YES TO Christchurch eco-city bid Any old city bid for BCP will not work.

Now, one in twenty deaths in BCP is as a direct result of air pollution.

Now Bournemouth is the sixth most congested nationally from data collected by TomTom.

At the moment the Local Plan shows that more than 33,000 homes could be built on 120 sites identified across the ‘urban area’ of BCP up to the year 2038 but that is still 9,000 homes short of the housing target set by the Government.

If BCP builds these houses with their current transport policy, there will be more air pollution deaths and traffic gridlock and BCP will gain a reputation of being a dead city.

If we are to be a city, it must be an eco-city (The World Bank defines eco-cities as “cities that enhance the well-being of citizens and society through integrated urban planning and management that harness the benefits of ecological systems and protect and nurture these assets for future generations”)

Combined effects of Brexit, Covid (delta variety), energy crisis and climate change may yet result in a similar or worse financial crash to 2008. Effects may be mass unemployment, food and fuel poverty, house evictions, house repossessions and an inability to afford to run a car. Government must step in to create new jobs, provide new social housing and a green public transport system.

BCP needs to build quickly but cheaply an eco-new town of 30,000 dwellings on a green field site around Burton to maximise public tram transport around BCP to reduce pollution, CO2 and congestion. The Local Plan needs radical change to accomplish this.

This in line with what Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce that all of Britain’s electricity will come from renewable sources by 2035.

Johnson will soon commit his party to plan an increase in investments in renewable and nuclear energy as Britain faces a crisis from rising fuel prices, the report added.

The Navitus Bay wind farm proposals will need to be revisited as 63 per cent of Echo readers said they would like to see a wind farm off the Dorset coast perhaps now with floating wind turbines further from the coast.

If BCP follows this strategy, they should apply for eco-city status with the name – Christchurch Eco-city. Where time really is present?

GEOFF BANTOCK

Rowan Drive Christchurch