5.3.5 Selling plots to small builders and cooperatives> 5.3.6 Building to higher standards > 5.3.7 Fostering communities > 5.4 Conclusion



http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overview


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5.3.4 OrchestratinginrastructureIn all the case studies the local authority

played the leading role in assembling the site

and then putting in the roads.

One o the main architects o Hammarby

Sjstad said there was no problem in

getting the utilities to invest, as they saw

major projects as valuable investments.

Furthermore, in Sweden there is a legal

requirement to install district heating systems,

which ensures local energy generation

In the Netherlands, local authorities pool the

sites, install the basic inrastructure and then

sell o plots. In the new town o Zoetermeer,

near The Hague, the municipality charged

developers an average o around 20% o the

sales value, rising to 28% on more expensive

homes. Finance or inrastructure is borrowed

at low rates o interest rom a bank

established by the public sectorIn Zaragoza, the regional council, local

authority and two savings banks

collaborated in raising the inance with

central government support.

5.3.5 Selling plots to smallbuilders and cooperativesOnce the basic inrastructure and landscape

is installed, it is much easier to sell plots to

house-builders. One o the reasons or themuch aster build rate in Europe is that it is

much more competitive. Volume house-builders

exercise less control, as municipalities play

the lead role in making land available or

housing. Another actor is that cooperatives

and rented housing are much more important

than owner-occupations.

The development o Hammarby Sjstad has

sold ten times the number o homes each

year thanGreenwich Millennium Village, orexample, with sales levels o 500-900 and

averaging around 700

In Vauban and Rieseleld most o the homesare built by small builders, oten working or

small cooperative groups who acquire sites

rom the city. The price is based on the

amount o space to be put on the site and so

bids are evaluated in terms o quality and

whether they meet the requirements or a

balanced community.

5.3.6 Building to higher

standardsIn Europe, building regulations appear tobe more demanding generally, but in all

o the case studies local authorities drive

up higher standards:

In Freiburg, the idea o being a solar city

was promoted with agreements with

dierent agencies to secure the installation

o solar panels and photovoltaic roos

In Amersfoort, the area is uture-prooed

through being able to add additional storeysabove the lat roos. Over 5,000 homes

have been built, with an expert on materials

overseeing and monitoring the material uses

and setting environmental goals. Energy

perormance ar exceeded required standards

and there is over 1.6MW o solar capacity.

In Zaragoza, the university has been advising

the construction companies on their energy

initiatives and have promoted the idea o

Bio-climatic architecture.

The idea o energy-eicient cities is being

supported in Britain by theEngineering and

Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC)

and much more can be done to develop

technologies or low-energy buildings

using sensors and smart computer-based

systems to optimise energy use, along

with technologies to exploit the energy

available rom ground-source heat pumps to

photovoltaics roos as in Zaragoza.

> 5.3.5 Selling plots to small builders and cooperatives

> 5.3.6 Building to higher standards

> 5.3.4 Orchestrating inrastructure


23

> 5.1 Contextualising lessons for British eco-towns> 5.2 A basis for economic achievement in successful European eco-towns> 5.3 Processes > 5.3.1 Locating growth in the right places> 5.3.2 Agreeing development frameworks > 5.3.3 Drawing up master plans

> 5.3.7 Fostering communities > 5.4 Conclusion


http://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Hammarby/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/zaragosa/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/gmv.htmhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://www.epsrc.ac.uk/default.htmhttp://www.epsrc.ac.uk/default.htmhttp://www.epsrc.ac.uk/default.htmhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://www.epsrc.ac.uk/default.htmhttp://www.epsrc.ac.uk/default.htmhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-zaragoza-spain.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-amersfoort-the-netherlands.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/gmv.htmhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-hammarby-sjstad-sweden.html#overviewhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/zaragosa/Overview/Default.aspxhttp://showcase.ascskills.org.uk/CaseStudies/Hammarby/Overview/Default.aspx


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5.3.7 Fostering communitiesA great deal o eort is put into developing

communities where dierent groups can

get on with each other. Schools unction

as community hubs, providing local people

with a meeting place that is not separated

by ences. Liestyles are more collective,

including greater use o communal space.

In Freiburg, the sot inrastructure is seen

as important as the hard inrastructure and

shops and services were provided rom thestart, or example by moving a secondary

school and redeveloping its site. Funds are

made available to landscape communal

spaces between buildings and residents

commission this work and take responsibility

or its upkeep

In the Netherlands, there are systems or

agreeing the rules or social etiquette in

neighbourhoods and residents are provided

with inormation packs that explainresponsibilities. Large models in local project

oices make clear what is planned and civic

wardens are employed, which is one way o

providing local work. The arrangements or

recycling with underground storage also act

as places to meet neighbours.

5.4 ConclusionOverall, there is a commitment rom the

local authorities, combined with support

rom regional and central government, and

a commitment to developing a broad-based

interdisciplinary approach to eco-towns. This

inter-disciplinary approach is extended to

provide the technical education in renewable

energy technologies, and establish the green

demonstration projects where consumers,

businesses, politicians, students andresidents can learn about eco-principles and

issues. A key eature in all the European

case studies is the bringing together o

the key stakeholders to create a learning

community, the creation o an interpretation

acility in the early stages o the project, and

the commitment to developing schemes or

local work.

24

> 5.3.7 Fostering communities > 5.4 Conclusion


Freiburg, Germany.


> 5.1 Contextualising lessons for British eco-towns> 5.2 A basis for economic achievement in successful European eco-towns> 5.3 Processes > 5.3.1 Locating growth in the right places> 5.3.2 Agreeing development frameworks


> 5.3.6 Building to higher standards


http://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overviewhttp://showcase.hcaacademy.co.uk/case-study/ecotowns-freiburg-germany.html#overview


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Collaboration is needed between experts in:

planning: constructing an

eco-town culture

architecture and design

climate change

energy and buildings eiciency

green building techniques

waste management technologieswater management technologies

transportation technologies

project development

inance and investment

policy and legislation

green business development

community development

third sector and social

enterprise development

healthy living and healthy liestyles

economic development and

local workenvironmental management

technologies

wind power technologies

social and cultural leadership

> 5.4 Conclusion


25

> 5.1 Contextualising lessons for British eco-towns> 5.2 A basis for economic achievement in successful European eco-towns> 5.3 Processes > 5.3.1 Locating growth in the right places> 5.3.2 Agreeing development frameworks


> 5.3.6 Building to higher standards > 5.3.7 Fostering communities





26/35


27/35

6.2 Breakthrough thinking,

analysis and decision makingSurveyors always talk about location,

location, location because it is so hard to

change and so invaluable to success. Yet

many successul projects look quite daunting

at the start. Rieseleld, in Freiburg, or

example, was a sewage works next to an

industrial estate and poor housing area.

Vathorst in Amersfoort was the other side o

the motorway and cut-o rom amenities. It

is thereore essential to be able to:The master plan or Hammarby Sjstad

involved some twenty dierent irms o

architects, but the basic vision was decided

by the City Council and its planners

The master plan or Vathorst involved

neighbourhoods with distinct images within

an overall theme o a world o dierence,

and with 75-80 homes being designed by a

single architect to secure variety

In Ecociudad Valdespartera, the urbandevelopment plan encompassed the

application o eco-climatic criteria rom the

outset, ostering solar energy.

6.3 Partnership workingand conict resolutionEveryone complains about the time and

expense involved in developing schemes

in the UK and the tortuous and diicult

process o securing planning permission.The problems are partly due to a litigious

society and the lack o trust placed in local

authorities. But this is made worse by the

way we go about developing strategic plans.

In Europe, the process is plan-led and the

local authorities appear to play a much more

proactive role.

In Sweden, local authorities like Stockholm

employ planner architects who are activecoordinators. While in some places there

are elected mayors, as in Zaragoza, more

oten trust is placed in technically qualiied

oicers. Furthermore, as Lord Richard Besthas pointed out on public participation, much

more eort is put into building consensus

in Dutch settlements (URBED, 2005). There

are some thirty-eight Architecture Centres

that help raise the quality o debate and

organisations that specialise in mediation.

Indeed dist

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