Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Developer pledges electric bikes for residents of homes
Bid to cut pollution with sustainable transport ‘We expect the development will set a new environmental standard’
Canterbury can place itself at the forefront of the sustainable transport revolution as people switch to electric-powered vehicles, says the man behind the city’s biggest ever housing development.
Corinthian chief executive Simon Wright says government plans to end the production of diesel- and petrol-fuelled cars by 2040 fit neatly in with his company’s vision for cleaner transport.
The firm is building the 4,000house Mountfield Park scheme and has offered to provide electric bicycles to people living within it.
It also insists it has a “comprehensive travel plan” to link the city centre to the development with fast buses as well as cycle and pedestrian routes throughout it.
Mr Wright said: “The plans in place for Mountfield Park include a major investment in sustainable transport and we expect the development will set a new environmental standard compared to similar sized developments.
“We are all entering a brave new world, with a need to reduce pollution and phase out combustion engines. We will be working with Canterbury City Council to help set the bar high in terms of sustainability while providing much-needed additional housing for residents.”
Mountfield Park has created fears among people living in south Canterbury that the size and scale of the development will add to existing pressure on the city’s road network and worsen pollution levels, which already exceed prescribed limits. To alleviate these concerns, Corinthian has already announced plans to include an electric car club on the development and is exploring the possibility of introducing a fold-up bike hire scheme.
Mr Wright added: “Our aim is to provide a sustainable development that delivers opportunities for people to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle.
“We welcome the government’s announcement to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2040, and look forward to reducing combustion engine vehicles at Mountfield Park much sooner than that.”
In December, Canterbury City Council gave outline planning permission to the whole of the Mountfield Park scheme and full consent to the first phase of the project. The development is expected to increase the city’s population by 9,000.