Low carbon towns programme launched today The UK government is to embark on an intensive green home building programme, which aims to build over 600 homes to the strictest ever environmental standards.

Following on from its recent launch of the compulsory code for sustainable homes, the government will use the areas of Whitehill-Bordon, St Austell in Cornwall, north west Bicester in Oxford and Rackheath in Norfolk as blueprints for eco-towns across the country.

Funding of £60m today (February 8th) has given for construction work on the plans which have developed since last year and are expected to deliver government targets on green towns by 2016.

Most of the show-homes will be on sale, but many will be kept to demonstrate to those in the towns and nearby the latest green technology including smart metering, advanced recycling and waste systems and electric car charging facilities.

According to the housing minister John Healey, a third of the homes on the sites will be affordable.

Mr Healey said today that the project is holistic, seeking to create employment opportunities in construction and establishing similar green standards in nearby public buildings and services such as schools and transport.

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