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The consultation on the draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS) and Sustainability Appraisal on eco-towns has now been extended to Thursday 30 April, meaning it will run for more than five months. There will be a further opportunity for the public to have a say once planning applications are submitted for eco-towns.

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said:
"Eco-towns present a superb opportunity to provide more affordable housing which is built to the UK's toughest ever green standards, and we cannot afford to miss it. But it is vital we identify the right locations for these eco-towns and I will not support any proposal that our assessment and consultation concludes is unsuitable.

"I know this is an issue that raises a lot of strong opinion on all sides. I have extended the deadline to ensure that all parties, irrespective of their views, are given the full opportunity to have their say, and I urge everyone to respond to this consultation."

The consultation extension has been announced following yesterday's release of the full High Court written judgement on the Judicial Review on eco-towns, which the Government has won on all grounds.

A viability study on the proposals submitted by developers will also be published shortly and will provide more information to people looking to respond to the consultation.

About eco-towns
The standards for eco-towns proposed in the draft Planning Policy Statement include:

• Achieving zero carbon status across all the town's buildings, including commercial and public buildings as well as homes - a significantly tougher threshold than any existing or agreed targets
• Allocating 40 percent of the area within the town to be green space, at least half of which should be open to the public as parks or recreation areas
• Requiring individual homes to reach the Building for Life silver standard and also achieve 70 percent carbon savings above current building regulations in terms of heating, hot water and lighting
• Providing a minimum of 30 percent affordable housing to provide more homes for social rent and assist those struggling to get on the housing ladder
• Creating more options for travel so that residents are able to make the majority of their journeys without a car, such as by public transport, walking and cycling
• Ensuring a minimum of one job per house can be reached by walking, cycling or public transport to reduce dependence on the car
• Locating homes within 10 minutes' walk of frequent public transport and everyday neighbourhood services
• Raising the threshold for individual homes so that they must all achieve at least level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which includes standards for household waste recycling, construction waste, water efficiency measures and reduced pollution

There are currently eleven locations on the eco-towns shortlist: Rackheath, Greater Norwich; Middle Quinton, Warwickshire; Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire; Ford, West Sussex; Bordon-Whitehill, Hampshire; St Austell (China Clay Community), Cornwall; Rossington, South Yorkshire; North East Elsenham, Essex; Pennbury, Leicestershire; Weston Otmoor, Oxfordshire; - North West Bicester (Cherwell) - an alternative to Weston Otmoor. The developers promoting Marston Vale in Bedfordshire withdrew from the eco-towns process earlier in February.