The Dorset Review We Explained How Dorset CPRE Will Also Consider Giving Money to Causes Other Groups Can Apply for Funding from Dorset CPRE
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The Campaign to DorsetProtect Rural England Review Autumn 2015 Branch News Issue 105 STANDING UP FOR THE COUNTRYSIDE CONTENTS In Dorset we are now facing an expect that parameters have been set increasingly challenging situation and for development, such as development 1-2 Standing Up for the alarming prospect as regards Local boundaries, and the numbers of new Counrtyside Plans and development control. We houses considered appropriate over 2 Recruitment a period, which will help people to do not suggest that Dorset is alone in 3 Combined or Unified Authority safeguard the environment. However, facing serious threats to landscape but for Dorset? we are clearly at a fork in the road. One interventions of the Planning of Britain’s most beautiful counties is Inspectorate in the adoption of Local 4-5 Our Green Belt Campaign threatened as never before. Plans and a weakening of the planning 6 East Dorset Group Report In recent years, Dorset CPRE Groups process overall, common to all Dorset 7 Jurassica have achieved some successes in LPAs, herald uncertainty and the 8-9 The Sherborne and influencing Local Plans, and in securing likelihood of significant and unnecessary District Society the withdrawal or rejection of damaging landscape loss and damage. development proposals – for example, 9 Collaboration with BU the hard work and achievements of Key issues include the following: 10-11 Dorset & East Devon NP The staffing of planning departments our Sherborne representatives are well- • 12 Purbeck and Poole Group known. Now, however, an alarming has been seriously depleted following situation is emerging with serious repeated expenditure cuts, while the 13 West Dorset Group Report implications for the future. This is the number of planning applications has 14-15 Renewable Energy Generation case in our several Dorset Local Planning risen and continues to rise. Planning in Dorset Authorities (LPAs), including that staff are unable to deal effectively 15 News on Blandford Hill with the volume of applications. covering Sherborne. Wind Farm In some areas, the environment is at The imbalance of resources between • 16 North Dorset DC Local Plan risk due to protracted delays in agreeing depleted and cash-strapped planning Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans. departments and apparently well- 17 CPRE at party Conference This was always anticipated, and CPRE resourced developers [who attend 18 North Dorset Group groups do what they can to play a planning meetings and appeal 19 Plea to Government to take constructive part in the preparation of hearings supported by specialists and firm lead on Litter and consultation on such Local Plans. advisers], has reached the point where Where Local Plans have been planning staff are unable or unwilling 19 Need funds for a project? agreed, the National Planning Policy to challenge or refuse planning 20-21 Minerals and Waste in Dorset Framework (NPPF) leads people to proposals or to take cases to appeal, 22-23 Flooding fearful of the costs which would be 24 Best Village Shop BRANCH AGM incurred in any challenge, and costs – 21st November which could be awarded against a LPA 25 Harvest Sermon 2015 if a developer successfully appeals. 26 Tranquillity Research & Cerne Abbas Village Hall will be the • LPA Enforcement staff have been CPRE Maps venue for this year’s Branch Annual cut to vanishing point in Dorset 27 Dorset CPRE Membership LPAs. Dorset CPRE has been involved General Meeting. 28 Contacts The meeting will start at 11 am and in assisting householders whose have finger buffet at 12.30 pm. Cllr properties and lives are blighted by Robert Gould Leader of Dorset County illegal development against which Council will be the guest speaker. LPAs are completely unable or Please return the enclosed A4 unwilling to take enforcement action. booking form. continued p2 Protecting Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Continued from cover page • In West and North Dorset, we see rather, too often not working to help us Branch web site. It can be used as an growing numbers of planning protect the environment of Dorset evidence-base for informing and updating proposals which are outside the We have been busy in other areas. The renewable energy policy and for assisting carefully considered development highlights have been: the determination of planning applications boundaries of towns and villages, and for renewable energy installations. which are nonetheless approved. Countryside Forum The Dorset Campaign • The designation of significant parts The Meetings are held five times a year of Dorset as AONB seems to offer with contributions from our countryside Against Litter (DCAL) the countryside, including that on experts who help to prioritise our work. The meeting first held in 2003 and chaired the edges of towns and villages, Invited experts included Mike Harries, by Dorset CPRE, continues to be well little protection from development. Director for Environment and Economy supported with litter campaign groups LPAs, which are supposed to have at DCC, Graeme Willis, Senior Rural Policy reporting a reduction in litter collected regard to AONB status in considering Campaigner at CPRE National Office, and in their areas. A Dorset wide workshop development proposals, can disregard Louise Stratton, NFU County Adviser. organised by the Dorset Coast Forum and the views of the AONB staff and of sponsored by Dorset Waste Partnership conservation groups and communities Mapperton Solar Farm takes place on 23rd November at The concerned about damage to the AONB Dorford Centre, Dorchester, and will look Lawyers have lodged an application for and even statutory bodies, Natural at working together to achieve a Litter Free Judicial Review to quash the decision to England and the Environment Agency. Dorset. grant planning permission on five grounds of procedural error. They are acting for • The actions of the Planning We hope you can join us for our branch AGM Katharine Butler, who is supported by the Inspectorate are undermining and taking place on 21st November and hear Mapperton Preservation Group and Dorset overturning Local Plans, sometimes from our guest speaker, Cllr Robert Gould, CPRE. We believe we have a strong case, at the Local Plan approval stage, Leader of Dorset County Council. Please and are optimistic about the outcome, but but sometimes subsequently in the come and meet your fellow members. it will take months for this to be resolved. context of specific planning decisions Together we can save the countryside and appeals. we all love. We do not imagine that the experience Research on renewable of Dorset CPRE is untypical. We are energy generation StephenChair Howard of Trustees in touch with our National Office, to Dr David Peacock’s latest report on register our profound concern about projections for renewable energy how the planning system is working – or, generation in Dorset is now on the RECRUITMENT Despite recruiting over fifty new members in the first seven months of 2015 it has been difficult to increase our overall membership figures because of the ageing profile. We continue to have stands at some of Dorset’s summer country shows, and we were seen recently at the Milton Abbas Street Fair in July. We have also had some success in recruiting in areas threatened by inappropriate developments, such as the Blandford Hill Wind Farm. We hope to host some more parties to explain what we do and how people might benefit from joining. We would of course be grateful for any recruitment of friends by current members, and we do emphasise the many tangible benefits that membership confers, such as the heavily discounted entry to over 200 of England’s most splendid Houses and Gardens, including Forde Abbey and Athelhampton in Dorset. Other benefits include access to a planning hotline and our resident Dorset experts, our publications and newsletters. Richard Nicholls and Georgie Tichy at the Milton Abbey Street Fair Rupert Hardy 2 DORSET Campaign to Protect Rural England – Protecting Dorset COMBINED OR UNIFIED AUTHORITY FOR DORSET? Group reports, including that for West Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch democratic accountability for their Dorset, give some indication of the plus East Dorset [which have already decisions, and – a very serious concern problems increasingly faced by Dorset declared their interest in this approach] for organisations like CPRE – lack CPRE in dealing with local planning and one UA for the rest of Dorset. accountability for the environmental applications. CPRE understands the pressures and implications and impact of the However, this situation could become incentives for the authorities to move to developments and projects to which more challenging in future, given that a CA or UA model of local government. they allocate large sums. the major Dorset Councils are looking CPRE nationally and locally is concerned At national level, CPRE has raised at options to reorganise and restructure that such moves could make services concerns regarding potential Local how planning matters and infrastructure like planning more remote and difficult Government re-organisation, that will be dealt with on a day to day basis for local people to contact. We are questions such as affordable housing, through the creation of a Combined keeping in touch with developments and local infrastructure and the provision of or Unitary Authority for Dorset. For are alert to the opportunities as well as community facilities, at present dealt Dorset, the Combined or Unitary the risks for the environment and rural with by County and District Councils, Authority would seem likely to be an areas which local government change could be dealt with increasingly by amalgamation of the Bournemouth, could present. remote and unaccountable bodies. Such Poole and Christchurch Councils, is the concern of CPRE that a special along with Dorset County Council and Dorset Local Enterprise meeting in London has been organised existing Dorset District Councils, all of Partnership (LEP) to discuss CPRE’s position regarding which would need a representative.