Guest speaker Pooran Desai, of sustainable community development company BioRegional Quintain Ltd, gave a lively presentation on the importance of building sustainable communities in the current housing crisis.

A hot topic, during a week where the National Housing Federation released a report (East of England Home Truths) high- lighting a greater need than ever for affordable housing with waiting lists rising eight per cent. BioRegional Quintain is partowned by environmental charity BioRegional, which put together the world renowned BedZED eco village in South London.

Not only was Pooran involved in the realisation of the eco village, he lives there and shared his experience of living on BedZED and adapting his lifestyle to meet some of the eco initiatives of the unique development.

He spoke of the initial difficulty of giving up his car in exchange for car clubs, but also about the important lesson learned, especially in under- standing how sustainable developments can result in a strong sense of community among its residents and ultimately a far better quality of life.

A government consultant on sustainability, Pooran also acknowledged that in the current climate, sustainability is a difficult subject to address.

"The key is to make it simple and easy for people to live in sustainable communities," he said.

"Investing in creating local economies will result in a better long-term future for all of us and will save residents money as energy and fuel prices rise."

The bulk of affordable housing is delivered through registered social landlords such as Minster Housing Association, (part of The Hyde Group) which operates more than 1,000 homes in Peterborough and nearly 2,000 across 10 local authority areas.