Swindon shuns McCloud grand design

As the presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud (pictured) is notoriously pernickety about what constitutes good architecture. However, a development planned by his own construction company HAB - Happiness, Architecture, Beauty - has been given a universal thumbs down by locals in Swindon, who claim his proposed "hip, green environment" will lead to congested roads and falling local house prices.

The concerns were raised at a public meeting called by McCloud to gauge opinion on his "eco-estate", which he hopes to build on a greenfield site in the Wiltshire town. One critic said the plans were "more about making money than bio-diversity", saying that even "eco-friendly" housing developments bred "traffic, destruction of habitats and consumption”.

McCloud, however, is unmoved. He insists his scheme is purely to create better quality housing in Britain. "The Government wants 200 more towns and wants them to be eco-communities. But you can't make a place by simply building wooden houses. HAB is not just about eco-homes but the way in which people live their lives."

Despite the concerns, McCloud says he intends pushing ahead with the scheme. "Some people don't like change. I see this as an opportunity for the area." And a chance to make money, of course.