As the consultation on 'eco-towns' draws to a close CPRE NO calls on the Government to focus on one or two truly exemplary schemes, scrap sub-standard proposals and rethink its eco-town programme.'

• For more information see our 'Eco-Towns' campaign page herever
  

June 25 2008: CPRE Oxfordshire response to the 'eco-town' consultation.un

CPRE Oxfordshire has submitted to the DCLG its response to the 'eco-town' consultation (the deadline is June 30th). The response focuses on the many reasons why the government should drop 'Weston-Otmoor' from its final list.

• For more information see our 'Eco-Towns' campaign page herever

June 24 2008: GARD commissions an expert on water resources to scrutinise Thames Water's WRMP.

The Group Against Reservoir Development (GARD) has commissioned an expert on water resources to bring Thames Water's latest report under the spotlight. It raises serious doubts over the case for a giant reservoir between Wantage and Abingdon.

• For more information see our 'Reservoir' campaign page here

June 24 2008: OCC to tell government it has major concerns about 'Weston Otmoor'.un

Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet today sanctioned a formal response to Government that lists a series of serious concerns about the proposed 'eco-town'.

• For more information see our 'Eco-Towns' campaign page herever Chilterns A

June 23 2008: Eco-Town Challenge Panel Report.

Gordon Brown's 'eco-towns' policy has suffered a setback after the Eco-Town Challenge Palen Report, issued on 23 June, said some schemes were not much better than housing estates with green edges added. The government’s 'challenge group’, says that out of the 15 shortlisted sites, less than ten should be given the go-ahead and of those only a handful would have proper green credentials. The Panel said the site at Weston Otmoor in Oxfordshire risked becoming "commuterville".

• For more information see our 'Eco-Towns' campaign page herever Chilterns A

June 6 2008: National Air Traffic Services (NATS) Consultation on proposed changes to air routes over Chilterns AONB ends.

CPRE Oxfordshire has opposed the proposals for re-routing Luton flights over the Chilterns on the grounds that they will destroy the tranquillity of the area.

• For more information see our 'New Flightpaths' campaign page here

June 6 2008: The prosed eco-town scheme near Weston-on-the-Green would need substantial amendments in order to go forward, the Government has hinted. Vision 2une 6 2008: The proposed eco-town scheme near Weston-on-tThe Government has moved to defuse local opposition to 'Weston Otmoor' by pledging it would not permit Oxford's Green Belt to be sacrificed for new eco-homes. But the reassurance came with the message that the Government was now viewing the scheme to build 15,000 homes near Weston-on-the-Green as "a strong proposal".

• For more information see our 'Eco-Towns' campaign page here

May 16 2008: Vision 20:26 - The Future of Oxfordshire's Countryside.

On May 16 almost 50 people, including politicians, farmers, conservationists, CPRE members, representatives from county AONBs, the Environment Agency and Natural England, met for a half-day discussion at Oxford Castle on the subject of The Future of Oxfordshire's Countryside?, as part of CPRE's Vision 20:26.

• For more information see our 'Vision 20:26' campaign page here

May 7 2008: Green Belt Loss a Daily Reality Despite Government Pledges.edg

There has been significant loss of Green Belt land since 1997 and more is planned, despite the stated commitment of the Prime Minister to robustly protect it. This is the key message from a CPRE investigation of the Governmnent's record on Green Belt since 1997.

• For more information see our 'Green Belt' campaign page here