Bergen - Now that is a green city

You would expect Norway 3rd and Norway's Last Europen City (Stavanger, this Year) of Culture to be over run with cars and people but I have never seen such an understated city - It really is fantastic and also part of the city form (above) form part of a world hertiage area.

It has everthing going for it, a port, an airport, a rail way station and fantastic landscape

and as such it really is a green city, buildings of sustainable materials, no cars road pricing, Electric Buses ,A Train statition in the city centre - I now i really want to live there!

There must be a down side?, and yes there is the cost of living !

It also must be the most expensive place in the world , except of course to Olso.

Secret' eco-town plans spark protest- guardian-10th feb 2007

Caroline Flint the housing minister is planning 10 eco towns.

I understand that one of these might be postioned out-side Nantwitch- Rumour or Truth?

Personally, I think that we need to start somewhere and it is better to control the supply of new homes than to allow market forces to impinge on the Green Belt.

The current Planning system generally regulates the supply of Land but as the Goverment has issued targets of a further 3 million new homes by 2020 to keep up with the increased population , they need to come from somewhere and the feelings are that they may need to impinge on previous green belt as the brownfield sites are not emerging as previously thought due to a variety of issues .

Do we want an eco town oustide Nantwich or else where in the uk?

Further thoughts can be read here http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/10/communities.planning1

Let me know what you think?