Cornwall is to get its first ever garden village after the Government gave its backing to 14 new sites across the UK, with the potential to deliver more than 48,000 homes across England.

In an expansion of the existing garden towns programme, these smaller projects of between 1,500 and 10,000 homes continue the government’s commitment to support locally-led development and make sure this is a country that works for everyone.

The 14 new garden villages will have access to a £6 million fund over the next 2 financial years to support the delivery of these new projects.

West Carclaze near St Austell is set to be an ecovillage with 1,500 new energy-efficient homes, space for self-build and custom-built housing, and a new primary school for more than 400 pupils.

Developers say it will have a solar farm and 350 hectares of green space in a new china clay heritage park incorporating the Sky Tip, a local landmark. Bike trails and pubs are also planned.

However, local councillors have raised concerns about the small percentage of affordable housing and change in character of the historical mining area.

Cllr Dick Cole, leader of the Cornish devolution party Mebyon Kernow, who has objected to proposals for an ecotown for a decade, told The Guardian the garden village announcement was no more than window dressing for a controversial project.

He said: “The government talks about it being a locally led development, but the reality is that this is only happening because it was a government top-down initiative.

“They say it is a brownfield site, but many of the houses are on fields. It has been one of those projects that seems to have a momentum of its own, despite what local people say.”

This money will be used to unlock the full capacity of sites, providing funding for additional resources and expertise to accelerate development and avoid delays.

The government also announced its support for three new garden towns in Aylesbury, Taunton and Harlow & Gilston – and a further £1.4 million of funding to support their delivery.

Together with the 7 garden towns already announced, these 17 new garden settlements have the combined potential to provide almost 200,000 new homes across the country.

Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell said: Locally-led garden towns and villages have enormous potential to deliver the homes that communities need.

New communities not only deliver homes, they also bring new jobs and facilities and a big boost to local economies. These places combined could provide almost 200,000 homes.

New garden villages and towns These developments will be distinct new places with their own community facilities, rather than extensions to existing urban areas. The 14 new garden villages are: Long Marston in Stratford-on-Avon Oxfordshire Cotswold in West Oxfordshire Deenethorpe in East Northants Culm in Mid Devon Welborne near Fareham in Hampshire West Carclaze in Cornwall Dunton Hills near Brentwood, Essex Spitalgate Heath in South Kesteven, Lincolnshire Halsnead in Knowsley, Merseyside Longcross in Runnymede and Surrey Heath Bailrigg in Lancaster Infinity Garden Village in South Derbyshire and Derby City area St Cuthberts near Carlisle City, Cumbria North Cheshire in Cheshire East The 3 new garden towns are: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Taunton, Somerset Harlow & Gilston, Essex and Hertfordshire