Britain Planning Four 'Eco-Towns'

It is difficult to envisage how the construction of new towns on greenfield sites, with their associated environmental burden and loss of growing land, could in any way be considered "sustainable" when the UK's environmental footprint currently exceeds its land area by a factor of 2.5.

Sounds great in headline. Problem is that these eco-towns will be built to Level 4 on the eco-house scale, whilst any other new houses being built after 2010 (I think) have to be built to Level 6. The minister being quizzed by the Radio 4 news presenter couldn't/didn't answer this question and avoided the subject by repeating what amounted to his press release. Sir Humphrey would have been very proud.

Some info on the Engineering community Response to this plan:

http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/312344/Eco-towns+under+fire.htm?nl=TE_NL&dep=webops&dte=200709

The dig about the "lack of engineering expertise" is related to the Govt's recent refusal to add a Chief Engineering Officer to the Govt's advisory panel. They have Chief Medical, Chief Vetinary and Chief Scientific Officers...the latter is apparantly qualified to comment on Engineering matters.