South West Regional Spatial Strategy

The Dorset Green Belt Protection Consortium representing the 7 Dorset Villages threatened with housing development in their Green Belt, have written to John Denham, the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. They have requested a meeting in the attached letter which sets out 7 solid reasons why the proposed Regional Spatial Strategy proposals are in breach of the Government’s own Green Belt Policy. They also want to support the High Court Legal Challenge which Dorset Councils are planning, because the Plan has not conducted the EU required Environmental Assessment. Councils in the East of England have achieved a High Court Judgement against their Green Belt housing, and this sets a precedent for us I S.E. Dorset.

“We are coming up to a General Election, with Parliament in disarray,” said Terry Stewart, President of Dorset CPRE, “surely the Government does not want to over-ride the democratic wishes of Dorset residents and Dorset Councils.”

1. Lack of Democracy and Local Authority Approval
The proposal to build a New Town at Lytchett Minster with 2,750 houses was proposed by no democratic Council, but solely by the Planning Inspector with no statutory Review. The proposal to add 1,500 houses in North Bournemouth at Throop and Holdenhurst was added by the previous Secretary of State, again without the Statutory Review. The proposed 3,000 houses in the 3 East Dorset District villages is not supported by either the County Council or the East Dorset District Council.

In your recent announcement you “pledged to re-examine the relationship between central and local Government as part of the Government’s drive to renew Britain’s democracy and restore trust in the political system at every level.” We trust you will enforce this policy.

A letter from GOSW states: “PPS3 puts the responsibility on local authorities to decide where to locate housing …to minimise the call on greenfield and designated Green Belt land.” Planning guidance confirms that decisions should be made by the relevant Local Authority.

2. No Strategic Environmental Assessment
The successful legal Challenge from the Councils against the East of England proposals to build in the Green Belt shows the imperative need to follow the EU Directive and conduct a proper Environmental Assessment. Obviously this has not been done for Lytchett Minster and North Bournemouth. As GOSW has said: “any proposal to change the boundary of a Green Belt and any development proposal for land in the Green Belt, whatever its scale, is subject to stringent tests.” This has not been done. The proposals also do not comply with the EU Habitats Directive.

3. Legal Challenge to S.E. Dorset Green Belt Housing
All Dorset Councils have voted to mount a Legal Challenge against the proposed Green Belt housing, if this is still included in your final Edict, for not conducting an approved Environmental Assessment. Indeed Bournemouth Council have recently voted the money for this Challenge. This will seriously delay the approval of the S.W. Regional RSS, and bring its Approval into the General Election hiatus period.

4. No Funding for the Infrastructure for the Green Belt Houses
The previous Secretary of State dictated that there would not be central funds for the infrastructure for these developments, with the assumption that they would be funded by the developers, using Section 106 moneys, etc. In the current Recession and economic decline, developers are clearly stating that they will not pay the infrastructure levies. The S.W. Region RSS is based on the unsupportable assumption that there will be a 3.2% annual average growth in the Region for the next 20 years. In the current reality, this is clearly unrealistic.

5. Increase in Travel to Work
The villages and communities threatened by the Green Belt houses are mostly dormitories for the Pool/Bournemouth conurbation. Therefore any development will drastically increase the Travel to Work by car - which is against Government policy. Public transport in S.E. Dorset is already extremely poor, and will not be able to deliver commuters to all the workplaces in the future, such as Bournemouth Airport.

6. Traffic Congestion Causing Air Pollution
The Poole and Bournemouth Councils have already reported to Region that the 48,000 extra houses and 45,000 extra jobs will cause traffic congestion and an increase in air pollution, from the estimated 60,000 extra cars and 5,000 extra commercial vehicles and HGVs. in the conurbation. Additional car commuting Travel to Work from the dormitory communities will only increase these serious social and health problems.

7. Development Should be Phased Sequentially
PPS3 states that there is a presumption that housing development should be prioritised towards previously developed land. Since there is so much environmentally sensitive land and EU protected Dorset Heathlands around the conurbation, this unique asset should be protected. The Government stated reason for the Green Belt is to prevent urban sprawl. The current interim Dorset Heathland Regulations have not been fully evaluated to check that they do protect wildlife, and they might be extended in the future.

Before you issue your final evaluation of the S.W. Region RSS, we would be grateful for the opportunity of a meeting with you to review additional facts and factors.

Yours sincerely,


Terry Stewart.
President Dorset CPRE on behalf of the Consortium with their signatures attached.

Dear Chief Executive,

I thought it would be helpful if I let you know personally about the latest position on the South West Regional Spatial Strategy.

As you will be aware, the Secretary of State planned to publish the final version of the RSS at the end of June. However, on 20 May, the High Court gave an oral judgment that the published Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England failed to meet certain requirements of the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive in respect of policies relating to three towns.

We are currently considering the potential implications for the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West, but cannot reach a clear view until the written judgement is issued by the Court. It is not possible to set a new timetable, until the implications of the judgment have been clarified, and what action is required, if any.

I will, of course, keep you updated.

Yours Sincerely.



JON BRIGHT

The High Court has rejected the East of England Regional Plan to build thousands of houses on the Green Belt North of Greater London. The Judge ruled that inadequate consideration was given to the environmental effects of the expansion. Dorset campaigners - fighting to protect the S.E. Dorset Green Belt - believe this sets a great precedent which could save our Green Belt. Over 35,000 objections were sent in to the previous Secretary of State, Hazel Blears, stating that the S.W. Regional Plan was not based on objective environmental analysis.

The final Government Edict on our Regional Plan was due to be issued at the end of June. But with the change of Secretary of State to John Denham, there is likely to be a further delay while he personally vets the Plan. All Dorset Councils have agreed to take the Plan to the High Court for Judicial Review when the Edict is finally issued.

“The Government has continually promised to protect Green Belts which stop urban sprawl, but their Plans directly breach their own promises,” said Terry Stewart, President of Dorset CPRE, “the 7 Action Groups from the threatened communities are holding a fighting meeting on June 15 to agree a combat Action Programme.”