Beyond Eco-towns

Today's current economic crisis provides an ideal opportunity to re-evaluate and identify new and better procurement methods essential for restarting the UK's struggling house building market in the UK – a key conclusion drawn by PRP, URBED and Design for Homes at the launch of their research paper, Beyond Eco-towns, Applying the Lessons from Europe.

The research, sponsored by Scott Wilson, The Guinness Partnership and Grainger plc, analyses how some of today's exemplary European Eco-town projects have successfully delivered high quality and sustainable housing.

PRP chairman, Andy von Bradsky, commented: House building in the UK has stalled due to the credit crunch and it will not recover adequately unless there is a rapid rethinking of how procurement works here. There is a disconnection between the planning process and the means of delivery in the UK.

Our research however reveals that there are immediate and far more collaborative ways of working, which are more efficient, that can yield better results more quickly than we've ever managed to achieve here. We must act now if we are to save the house building sector from further decline.

An expert panel comprising Yolanda Barnes, Director, Savills, Duncan Bowie, Reader in Urban Planning and Regeneration from London Metropolitan University, Stellan Fryxell, Partner at Tengbom and Development Director from Grainger, Paul Story, and chaired by Sir Peter Hall, concurred with the research's findings.

To obtain a copy of this report or to arrange interviews, contact Michelle Rosello.