Dismay greeted the announcement that Ford is among the fifteen locations being considered by government for an eco-town of 5,000 new homes.

The Leader of Arun District Council, Cllr Gillian Brown, signalling the start of a Council-led community campaign against the proposal, said she was appalled that no account had been taken of the Council's consistent and overwhelming objections to an eco-town at Ford.

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She said: "Our arguments against this are sound. A development like this cannot possibly achieve the principles of sustainability, delivering local employment, developing on brown field land and adequate provision of affordable housing. Nor does Ford have the necessary infrastructure to support an eco-town - we believe that is a simple and irrefutable argument."

The Secretary of State for Housing and Planning, Caroline Flint, has said proposals for eco-towns will be subject to a planning application and full local consultation with each application to be decided on its merits. The local planning authority, she says, will need to take into account all the impacts of the proposals.

An emergency meeting of the Council's Cabinet has been called for 14 April to kick-start a community campaign against the proposal.

(CD/JM)