date: 4 November 2008

embargo: for immediate release

TUC welcomes consultation on eco-towns

Responding to the second round of the Government's public consultation on
eco-towns which opens today (Tuesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'Everyone in the UK should be able to afford decent housing, but for many people renting a good quality flat or owning their own home remains a distant dream.

'We therefore welcome the Government's plans to build five new eco-towns. More good quality, environmentally-friendly homes must be built and quickly.

'We need to get the housing market moving again during the economic down turn, and develop new skills to make construction environmentally friendly.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Details of the consultation at: www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingsupply/ecotowns

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (200 words) issued 4 Nov 2008