The formation of sustainable communities within an eco-town is as vital to its success as its physical infrastructure. Different people will identify with different sections of the eco-town community. Building social capital by supporting interaction and involving local people in planning, as well as in running services, are crucial themes that promoters of eco-towns must plan for.

Eco-towns offer the opportunity to achieve high standards of sustainable living while also maximising the potential for affordable housing. This Prospectus sets out the Government's vision for eco-towns, including the support to take them forward. These are:

(i) Eco-towns must be new settlements, separate and distinct from existing towns but well linked to them. They need to be additional to existing plans, with a minimum target of 5,000 homes;

(ii) The development as a whole should reach zero carbon standards, and each town should be an exemplar in at least one other area of environmental sustainability;

(iii) Eco-town proposals should provide for a good range of facilities within the town – a secondary school, a medium scale retail centre, good quality business space and leisure facilities;

(iv) Affordable housing should make up between 30 and 50 per cent of the total through a wide range and distribution of tenures in mixed communities, with a particular emphasis on larger family homes;

(v) A management body which will help develop the town, provide support for people moving to the new community, for businesses and to co-ordinate delivery of services and manage facilities.