Ford chosen as site for ecotown

The Ford Airfield Vision Group and Ford Enterprise Hub submitted separate proposals to the government for the development.

Rod Hague, of the vision group, said: 'This represents a fantastic opportunity for Arun to have an exemplar project that will be zero carbon, provide much needed new homes, new jobs and new social infrastructure, including a major funding contribution towards an Arun bypass.

'The successful shortlisting of Ford reflects the strength of our bid's environmental and sustainability credentials which met all the criteria laid down by the government.

'Over the next few months, we will be widely consulting with local stakeholders to get their views and input into our ecotown proposal.'

The vision group's plans envisage, up to 5,000 new homes, creating 4,000 skilled jobs in knowledge-based industries and new businesses which cannot be catered for at Littlehampton or Bognor and new community facilities, such as a secondary school and a health centre.

The group claims Ford, which it classes as a brownfield site, is an ideal location because its railway station provides the chance to create a public transport hub as well as the development providing finance for the A27 Arundel bypass and a new road between the A27 and the A259.

The group is a partnership between the site's landowners and developers, Wates and Redrow Homes.

For the Ford Enterprise Hub, its co-authors John Penfold, Tony Dixon and Harold Hall said their plans for a science and technology park among the housing would meet the need for high paid, high techs jobs and affordable homes.

They said: 'Eco-town listing requires us to face a range of issues including flood risk, water courses, water resources and contaminated land.

'We will be working closely with others to satisfy the criteria necessary to feature in the final list later this year.'

But they said Ford's natural advantages included its rail link and the potential for renewable energy from the village's water treatment plant and waste recovery facility.

'We will, however, meet the challenges as we have done over the past three years.

'We expect to prove that a new settlement at Ford Airfield is appriopriate to Arun's needs and capable of becoming an outstanding example of sustainable growth.'

They stressed they were not landowners, had no beneficial interest in development at Ford or elsewhere in Arun and were not under any party political influence.

Comments about the eco-town have also been made by the national Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the National Housing Foundation.