Eco-town developers’ advert ‘misled public’
May 27 2009 By Paula Fentiman
Set in the context of a document outlining development proposals, the companies believed people would have understood the claims did not represent factual certainties and might change as a result of the Government’s response.
But the ASA upheld Mr Luff’s complaint and ordered the advertisement must not appear again in its current form. “The claims must not be repeated unless St Modwen and The Bird Group have evidence that supports them,” the watchdog said in its ruling.
It found the “brownfield” description was “likely to mislead” because the land included woodland, water and agricultural land that might not be considered as brownfield in a planning application decision.
The watchdog said the creation of more than 4,700 jobs was presented as a “factually absolute claim” indicating that if the development went ahead that number of new jobs would definitely exist.
“Because the evidence did not show that was the case, we considered the ad was likely to mislead on this point,” the ruling found.
The same conclusion applied to the ad’s claim that the 6,000 homes proposed for the eco-town would count towards Stratford’s housing provision, according to the ASA.
St Modwen and The Bird Group’s suggestion that Stratford’s Western bypass would come with the development was also criticised by the watchdog, which noted that a final decision by local councils on whether the road was the most appropriate transport solution was still to be made. Although presented as a fact, the “evidence did not conclusively prove” that the bypass would definitely be built if the development went ahead, the authority ruled.
Under Government proposals eco-towns, intended to tackle the twin problems of housing shortages and climate change, have to be carbon zero as a whole, be an “exemplar” in one area of environmental development and have at least 30 per cent affordable housing. The Middle Quinton development has been strongly opposed by local residents, as well as celebrities including author Jilly Cooper, actors Dame Judi Dench and John Nettles and racing driver Johnny Herbert.
