FORD has been left out of the Government's list of Eco-Towns, announced within the last few minutes.
Housing Minister John Healey named four sites which he said had passed the Government's tough standards to go through to the next planning phase, full public consultation and local planning approval.
The successful Eco-Town sites, which will pioneer innovative design and infrastructure for greener living, are Whitehill-Bordon in Hampshire, St Austell (China Clay) in Cornwall, Rackheath in Norfolk and North West Bicester in Oxfordshire.
These sites have met the Government's tough standards during two years of thorough assessment.
The Ford Airfield site, which has been bitterly opposed by campaign group Communities Against Ford Eco-Town, Arun District Council and MPs Nick Herbert and Nick Gibb is not mentioned in Mr Healey's statement.
He also referred to a second wave of locations, including sites in Yorkshire and Essex, but again, not Ford.
We'll have more reaction as the story develops throughout today.
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