UNPOPULAR plans to build thousands of homes on Purbeck green belt have come back under the spotlight.
Residents have been fuming since February, after the controversial South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) report recommended a 2,750-home "western extension" on green belt land at Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster and Upton.
Mid-Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke took the fight to the House of Commons to ask if the government was still committed to safeguarding the green belt.
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She said: "The 2,750 homes are basically an urban extension. Like the conurbation of Bournemouth and Poole, its tentacles will reach out and engulf the two villages of Lytchett Minster and Lytchett Matravers, yet the green belt is supposed to provide a band that enables distinct communities to survive."
“Sufficient housing to meet our needs has not been built for something like a generation. “As a result, there is a fundamental mismatch between the supply of housing and the demand for housing. That is having an impact on affordability.”
Communities and Local Government (CLG) parliamentary under secretary Iain Wright
The Lib Dem MP, who stressed proposals were opposed by all democratically elected councils, asked Communities and Local Government (CLG) parliamentary under secretary Iain Wright if the government agreed the key purpose of green belt policy was to "protect the countryside around towns and cities from urban sprawl."
Mr Wright, who refused to be drawn on the specifics of the Purbeck plans, said: "The objectives of green belt policy remain similar to what they have always been."
But he stressed proposals to change boundaries or build on green belt land could occur, subject to "stringent tests."
The RSS report calls for 5,150 new homes in Purbeck, the largest increase for any district in the south west.
CLG secretary Hazel Blears is due to rubber-stamp the figures soon, with a 12-week consultation on the proposals to begin in the summer.
Last month more than 100 concerned residents gathered in Lytchett Minster to protest at the plans.
Mr Wright said: "Sufficient housing to meet our needs has not been built for something like a generation.
"As a result, there is a fundamental mismatch between the supply of housing and the demand for housing. That is having an impact on affordability."
Posted by: Tru Belle, purbeck on 5:51pm Mon 12 May 08
Who can remember Southampton and all the little sprawling villages around it? who can remember Winchester and the Meon valley? which is now almost part and parcel of Eastleigh which is part of Southampton which is part of Netley and Warsash ,Hamble Sarisbury Green all these were villages once, Titchfield- Southhampton or Gosport, Stubbington, Lee on solent,Crofton, Fareham etc then Portsmouth, shall I start on those villages- which are no longer.
Resist this joining up of our connurbations- Our identity will be lost for ever.
Who can remember Southampton and all the little sprawling villages around it? who can remember Winchester and the Meon valley? which is now almost part and parcel of Eastleigh which is part of Southampton which is part of Netley and Warsash ,Hamble Sarisbury Green all these were villages once, Titchfield- Southhampton or Gosport, Stubbington, Lee on solent,Crofton, Fareham etc then Portsmouth, shall I start on those villages- which are no longer.
Resist this joining up of our connurbations- Our identity will be lost for ever.
Posted by: Treaclej, Upton on 10:15pm Tue 13 May 08
These plans are ridiculous..where do the government think the residents of these new homes are going to shop (hardly any local shops left), socialise (pub has been left to rot by the brewery), go to the doctors (already over-subscribed) and children go to school (again all over-subscribed)..Up
ton and the Lytchetts have so far remained seperate from Poole, but if these houses are built then they will lose all their identity and become just one big urban sprawl.
These plans are ridiculous..where do the government think the residents of these new homes are going to shop (hardly any local shops left), socialise (pub has been left to rot by the brewery), go to the doctors (already over-subscribed) and children go to school (again all over-subscribed)..Up
ton and the Lytchetts have so far remained seperate from Poole, but if these houses are built then they will lose all their identity and become just one big urban sprawl.
Posted by: Treaclej, Upton on 10:16pm Tue 13 May 08
These plans are ridiculous..where do the government think the residents of these new homes are going to shop (hardly any local shops left), socialise (pub has been left to rot by the brewery), go to the doctors (already over-subscribed) and children go to school (again all over-subscribed)..Up
ton and the Lytchetts have so far remained seperate from Poole, but if these houses are built then they will lose all their identity and become just one big urban sprawl.
These plans are ridiculous..where do the government think the residents of these new homes are going to shop (hardly any local shops left), socialise (pub has been left to rot by the brewery), go to the doctors (already over-subscribed) and children go to school (again all over-subscribed)..Up
ton and the Lytchetts have so far remained seperate from Poole, but if these houses are built then they will lose all their identity and become just one big urban sprawl.
Posted by: purbeck, Swanage on 5:11pm Wed 14 May 08
Strange isn't it that Poundbury, which is very much the same size as the proposed development for Lychett could be built on green fields, quite literally, without the world coming to an end.
Poundbury has shops, etc etc. There is no reason that whatever is built in Purbeck should nt have whateer services are needed, although I cannot help noticing that the estates that sprawl between Wareham and the Bakers Arms manage without much.
Strange isn't it that Poundbury, which is very much the same size as the proposed development for Lychett could be built on green fields, quite literally, without the world coming to an end.
Poundbury has shops, etc etc. There is no reason that whatever is built in Purbeck should nt have whateer services are needed, although I cannot help noticing that the estates that sprawl between Wareham and the Bakers Arms manage without much.
Posted by: ProperPooley, Poole on 10:14am Sat 17 May 08
lies.
Poole and the surrounding area has doubled (maybe more) in population in the last 25 years, and it isn't locals but migrants settling here from London and the north that has swallowed up all the housing. Ands now unelected politicians in this southwest regional assembly quango want to build on what green bits we have left?
makes you want to get into violent protest!
lies.
Poole and the surrounding area has doubled (maybe more) in population in the last 25 years, and it isn't locals but migrants settling here from London and the north that has swallowed up all the housing. Ands now unelected politicians in this southwest regional assembly quango want to build on what green bits we have left?
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