Commenting on the Local Government Association’s report into eco-towns, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Lembit Öpik said:

"This is a prime example of this Government’s obsessive centralising tendencies.

"Instead of ensuring all our towns and cities are sustainable, the Government proposal uses the green facade of eco-towns to bypass the planning system and ignore local communities.

"Despite being presented as eco-friendly, we now know that these homes will only have to meet moderate environmental standards. It shows the whole concept is just greenwash."