Sometimes you can't help but conclude that there's an SNP government department somewhere, dedicated to monitoring the dumbest policies in England, and working out how to launch a slightly crapper, less ambitious, more spun version of the same nonsense.

In England, they had grand plans for 20 Eco-towns, that would revolutionise the way people lived by 2020, or something. Most of those plans bit the dust. In Scotland, well we've got Polnoon.

It would seem that the developers, in return for £10K from the Scottish Government, have hired a slightly better architect than the first one they had, and come up with a plan to build a suburban housing estate that isn't based around cul-de-sacs. Yes folks, they've rediscovered footpaths. And unlike many modern suburban developments it will also have a play park too.

It's apparently, "designed as the conservation area of tomorrow." A formulation of words that hurts my brain. But it must be good. After all John Swinney, the man awarded politician of the year 2009, saw fit to heap a fountain of verbiage all over it. Check this out:

"The Polnoon project demonstrates what can be achieved in a residential development where the focus is on designing quality streets, public spaces and housing. The project collaboration has applied Scottish Government planning advice and Mactaggart & Mickel's award winning track record for good design to ensure an excellent sustainable design which enhances the environment for residents.

"New developments of this kind have an important role to play in helping to position Scotland's economy for recovery while certain a greener and healthier environment and I hope that this project in East Renfrewshire will set a new standard for residential development across Scotland." [Yes, I know that last sentence makes no sense gramatically, but that's what it says on the Scottish Government website.]

Its a revolution. They actually applied Scottish Government planning advice for once. It's not just an over-hyped housing scheme, it's an over-hyped housing scheme that makes manifest an over-hyped economic policy. China must be worried.

The most clever part of all as far as I can see, is that they've made it look just like every other identikit, non-eco, housing development built in the central belt over the last couple of decades. That way they're guaranteed to sell 'em at a tidy profit. What a good use of £10,000 worth of public money.