More than 600 new "green" homes will be built in and around four planned eco-town sites in UK, as part of a £60 million Government cash boost to get the projects off the ground.

The Department for Communities and Local Government said the houses would feature water-saving systems, smart meters to monitor energy use, renewable power and electric car charging points.

The cash will also go to boosting energy efficiency of schools in the areas, including a new "eco-standard" sixth form at one institution, improving public transport and setting up biomass projects to develop green energy.

The funding will be split between the four new environmentally-friendly settlements which got the go-ahead last year: Whitehill-Bordon, Hampshire; St Austell in Cornwall; Rackheath, Norfolk and North West Bicester in Oxfordshire.

The four final sites for eco-towns were chosen after a protracted selection process, in which a shortlist of 15 areas was bitterly contested by local communities.

The four successful bids - two of which were late entries into the scheme - were all supported by local authorities and the Government hopes the cash will provide them with a boost to drive the schemes forward.

The DCLG also said the construction of the new homes would support up to 2,000 local jobs, while introducing thousands of people to the benefits of green living.

Most of the houses will be for sale, with a third of them affordable homes, although some will remain as permanent "eco-show homes".