The Dorset Review Campaign to Protect Rural England In this issue • Dorset Housing Needs Report • King Canute and Dorset • Dorset under threat from Planning Reform • District Group Updates • Farming in the year of COVID-19 Autumn 2020 Branch News Issue 115 Contents Chair’s Report Who would have thought that a year Planning White Paper 2–3 Chair’s Report & Contents ago our world would be as it is today? The Planning White Paper and the Our Dorset world has changed in many emerging Dorset Local Plan are full of 3 Dorset Local Nature Partnership ways: the hospitality and tourism sector choices either being removed from local has been financially hit hard; we have 4 North Dorset Group residents or giving them to developers had an influx of visitors to the coast far to do what they want with our precious in excess of last year; the behaviours of 5 Dorset Housing Needs Report rural area. Surely there is something not some of the visitors (and even some of quite right when the legacy that we leave the residents?) have been unwelcome 6–7 Wonderful artist inspired by the is the result of self interest and the rate and unacceptable; those who cherish Dorset Countryside: Nicholas of return on monetary assets rather than Hely Hutchinson the area are concerned. Whatever is an enlightened self-interest that creates happening in rural Dorset? Surveys and a lasting legacy for others? What is it 8 The Sherborne and District studies have shown that more people that makes Dorset what it is? Will these Society want to access the countryside for health factors survive the relentless pressure and well being benefits. The lockdown of development driven by the demands 9 The Sherborne ‘Critical Review’ produced an upswing in visitors-what of a growing population, the market for – A Firework with Photos an irony? How will the local economy of financial assets (including houses) ,and Dorset fare as the COVID-19 pandemic Farming in the year of COVID-19 our current lifestyles? Who will gain and 10–11 runs on, and how will we hold together who will lose from these proposals? a sustainable lasting recovery when 12 Poole and Purbeck Group so much uncertainty exists? These are difficult issues for difficult times. Updating the Planning 13 Dorset National Park System 14 West Dorset Report Sustain and Enhance a Fundamental changes are planned in Green Recovery this White Paper on planning. All in Litter Campaigns Dorset CPRE should see the dangers 15 When I walk locally I pass the house, now for what they are-a charter for an hotel, where John Maynard Keynes 16–17 Rewilding development driven by excessive and spent several summers, the cottage undue pressures from the development where George Bernard Shaw stayed, 17 Arne Moors Intertidal Nature lobby. Early community engagement and the terrace house used by Virginia Reserve in the designation of zones-growth, Woolf-a basis for her Purbeck walks and regeneration and protection-and Canute the Great and Dorset swims. These intellectuals and thinkers 18–19 an emphasis of good design may be who changed the world in several welcomed. Set these against the loss 20 Minerals and Waste in Dorset ways had a special connection with the of community engagement in planning Dorset landscape and coast. They saw applications, the imposition of central 21 Brian Warren-Peachey’s the area undeveloped, wild in places, th government targets, and the shift 100 Birthday and only subject to the light footprint from community led local plans to of humans. Tourism as we know it was Obituary – Alan Kenyon development led plans driven by the 22 taking hold and gradually embracing the Protecting Dorset building and development lobby. The way of life for many in the Dorset seaside Campaign to Protect Rural England 22 Leaving a Legacy proposals may be modified as a result of communities. What was it that drew the consultation yet there seems to be these intellectuals, writers and artists 23 Dorset CPRE Membership determination from central government to the Dorset seaside and the adjoining for updating the planning system, making countryside? Was it the desire for 24 Contacts it quicker and easier to grant permissions peace and tranquillity not experienced rather than making it better. in London or even a desire to return to nature-whatever that means? The contents of this publication are intended Dorset Housing Needs as guidance and general interest. It does not The unexpected events of 2020 to constitute legal advice and can be no substitute for date have rattled our collective cages and Evidence considered advice on specific problems. Although made us think and reflect on both the Dorset CPRE has set out its stall with the every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information printed in this publication, countryside and the choices that we face independent report on Dorset Housing Campaign to Protect Rural in our lives. The writing of Viktor Frankl Needs Evidence. Too high a set of targets England cannot accept liability for and John Maynard Keynes show the above local housing needs, current errors and omissions. The views power of choices and the consequences building almost entirely for inward expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of CPRE. of these choices. How do we establish, migrants, and unaffordable access to sustain and enhance a green recovery housing for local residents-the report is from the COVID-19 pandemic? More an indictment on planning in Dorset. A of the same for all? Less for some and Dorset National Park working with Dorset Front Cover image – Three CPRE members and others at Langham Vineyards, Dewlish, after lunch in more for a few? Less for all? Whatever Council is the way forward if we really August. Theme of staycation and supporting Dorset direction we take it is a result of the want to see Dorset not being urbanised. drink business, taken by Rupert Hardy choices that we and others make. Meeting local housing need and 2 DORSET protecting our precious places will be and had two separate initial meetings January consultation. Dorset Council will more likely to be secured with a Dorset with Parish and Town Councils. Delegates decide on the questions without any National Park (see article on page 13) were told that government calculated shaping of the consultation by residents than any of the proposals in the Planning numbers had to be used in Dorset and all and local councils. White Paper. that had to be decided was where new Please read the report from Opinion houses would be located. Did you remember a poem? Research Services-it is on the Dorset Details from the former District Councils Finally, did you remember a poem and CPRE website (see page 5 for more are to be incorporated into the DLP. The did you use the summer to reflect on details). Tell others about the report; Council has set up an Executive Advisory what we have and what we need to press your local councillor and local Panel for the Dorset Local Plan-there are retain? Have you taken any action to council to make representations to no public reports from the Panel and it is ensuring that Dorset is protected, and Dorset Council and your MP. We must not known what it does other than meet enhanced in these times of climate, in Dorset CPRE energise others to take in secret. ecological and health emergencies? What action on this important report. In January there will be an eight week would Keynes, Shaw and Woolf think period consultation on the DLP. Despite of Dorset now? Who will take up the Dorset Local Plan requests made at Dorset Council Cabinet baton for the environment, wildlife and Dorset Council have agreed that the meetings for there to be additional heritage of Dorset let alone the “trustees Dorset Local Plan (DLP) will be completed engagement by local councils and of the possibilities of civilisation”? by March 2023. Work is being carried out residents in the creation of a vision for by officials on the background papers, the DLP in addition to what is planned for the January 2021 consultation, Dorset policies and studies for the DLP. The Peter Bowyer Council has held a consultation on the Council have insisted that community C h a i r o f T r u s t e e s Statement of Community Involvement engagement will take the form of the Dorset Local Nature Partnership Annual Report 2019 – 2020 needs to be delivered by local people who know the area and NOT by Central Government. This Nature Recovery Network Dr Simon Cripps, Chairman Dorset LNP, drew attention to the for Dorset will investigate soils and habitats and give support to way in which the Partnership has worked across traditionally farmers and to rewilding. separate topics such as environment, health and social Mr Tom Munro, Dorset AONB Manager, talked about care or between environment and economics or business Glover’s Landscape Review and the Environment Bill presently development. going through the House of Commons. The Nature Recovery The Partnership worked with the Dorset LEP to produce Network would cover 500,000 hectares nationally. a Local Industrial Strategy which included environmental Julie Melin-Stubbs, New Forest National Park, spoke about issues and solutions for submission to the Government last nature conservation in the Park for birds, butterflies and December. botany, and also about the planting of native trees. Within the A workshop on Health and Nature Collaboration in Park are many small farms, working woodlands and hedgerows. November 2019 considered formal collaboration on nature- We ended with a workshop on the Nature Recovery Plan for based wellbeing in the County.