New tower blocks reaching 50 storeys high using 'green technology' are to be launched as the latest answer to the UK's chronic housing shortage.

The new idea for so-called Skyhouses has been developed and designed by David Marks and Julia Barfield - the husband and wife team behind the London Eye.

Tower blocks are fundamentally flawed as a general form of housing Architecture critic Giles Worsley

High rise gardens in the sky, shops and health clubs and roof swimming pools are among the ideas set to feature in each �100m Skyhouse, made up of three interconnected towers.

Designers launching the project in London on Monday promise the tower blocks will be a far cry from the 1960s high rise estates.

But critics are not convinced that such schemes hold the key to housing shortages in crowded cities.

High-rise living attractive

Julia Barfield told BBC Radio 4's Today programme lessons had be learned from mistakes made in the 1960s.

"The [mistakes] were more to do with bad management low quality construction, lack of maintenance and lack of choice."

The husband and wife team designed the London Eye

She said Skyhouses offered an opportunity for key workers to find accommodation.

About 35% of the 500 flats in each Skyhouse would be set aside for workers such as doctors, nurses and firefighters.

She said a one bedroom flat may cost about �75,000 and a two bedroom about �115,000.

Market research suggests people would buy or rent the high-rise homes, she said.

Safer play

She argued communal facilities would be available every 10 floors, with sustainable energy used such as wind turbines and solar panels.

Playgrounds within communal areas would make it safer for children to play without having to go outside, she said.

But the Daily Telegraph's architecture critic Giles Worsley was less impressed by the design.

"Communal facilities just don't continue if they are supported by the council.

"The council then stops them".

Each Skyhouse would be up to 600ft high - compared to Canary Wharf Tower which measures 800ft.

No solution

Mr Worsley told the programme tower blocks only worked for rich people.

"Tower blocks are fundamentally flawed as a general form of housing," he said.

"They don't work for young families.

Most of the key workers young nurses, doctors, firemen are likely to have children.

"The solution to the housing problem is to build to higher densities."

A consortium of housing groups, financial bodies and land agents are backing the project.

The first Skyhouses could be built in east London.