There have been no fewer than 50 separate applications to build eco-towns across the UK, the government has revealed.

Gordon Brown recently committing to building ten such zero-carbon communities over the next decade and the Whitehall officials are expected to seize on the latest announcement as evidence of public support for that strategy.

Housing minister Yvette Cooper yesterday said that constructing large-scale green communities would have far-reaching benefits on the environment, setting an international standard for sustainable development.

"New homes will be greener to tackle the challenge of climate change, with world-beating environmental standards," she said after listening to the Queen's Speech. "We're building the first new towns for several generations, with ten new eco-towns across the country."

In conjunction with the energy efficiency targets, the government is also seeking to build three million new homes by 2020 in order to ease the strain of excess demand on the housing market.

Official statistics estimate that personal dwellings are currently responsible for some 27 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions.

© Adfero Ltd

Author:  Joanne McCabe

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