• Bookstore

The Sustainable Development Commission, the Government's independent watchdog, has today published its report on the impact of the the housing programme on the environment, community, transport and the economy, and whether the goal of sustainable communities is really being achieved.

Based on site visits and interviews with local authorities, developers and residents, the SDC report assesses whether the Government has delivered on its promise to create sustainable communities.

Overall, the Sustainable Development Commission finds that few communities built so far are living up to the promise of being environmentally sensitive, well-connected, thriving and inclusive.

According to the SDC's research, housing growth is occurring in water-stressed areas, such as the south east, with little regard to the consequences of development on the environment. The report also asserts that a significant level of undeveloped land is still being used for construction, rather than brown-field sites (for example Cambridge District Council recently released greenbelt land for development, meaning that instead of reaching a target of 60% brownfield reuse, they will only achieve 37%).

Rebecca Willis, Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, says:

?People want safe, attractive and affordable places to live. Despite the Government's good intentions, our research shows that new communities aren't always coming up to scratch.

?There is still a huge opportunity for Government to get this right. The priority must be to turn our existing communities into eco-towns. Communities can be green and prosperous, with well-planned public transport and great facilities. But the Government must learn from past mistakes and put residents' needs before commercial interests and housing targets.?

The SDC report concludes that the Government must:

   * Connect new housing with existing communities, rather than sprawling into undeveloped land. This will help to regenerate existing communities and improve job prospects

   * Remove the current incentive for developers to demolish people's homes (zero VAT on new build versus 17.5% VAT on refurbishment) by equalizing VAT

   * Ratchet up standards for water and energy efficiency measures, e.g. by installing water meters and high quality insulation in all homes

   * Significantly improve co-ordination of long-term funding, so that residents get access to vital services and public transport on time

   * Plan for high quality, well-maintained green spaces, such as sports areas, community gardens and parks, in all new communities

   * Consult residents extensively about the future of their communities as a matter of course