Ashford's Integrated Alternatives

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Progress towards sustainable development is gathering pace in the UK. Many government initiatives have been announced in recent years: the 2005 Sustainable Development Strategy: Securing the Future, the 2006 Code for Sustainable Homes, the initiation of the Academy for Sustainable Communities and the Communities England Agency. Activity and thinking are also being influenced by preparations for the 2012 Olympics. Targets set are challenging, aspirations are high, but there is no established or guaranteed road map to achieve them and traditionally separate and centralised delivery of water, energy and other services may not be able to deliver their share of the improvements needed. However, synergies, innovation, cost savings and environmental benefits may be achieved through more holistic thinking, different scales of provision, by greater integration between different service sectors and through different business delivery models. So far, there are few significant examples in the UK of this approach. So, this timely research will explore the extent to which more integrated urban utility service provision can contribute to this agenda and enhance the adaptive capacity of these systems, vital to ensure long-term sustainability under changing climatic, environmental, demographic and economic conditions. This will be demonstrated by working in partnership with Ashford's Future as they deliver regeneration and sustainable development in this key area.