Why do we need CALM?
Public meetings were held during March and April 2008 in Upton, Lytchett Minster
and Lytchett Matravers to provide residents with information on the proposed housing development by Bloor Homes on local
Lees Estate land, which has been included in the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West against the wishes of
local MP's, councillors, environmental groups and the SWRA. The meeting in Lytchett Matravers Village Hall on April 5th 2008,
reported by the
Daily Echo, was attended by over 300 people. Following this, Community Action for Lytchett Matravers was formed.
News in brief
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The Government have announced another delay to the SW RSS. This is in response to the High Court findings that
the Sustainability Appraisal of the East of England RSS had failed to test "reasonable alternatives" to
some of its proposals. Presumably they do not want the same journey through the High Court with the South West
RSS so they are undertaking further sustainability appraisals before publishing. The full press release can be read
here. Save our Green Spaces have provided a document from their legal team
outlining the legal implications of this, read it here.
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Tuesday evening meetings have been suspended until we know what the Secretary of
State’s final decision will be. Please check our website regularly, or subscribe
to our E-news email service on the left, to be informed of news as
it comes in. Fingers crossed!
- The CPRE in Dorset, led
by Terry Stewart, have been working tirelessly to keep up the pressure on the Government and to raise public awareness,
including this letter and this appeal to new SoS John Denham.
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The High Court has rejected the East of England Regional Plan to build thousands of houses on the Green Belt North of Greater London.
The Judge ruled that inadequate consideration was given to the environmental effects of the expansion. Dorset campaigners – fighting to
protect the Dorset Green Belt – believe this sets a great precedent which could save our Green Belt.
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Save Our Green Spaces: A new coalition has been formed between groups in the South West with an interest in protecting Green Belt areas - see below for details.
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Purbeck District Council have prepared a legal challenge with which to respond to the final RSS if necessary. Meanwhile they
will bring out their own Core Strategy in September which will outline the Council's plans for the natural development
of population and housing in Purbeck over the next 15 years.
News from Parliament
Statement from Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole
25th June 2009: The Government was due to issue the final Regional Spatial Strategy at the end of June. This is no longer the case as can
be seen from the enclosed ministerial response.
Sarah McCarthy-Fry (HM Treasury Minister): "We intended to issue the final Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West at the end of June.
However, on 20 May, the High Court issued a judgement that the previously issued Regional Spatial Strategy for the
East of England has failed to meet certain requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, in
respect of three towns. My Department and the Government Office for the South West are considering the implications
for the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West, but cannot reach a clear view until the written judgement is
issued by the Court. It is not possible to set a new timetable, until the implications of the judgement have been
clarified, and what action is required, if any."
It has been said to me that the earliest the response will be is late summer but I think it will be even further into the future.
Letter to SoS from Richard Drax
"I wrote to your predecessor, Ms Blears, who is now no doubt spending more time on her motorbike! On a more serious note, I should like
to reiterate my objection to your proposal to build thousands of new homes in our beautiful part of the country, with little thought it
would seem of the consequences."
Read the letter in full...
Prime Minister’s Questions Wednesday, June 3rd 2009:
Q12. [277579] Sandra Gidley (Romsey) (LD): Does the Prime Minister agree that it is wrong to build on grade 2 agricultural land? If so, will he change planning policy to prevent the waste of that precious resource and prevent also Conservative-controlled Test Valley borough council’s disgraceful plan to build on fertile green fields?
The Prime Minister: The hon. Lady will have to write me about the individual instance of that council, but this Government’s record is that we wish to build on brownfield not greenfield land.
(From Hansard)
DENHAM OUTLINES PLAN TO RENEW LOCAL DEMOCRACY
New Communities and Local Government Secretary John Denham has pledged to re-examine the relationship between central and
local government as part of the Government's drive to renew Britain's democracy and restore trust in the political system at
every level.
Mr Denham wants the debate to focus on citizens not institutions and is committed to strengthen ways in which
local people can shape their communities and improve public services. As part of the Prime Minister’s programme of
constitutional and political reform Denham announced he will shortly consult on ideas for placing the relationship
between central and local government on a stronger and clearer basis, including the option of new legislation, so
that citizens can be sure that they have strong, trusted and responsive institutions.
(With thanks to the Plunkett Foundation).
Save Our Green Spaces
Save Our Green Spaces is a coalition of groups across the South West. The following is information from
their website www.saveourgreenspaces.org:
"Save Our Green Spaces is an alliance of local campaigns and organisations, as well as national ones, who have come together to make the most
effective use of resources across the South West to fight the RSS and inappropriate building on green spaces. We aim to protect the environment of
the countryside, and preserve green spaces for everyone.
We are not a 'supergroup' – individual groups maintain their autonomy and decide how much they want to be involved, the hope is that
we will enhance the efforts of every group and campaign across the South West, by co-ordinating an overall media strategy, fundraising
for projects and sharing ‘what works’. There is an enormous bank of skills and strengths, as well as a lot of energy and passion across
the groups and we want to combine these to make the biggest impact possible.
We have a manifesto that each group can endorse as well as add to for their own individual campaign. The concept of the manifesto
is to be a 'minimum standard' which local groups and Non Governmental Organisations sign up to – all these groups can then integrate
the manifesto into their local or National messaging and add specific asks around issues such as transport, farming, environment, affordable housing, food as they see fit.
This website will carry the latest news, maps, videos and reports alongside unique pages dedicated to each area's campaign groups.
There is also a Google group where individuals can share information, make suggestions, chat with other campaigns and start discussions.
The aim is to facilitate groups across the South West to join together to share information and resources, to offer support for each other
and to give them a stronger campaign base. Save Warmley and Siston Green Spaces Group own this site and have kindly made it available to the Save Our Green Spaces coalition.
We aim to be entirely a collaborative coalition, with no one partner being in charge."
- SOGS have organised a new e-petition to urge the Government to "withdraw the proposed South
West Regional Spatial Strategy and make a renewed and irrevocable commitment to the retention of the Greenbelt. "
- They have produced a leaflet to raise awareness of the South West RSS and to encourage people
to write to the Secretary of State. They provide a sample letter on their website here. This is
the response we have had from submitting an email.
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NEWS...
'Dorset green belt group tackles minister over housing quota'
Wednesday 24th June 2009: ACTION groups whose seven villages are threatened with housing development on their
green belt have given the minister in charge seven reasons why the plan breaches the government’s own policy.
Read the full article...
'THEY CAN'T TAKE OUR COUNTRYSIDE'
Monday 15th June 2009: Despite 35,000 people sending in their concerns to the government over its damaging proposals
(in its Regional Spatial Strategy) for 500,000 new houses to be built throughout the south-west – with 250,000 of
those destined for green spaces and green belt land – it seems determined to press ahead regardless.
Read the full letter in the Echo...
'Dorset green belt battle for new minister'
Tuesday 9th June 2009: CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for green belt development in Dorset are taking their battle to the newly-appointed minister in charge.
Read the full article...
'Battle over homes on Dorset green belt land'
Monday 27th April 2009: DORSET councils are preparing for a legal battle against the government over
plans for green belt development.
Barrister Timothy Straker QC has been tasked with finding legal grounds to challenge housing figures laid out in
Regional Spatial Strategy – 48,100 new homes in Dorset by 2026.
Read the full article...
'Green belt fight may go to the High Court'
Tuesday 21st April 2009: THE fight against green belt development in Dorset could go all the way to the High Court.
Government plans to build 48,100 new homes in the county by 2026 have met with widespread opposition and now one
councillor is looking to make sure the fight goes on.
Read the full article...
'Purbeck MP in green belt call'
Monday 26th January 2009: MP ANNETTE Brooke is calling on government ministers
to come clean over plans to build on green belt land in Dorset. There is considerable concern about the
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) figures for the south west, which would see about 48,000 new homes being built in the area.
Read the full article...
'Dorset MPs unite to fight homes plan'
Tuesday 11th November 2008: NEARLY all of Dorset’s MPs have signed a House of Commons paper calling on the government
to scrap plans that could see 48,100 new homes built in south east Dorset by 2026.
Read the full article...
'Homes target is dismissed as ‘nonsense’'
Tuesday 21st October 2008: A PRESSURE group claims that the scale of housing development in Dorset must be reconsidered,
especially in the light of the current economic climate. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
said targets to build a total of 66,200 new homes in Dorset by 2026 were unrealistic before the economic
downturn and were now ‘a nonsense’.
Read the full article...
‘Show stopper’ tactic to thwart homes plan
Wednesday 15th October 2008: Purbeck District Council’s planning chief says he believes the authority has found the
"show stopper" that could halt government plans for 2,750 new homes on green belt land.
Read the full article...
'Green belt homes scheme rejected'
Wednesday 15th October 2008: A Dorset council has unanimously voted against plans to build thousands of homes on green belt land.
An independent panel recommended 5,150 new homes in Purbeck by 2026 - 2,750 on green belt land around Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster and Upton.
Read the full article...
'Last chance of Calm before the storm…'
Monday 6th October 2008: VILLAGERS in Lytchett Matravers met for the final time as the deadline to object to plans for 2,750 new homes nearby looms.
Members of Community Action Lytchett Matravers (Calm) met at the village hall on Saturday ahead of the October 17 deadline.
Read the full article...
A United Front to save Greenbelt
Tuesday 23rd September 2008: PROTESTERS outside Poole Civic Centre calling for "no green belt development"
found their feelings echoed inside by councillors meeting to respond to housing plans.
Read the full article...
VIEWS...
INFORMATION
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