CALM Thinking

• CALM have serious misgivings about the viability and sustainability of this proposed development, especially considering the recent signs of an economic downturn and a drop in the housing market, and we question the need for the massive housing targets the Government insists upon across the country.
• We strongly feel that the new houses are largely going to benefit the Bournemouth/Poole conurbation and those who wish to purchase second homes – they do not address the local need for affordable housing for our young people.
• We believe that we cannot build our way out of the housing crisis by creating new towns, but need to address our housing needs sensitively at a local level and with local knowledge.
• We do not believe that there is sufficient infrastructure in terms of schools, roads and facilities etc. to cope with this huge amount of houses.
• We predict that traffic chaos will only worsen with the potential addition of 4,125 extra vehicles to the area (the figure is based on 51 per cent of all rural households having two or more cars. Source: National Statistics 2006).
• We feel it will change forever the character and identity of the villages of Lytchett Minster and Lytchett Matravers, which we fear will merge to become just another suburb of Poole.
• We have serious concerns about the environmental impact of a new town in the area, including the increased risk of flooding on land only just above sea level, and a foul water impact on the ecology of Poole Harbour.
• We are incensed by the undemocratic way in which this proposal was foisted on our elected representatives against their wishes by the EiP - an unelected quango.
• CALM are astounded that the government are proposing to move Green Belt boundaries to allow this development to take place. This is after the assurances given to us on green belt protection from the SW Regional Develelopment Agency just 2 weeks ago, and Hazel Blears’ assurances on ‘Any Questions’ on 13th July 2007 that:

  “...I think I've tried to be as clear and unequivocal as I can be and say that the current protections for the Green Belt will remain.”
  
  She went on to state:
  
  “...I think the Green Belt right across the country contributes to a sense of what our country is like as a whole and therefore I don't think it's right that just around your particular village you should be able to decide to eat into the Green Belt. The Green Belt is protected by a planning framework in this country and that's one of the reasons actually why our country's still such a fantastic place to live...”

We are strongly supported in our views by our MP Annette Brooke, other campaign groups and our elected councillors across all political affiliations in local Town and Parish Councils, Purbeck District Council and Dorset County Council.