The email from the developer was intimidating, to say the least.
When it popped into my inbox, I thought there might be an opportunity to have a discussion about the possible new (huge) development in my own small parish. However, the applicants were emboldened, having just been to a forum for developers organised by Dorset Council.
So emboldened that they sent me the Powerpoint presentation to peruse, saying they would be back with their plans and bulldozers.
It wasn’t an if but a when.
It’s about what’s missing
Naturally, I was curious to see what Dorset Council had been discussing with developers, especially now there is a virtual doubling of the housing targets in the county. At first, when I read the presentations, there was nothing I didn’t know already … the targets, the need for affordable housing, sustainable developments and so on. There’s also a council design review team which will look at the plans with developers – and naturally there is absolutely no mention of parish or town council involvement in that discussion.
While there was a lot of information about biodiversity, the active transport links section made me smile. I already have questionnaires from developers asking what type of trees I’d like planting on the new development in my village. I’m not interested in whether I’ll have Himalayan birch or maple trees decorating footpaths. I am far more concerned about the local primary schools that are already over-subscribed for September with no visible strategy to sort out placements for new children. Then there’s the main road into the village where the tarmac has buckled as it hasn’t been maintained for more than 25 years: now it’s a trip hazard for older people as well as a nasty surprise for boy racers. The pavements – where they exist – cannot be used by wheelchair users or prams.
And that’s when it hit me. I was looking through this presentation, hunting for what were effectively snippets of gossip I wasn’t aware of – but actually, the headline news wasn’t there at all. Despite being fundamental – critical – both infrastructure and population trends were entirely ignored.
A golden opportunity
If I ruled the world of planning and had most of Dorset’s developers in one room, I wouldn’t just talk about housing targets and planning processes. What an opportunity to speak to the people who build homes about the type of housing we really need – and the infrastructure necessary to make it happen.
With the volume of housing demanded, Dorset needs to ensure we get the right kind of quality development for the current and future population. However … in Dorset Council’s presentation there was nothing about the population trends in the county, or the infrastructure needed to support an increase in people. We really need to integrate these elements into planning to get the right type of housing.
If you have ever argued with developers about the need for bungalows, you’ll have an inkling of what’s on my mind.
Take one example: Dorset has a much higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over than the national average (Dorset is officially the oldest area of the UK, with 4.27 per cent of the population aged over 85 – a staggering 85 per cent more than the UK average across local authorities). In the next five to ten years, more than half the population of Dorset will be over 60. With the adult social care budget already eclipsing all other aspects of the council funding, right now there’s a golden opportunity to commission adaptable housing, smart use of technology and artificial intelligence that helps keep older people and those with disabilities safe and independent in their own homes.
Instead, we are destined for an endless monotony of cheap two-up-two-down terraced monstrosities or luxury homes that no one local can afford.
The council seems to pander to developers, when what we should be doing is setting out what we need (and not just hedgehog and lizard houses).
Meaningful joined-up planning
Why couldn’t that meeting be a demand from the council to get some of this infrastructure in place before building begins? Improvements are desperately needed to the A357, and to narrow roads in the towns. Just look at how long it can take to cross Sturminster Newton Bridge or go through Blandford town centre on a Saturday. We need innovative solutions to manage the amount of traffic, and we also need improvements in the public transport network. Many key workers – the ones who need social and affordable housing – work shifts. If you live in a rural village in North Dorset, where new housing is rapidly expanding, there is no public transport at weekends or evenings. If you can’t afford a car, you can’t get to work. Naturally, the council wants greener ways of travelling … but not in North Dorset it seems.
There is a huge disparity between what developers ‘think’ we need as infrastructure, and what the local population actually needs.
I’m so very tired of hearing about promises for attenuation ponds and allotments.
What I want to see is a primary health care service that is properly funded and staffed, so it can do what it is meant to do: keep people healthy instead of surviving on crisis management. When people with mental health problems are shipped into social housing in rural villages there is often no local support network for them.
And with so much more housing, why are there still so few opportunities for business development units and local job creation? This should surely be increasing?
Above all, I’d like to see meaningful integration between planning, developers, public health, and transport, so we get support services and infrastructure that we really need in North Dorset – something far beyond the council’s tick-box targets for housing.
The Dorset Insider is a no-holds-barred column pulling back the curtain on local affairs with sharp insight, unfiltered honesty and the occasional raised eyebrow. Written by a seasoned parish councillor who prefers to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons), it cuts through the noise to expose the frustrations of grassroots politics, and say what others won’t. Rest assured, their identity is known – and trusted – by the editorial team. Expect opinion, candour and a healthy dose of exasperation …
