Airfield eco-town plan selected

Some Rackheath residents have protested against the development

A Norfolk village of 800 homes has been earmarked by the government to become one of England's so-called "eco-towns".

About 3,600 extra homes are to be built on a former airfield near Rackheath.

The decision follows opposition from villagers who have marched, petitioned, written to MPs and held meetings to raise their concerns.

Rackheath, near Norwich, was proposed for the eco-town shortlist by the local authority last year as an alternative to unpopular plans for Coltishall.

Construction work is due to start on four new towns in 2016, subject to them receiving planning permission from their local authorities.

'Environmental impact'

In an assessment of 11 schemes published last November, only Rackheath received the top A rating.

Joint developers, Building Partnerships and Barratt, worked on the design of the homes with climate change experts from the University of East Anglia.

Parks, playgrounds and gardens would make up 40% of the area and homes with low-carbon technology would have charge points for electric cars.

Homes would take their energy from the sun, wind and earth, with residents able to sell their surplus energy into the National Grid.

However, Norfolk Wildlife Trust has raised concerns over its environmental impact on the Norfolk Broads.

Pub landlord Derek Jennings said locals had been "steamrollered" over, and criticised the possibility of "hideous windmills" in the area.

The government took its inspiration for "eco-towns" from Scandinavia.

The blueprint is the township of Hammarby Sherstad near Stockholm where ministers claim a truly sustainable local community has been established.

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If the controversial eco-town is built, Rackheath would grow from 800 to more than 4,000 homes