Caroline Flint, the housing minister, is offering concessions to opponents of the eco-towns to counter criticisms that the project will not create model, zero-carbon communities. There are concerns that the 15 proposed eco-towns will be identikit, Stalinist-style settlements - ‘Flintgrads’ - with scant environmental benefits, destined to become the ‘eco-slums’ of the future.

Now, amid mounting opposition, Mrs Flint is ordering further, closer examination of the environmental sustainability of the 15 shortlisted sites. She has now promised that those sites that do not meet the rigorous eco and other criteria will not go ahead.

In the last few days, Mrs Flint has faced charges from the Local Government Association and bodies that residents of eco-towns built on greenfield sites will use their cars to go to work, or to the shops. This would negate a key aim of this major new housing and sustainability project which is to cut carbon emissions.

In an interview with The Times’ Bricks and Mortar section published today, Mrs Flint says: “I am not trying to create cloned communities, where every street has to be laid out in a certain way and every door painted in the same colour. I am not attempting to build ‘Flintgrads’ in the UK”.

Attacks are increasing on every aspect of the eco-towns scheme ahead of Monday June 30, the final date for submissions. Short-listed sites include Ford, West Sussex, Hanley Grange, Cambridgeshire and Pennbury, Leicestershire. Mrs Flint yesterday pledged that each of the sites will host a roadshow so that the public can air their views.

She is also pledging that none of the 15 proposed towns will be on green belt land - although she concedes that greenfield sites could be used. It is this which has caused fears that residents wil risk social isolation and be forced into their cars because of a lack of public transport, although Mrs Flint says that services will be available.

Mrs Flint said: “We are running a rigorous process to decide which locations are selected to go forward to the next stage - proposals which do not deliver real benefits and do not meet the highest possible standards will not get through our scrutiny. The process is open, transparent and inclusive and we are testing every detail of the proposals with local authorities, stakeholders and local communities themselves.”

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